Game Day: Raptors (24-44) @ Suns (31-37), Mon 3/17/25

[Kryptonic]

Suns 11 and 2 when Book and KD play this season and Beal is out!

You’d think a player would take a hint that he’s a negative on a team and move on. Not Beal. He doesn’t care and is just here to collect a check and give his family stability like a suffering middle class family that can’t find work anywhere else.

[Mori Chu]

This game was basically a preview of what I want us to be next season. Yes, KD played, and he'll be gone next year. But he wasn't a central focus, more of an afterthought, replaceable scoring. Book, a few vets, and a bunch of hungry young guys. We'll probably miss the playoffs but you will like rooting for them much, much more.

[ShelC]

Suns 11 and 2 when Book and KD play this season and Beal is out!

You’d think a player would take a hint that he’s a negative on a team and move on. Not Beal. He doesn’t care and is just here to collect a check and give his family stability like a suffering middle class family that can’t find work anywhere else.

To be fair tho, we're the ones that brought him in here selling the dream of a Big 3. Hasn't worked out, but he wasn't forced on us.

[Carno]

I don't think Oso is getting enough credit for his impact.

His defense has been outstanding. He can guard 1-5, is quick, has great foot work, and covers the lob. On guards on the perimeter, he's close enough to defend the 3 but also quick enough to cover drives. He's not a great rebounder and can't defend the big centers like Jokic. However, everywhere else he makes a huge impact. He has a great defensive, bent-knee stance; He doesn't stand up straight like most centers do on the perimeter.

His offensive impact may be less noticeable but not less impactful. His screens, specifically his foot work and positioning after the screen is outstanding. If the ballhandler doesn't gain an advantage from the screen, he rescreens until eventually an advantage is created and then finds the right space for the pass. His decision making after getting the pass is outstanding where he usually makes a quick pass to an open shooter or drives if open. I can't say enough about how a bland, lifeless offense immediately turns into a fast-paced, ball-moving, properly spaced offense when he is in the game.

It's no coincidence that after losing the 1st, the game broke open for the Suns when Oso came in at the beginning of the 2nd. This has been a trend for the last several games where he has been given minutes. I've been pleading for Bud to take out Nick and Plumlee when it's obvious early on that they lack effort (Nick) or are getting beat athletically (Plumlee). Last night, Bud took Nick out very early in the 3rd and rode Oso until they were up by 40 in the fourth.

I don't know that he is a starter, but he can jump start a lifeless team and should be getting way more minutes than he's been getting. The team just plays faster on both offense and defense when he is in there.

[Kryptonic]

Suns 11 and 2 when Book and KD play this season and Beal is out!

You’d think a player would take a hint that he’s a negative on a team and move on. Not Beal. He doesn’t care and is just here to collect a check and give his family stability like a suffering middle class family that can’t find work anywhere else.

To be fair tho, we're the ones that brought him in here selling the dream of a Big 3. Hasn't worked out, but he wasn't forced on us.

I hear ya... I just find it hard to have empathy for a guy making 50 million a year playing a sport

[specialsauce]

Get out of here Brad nobody likes you in Phoenix

[specialsauce]

Bud better play Dunn and Oso 25 mpg at least the rest of the way. More Cody Martin. More CG. Less or no Grayson (aka White Troy Daniels), less Mason/Nick

[ShelC]

I don't think Oso is getting enough credit for his impact.

His defense has been outstanding. He can guard 1-5, is quick, has great foot work, and covers the lob. On guards on the perimeter, he's close enough to defend the 3 but also quick enough to cover drives. He's not a great rebounder and can't defend the big centers like Jokic. However, everywhere else he makes a huge impact. He has a great defensive, bent-knee stance; He doesn't stand up straight like most centers do on the perimeter.

His offensive impact may be less noticeable but not less impactful. His screens, specifically his foot work and positioning after the screen is outstanding. If the ballhandler doesn't gain an advantage from the screen, he rescreens until eventually an advantage is created and then finds the right space for the pass. His decision making after getting the pass is outstanding where he usually makes a quick pass to an open shooter or drives if open. I can't say enough about how a bland, lifeless offense immediately turns into a fast-paced, ball-moving, properly spaced offense when he is in the game.

It's no coincidence that after losing the 1st, the game broke open for the Suns when Oso came in at the beginning of the 2nd. This has been a trend for the last several games where he has been given minutes. I've been pleading for Bud to take out Nick and Plumlee when it's obvious early on that they lack effort (Nick) or are getting beat athletically (Plumlee). Last night, Bud took Nick out very early in the 3rd and rode Oso until they were up by 40 in the fourth.

I don't know that he is a starter, but he can jump start a lifeless team and should be getting way more minutes than he's been getting. The team just plays faster on both offense and defense when he is in there.

