Game Day: Suns (24-22) @ Warriors (24-23), Fri 1/31/25

[AmareIsGod]

I wish I would have turned it on earlier. I started watching with about 6 minutes left in the game.

[Superbone]

What a pathetically horrible quarter for Beal. Get that bum outta here!

He’s making up for it

He did, thank god.

[Superbone]

At this point, I think Tyus would welcome a trade too.


Also PLAY DUNN MORE!!!

Yeah, I don't get why he hardly plays.

[Wally_West]

At this point, I think Tyus would welcome a trade too.


Also PLAY DUNN MORE!!!

Yeah, I don't get why he hardly plays.

He’s getting traded for Jimmy unfortunately

[Cap]

At this point, I think Tyus would welcome a trade too.


Also PLAY DUNN MORE!!!

Yeah, I don't get why he hardly plays.

He’s getting traded for Jimmy unfortunately

Crap, you're a time traveler, aren't you? You've seen it.

[SunsSince92]

Well I'm pleased my prediction was wrong, although Beal did get 20 points or more!

[Superbone]

Prediction results:

Mori Chu Suns 8
SunsSince92 Suns by 7 and Beal to score 20 or more.
Cap Suns by 5
Superbone Suns 2
Wally West Warriors by 15
TOO DISQUALIFIED

Marty wins this round after a rare road blowout. Although bonus points for SunsSince92 for his extra prediction.

[ShelC]

Postgame Quotes and Videos

Spoiler: show/hide

[ShelC]

Good offensive performance with ball and player movement. Book, Grayson, Beal all shot really well and Richards had a good game in the middle. Book was locked in, Grayson was knocking down his shots and Beal was scoring from all over.

Richards is obviously more comfortable on the floor now and has been a really good piece for us just doing the basics - catching and finishing, rebounding and being a deterrent at the rim. I've noticed a few times lately that he's been fighting for rebounds in a crowd and but gets stripped because there are 3 players around him swiping. I think part of it is that his hands aren't great but also, there's still no one else boxing out. Before he was on the team, those were the offensive rebounds we were giving up. Now at least he's in there getting most of those boards but the rest of the team leaking out or just watching which is still an issue. We're obviously in a much better place with him on the team tho. It's looking like a great trade given what he brings and what we needed.

Defensively, this felt like the Clippers game where the Warriors just missed a lot of shots rather than because of anything we were doing defensively. Curry was cold and I think everyone was waiting for him to get going but it never happened. The flurry came at the end of the 3rd when Podz and Moody hit a bunch of 3s to cut it to 14. Luckily KD answered with his own threes after going cold in the 2nd and 3rd qtrs. So we were able to hold them off but I still don't have any faith in us doing anything significant against the better teams. The Ws are small so we matched up well and they were cold shooting the ball so the defense held up.

Still not crazy about all the Plumlee minutes. Just feels like he's out there forever when he plays and I'd rather see Richards on the floor when teams are really small because he should be able to really dominate in that setting. Instead it's either Plumlee or KD and it kind of plays into the other team's hands. Also sucks that Dunn is looking like the odd man out. Beal is back so he's getting his 30minutes, then you have Allen and Royce getting their 22-25minutes. Just a log jam we can't do anything about and it'll get worse if we end up with you-know-who. I'd actually like to see Dunn as a small ball 4 to open up some minutes for him but doesn't seem like we're there yet.

[Mori Chu]

One of the more fun games end-to-end of the season. I think we're at our best when Book is our best player, and he came out with determination tonight. Maybe it was the All-Star snub, maybe he just knew he could beat the Warriors defenders off the dribble; dunno. But he was taking it to the basket and making his shots and just generally being a nightmare for the Warriors to stop. KD had a somewhat quiet 19 but he delivered a flurry of 3s in the 2nd half to stop a Warriors run right when we needed it.

Beal was awesome in this game; 21 points on 9-12 shooting. I really like having him come off the bench. I didn't love some of the minutes where all of the "big 3" played, but oh well. That kind of efficient output is exactly why Beal should be our 6th man: he can feast against other teams' shitty bench guards and wings.

I saw folks complaining about the Mason Plumlee minutes, and I didn't see it the same way. Mason had 10 points on 4-5 shooting along with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks (!) in just 15 minutes. What more do you want from the guy? Lately Plumlee hasn't been great, but he had a very effective game tonight.

Really almost everybody had nice contributions for us except for Tyus and Dunn. Dunn's been in a little mini-slump it seems to me, maybe related to his recent injury. And I guess I just have to give up hoping that we will ever really find the right way to utilize Tyus and his skillset. The team seems more comfortable having him play the marginal PG role, bringing the ball up and then just handing it off. I guess that's fine.

[Split T]

I think the only issue with Mason is when we left him out there when the Warriors went small. We had some defensive issues at that point and should have just matched them with a small lineup.

[SunsSince92]

I'll be honest if we are reverting to point Book I can't see the need to keep Tyus in the starting lineup other than a promise made to him at the start of the season. He is a liability on defence and isn't aggressive enough on offence. You'd be better starting Allen or even Beal not least to offset the relative lack of offence you get from Dunn.

Richards, KD, Dunn, Beal, Booker

Richards, KD, Dunn Allen, Booker

[ShelC]

I still think Monte can do everything Tyus is doing but with better size and defense. Tyus is a steady hand and I like when he's out there but he's been exposed by the better teams.

[Split T]

I don’t think Monte makes sense…he’s a worse shooter than Tyus. I would happily move Grayson into the starting lineup.

Book/Grayson/Dunn/KD/Richards
Tyus/Beal/Royce

Find a way to trade Nurk for a big wing or actual big and we might be respectable. I would still do Nurk and 2 1sts for Avdija/Reath, but I doubt Portland does.

[Superbone]

[ShelC]

KD roasting The Glove

[Mori Chu]

Not gonna lie, KD absolutely ethered Glove there. RIP.

[Cap]

Why does KD always have to be so hostile whenever he opens his mouth in public or posts on social media? Mix it up a bit, Kevin.

[Split T]

He’s just having fun with GP

[TOO]

He’s just having fun with GP

We hate fun.