Last Week's Games
Tues, March 5th @ Denver 117-107 Win!
Thur, March 7th vs. Toronto 120-113 Win!
Sat, March 9th vs. Boston 117-107 Loss.
This Week's Games (All times MST)
Mon, March 11th @ Cleveland Cavaliers 4:30 PM SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
Thur, March 14th @ Boston Celtics 4:30 PM TNT
Fri, March 15th @ Charlotte Hornets 4:00 PM NBA TV
Sun, March 17th @ Milwaukee Bucks 10:00 AM ABC
That top ESPN article was great. A couple highlights:
MAT ISHBIA SAYS he's never had a cup of coffee. He doesn't need caffeine, or an alarm clock.
This is amazing to me for a guy that seems like he's on caffeine 24/7. Talk about high energy!
"I understand all the rules that come with the second apron. I understand exactly what the CBA tried to do," he says. "I read it, I know it inside and out, and we made a calculated decision that we think the team with the best players wins. Would I rather have Brad Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker than just having two of those guys? I'd rather have all three a hundred times out of a hundred, and I don't think there's another GM or owner or CEO that wouldn't say that exact same thing.
"So now how do you maneuver around that? Well, you have to differentiate yourself. ... I have to create an environment where [we're] trying to be the best franchise in sports where the players want to come play."
The guy is a competitor who is going to do everything in his power to win. We are so lucky to have him as owner. We went from the depths to new highs of ownership. Ishbia is like Colangelo on steroids.
That top ESPN article was great. A couple highlights:
MAT ISHBIA SAYS he's never had a cup of coffee. He doesn't need caffeine, or an alarm clock.
This is amazing to me for a guy that seems like he's on caffeine 24/7. Talk about high energy!
"I understand all the rules that come with the second apron. I understand exactly what the CBA tried to do," he says. "I read it, I know it inside and out, and we made a calculated decision that we think the team with the best players wins. Would I rather have Brad Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker than just having two of those guys? I'd rather have all three a hundred times out of a hundred, and I don't think there's another GM or owner or CEO that wouldn't say that exact same thing.
"So now how do you maneuver around that? Well, you have to differentiate yourself. ... I have to create an environment where [we're] trying to be the best franchise in sports where the players want to come play."
The guy is a competitor who is going to do everything in his power to win. We are so lucky to have him as owner. We went from the depths to new highs of ownership. Ishbia is like Colangelo on steroids.
I don’t remember JC trading 15+ draft picks for a Suns team with a two-year window of barely contending. We need to see how this plays out long term before we start comparing MI to JC.
“Are you crazy?! You think I’m going to go for seven years and try to get there? You enjoy the 2030 draft picks that we have holding? I want to try to see the game today.” — Ish 3/13/25
I'm convinced at this point the Suns will draft someone and people will still think they don't have a draft pick.
Even after he gets Rookie of the Year.
I was thinking about this, and if they can draft the guy who is ultimately the best player of his draft class and a long time contributor to multiple Suns titles would be even better.
"There are 3 rules I live by: never get less than 12 hours sleep, never play cards with a guy with the same first name as a city & never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Everything else is cream cheese."
The Suns are playing 17 of their final 22 games against teams with winning records. They’re 2-2 (1-2 against the winning teams) on that stretch so far, getting an overtime win in Denver on Tuesday.
Three takeaways
- The Suns didn’t play any small ball against the Nuggets, with Jusuf Nurkic (who fouled out in regulation) or Drew Eubanks on the floor for all 53 minutes. For the season, they’ve been 14.8 points per 100 possessions better with Nurkic on the floor (plus-9.7) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-15.9), and that differential has been bigger (23.7 per 100) over two games against Denver. The Suns were outscored with Nikola Jokic off the floor in both games.
- Turnovers remain an issue, but Kevin Durant averaged 38.3 points over the Suns’ three games last week. He shot just 70-for-177 (39.5%) from mid-range before Christmas, but he’s 123-for-209 (58.9%) from mid-range since Christmas, taking him to 50% for what would be the fifth straight season.
- With Devin Booker (ankle) having missed the last four games, the Suns have had all three of their stars for just one of their last 10. They’re still 14-9 (.609) when they’ve had all three, now 19-13 (.594) when they’ve had two of the three, and 4-5 (.444) when they’ve had just one available. Booker was listed as questionable for their loss to the Celtics on Saturday, so he could be ready to go this week.
The Suns are playing nine of their next 11 games on the road, facing the top three teams in the Eastern Conference on the four-game trip that begins Monday in Cleveland. They’ll have a rest advantage against the Cavs, who are the one East team they’ve yet to face.
... For the season, they’ve been 14.8 points per 100 possessions better with Nurkic on the floor (plus-9.7) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-15.9)...
Wait, maybe I've misunderstood +- the whole time, because the difference between +9.7 and -15.9 is 25.6 on my calculator. Where is 14.8 coming from?
The league needs heroes, villains... and clowns. -- Aztec Sunsfan
... For the season, they’ve been 14.8 points per 100 possessions better with Nurkic on the floor (plus-9.7) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-15.9)...
Wait, maybe I've misunderstood +- the whole time, because the difference between +9.7 and -15.9 is 25.6 on my calculator. Where is 14.8 coming from?
... For the season, they’ve been 14.8 points per 100 possessions better with Nurkic on the floor (plus-9.7) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-15.9)...
Wait, maybe I've misunderstood +- the whole time, because the difference between +9.7 and -15.9 is 25.6 on my calculator. Where is 14.8 coming from?