The biggest question for me is how can we minimize/maximize his offense. The screening, passing, floater in the lane are his strengths but we know the jumper is broken. So he needs to be a heavy PnR/DHO big but not a pick and pop/C+S big. He is undersized and isn't a great rebounder which will limit him as well, but he could be a great first big off the bench ala Bobby Portis or Naz Reid. Need a coach who can utilize him properly and hide his weaknesses.

[TOO]

Martin, Dunn, Oso, Gillespie all give solid efforts on defense, they absolutely MUST stay in the rotation going forward.

[specialsauce]

Instead it'll be Tyus, Allen, Plumlee and Royce. 60 games in, we just need a few more for the square pegs to fit into the round hole!!!!

[Superbone]

Suns 11 and 2 when Book and KD play this season and Beal is out!

You’d think a player would take a hint that he’s a negative on a team and move on. Not Beal. He doesn’t care and is just here to collect a check and give his family stability like a suffering middle class family that can’t find work anywhere else.

To be fair tho, we're the ones that brought him in here selling the dream of a Big 3. Hasn't worked out, but he wasn't forced on us.

Yep. I refuse to blame Beal. Good for him getting a NTC and doing what's best for his family. The Suns are to blame for taking it on. Huge mistake.

[Split T]

Game Score Predictions Results:

SunsRIt - Suns by 13.
Carno - Suns by 12. Booker leads all scoring with 35.
Superbone - Suns by 11 a la Kings game. Can only compete with losing teams. Sometimes.
Mori Chu - Suns by 8.
Maldonado - Suns by 7
LazarusLong - Suns by five (6.5 after tariffs)
Kryptonic - Dino's take out KD for season ending injury... Beal gets injured on player intros and is out the remainder of the game and Book... he's just there. Raptors by 5
Split T - Raptors by 5…we always seem to play bad against this team; Colin Gillespie with 27
TOO - Scottie Barnes is the best player in this game, thus Dinos by 9.
JeremyG - Raptors by 10

Raptors 89 - Suns 129; Suns by 40, yes, you read that right. 40! And Split, I'm going to take your unspoilered late change based on Beal not playing as a joke, so not factoring it in unless you tell us all with a straight face that you were serious. Leaving SunsRIt tonight's winner.

First game all year I was home and didn’t watch a minute of it. Go figure.

Does anybody know where we are on our preseason Big 3 predictions? Or the team over/unders?

I’ll check on the over/unders

[Superbone]

I don't think Oso is getting enough credit for his impact.

His defense has been outstanding. He can guard 1-5, is quick, has great foot work, and covers the lob. On guards on the perimeter, he's close enough to defend the 3 but also quick enough to cover drives. He's not a great rebounder and can't defend the big centers like Jokic. However, everywhere else he makes a huge impact. He has a great defensive, bent-knee stance; He doesn't stand up straight like most centers do on the perimeter.

His offensive impact may be less noticeable but not less impactful. His screens, specifically his foot work and positioning after the screen is outstanding. If the ballhandler doesn't gain an advantage from the screen, he rescreens until eventually an advantage is created and then finds the right space for the pass. His decision making after getting the pass is outstanding where he usually makes a quick pass to an open shooter or drives if open. I can't say enough about how a bland, lifeless offense immediately turns into a fast-paced, ball-moving, properly spaced offense when he is in the game.

It's no coincidence that after losing the 1st, the game broke open for the Suns when Oso came in at the beginning of the 2nd. This has been a trend for the last several games where he has been given minutes. I've been pleading for Bud to take out Nick and Plumlee when it's obvious early on that they lack effort (Nick) or are getting beat athletically (Plumlee). Last night, Bud took Nick out very early in the 3rd and rode Oso until they were up by 40 in the fourth.

I don't know that he is a starter, but he can jump start a lifeless team and should be getting way more minutes than he's been getting. The team just plays faster on both offense and defense when he is in there.

[Mori Chu]

I don't think Oso is getting enough credit for his impact. (...)

Great post, Carno. Strongly agree, Oso was awesome and really a huge part of this blowout. He made us noticeably better on both ends of the floor. He has major holes in his game, but what he does well, he does really well, and it's exactly the sort of stuff we need from our bigs. More Oso minutes please.

[specialsauce]

Suns 11 and 2 when Book and KD play this season and Beal is out!

You’d think a player would take a hint that he’s a negative on a team and move on. Not Beal. He doesn’t care and is just here to collect a check and give his family stability like a suffering middle class family that can’t find work anywhere else.

To be fair tho, we're the ones that brought him in here selling the dream of a Big 3. Hasn't worked out, but he wasn't forced on us.

Yep. I refuse to blame Beal. Good for him getting a NTC and doing what's best for his family. The Suns are to blame for taking it on. Huge mistake.

So then for politicians don't blame them. Good on them for getting elected and doing what's best for their friends and family on both sides of the crooked ass aisle.

Good on the teachers who gain tenure and then dog it because they're very difficult to hold accountable after that.

Good on insurance companies for doing what's best for their bottom line and for their CEOs for doing what's best for their family.

Good on criminal defense attorneys who get high profile suspects off through loopholes, knowing full well their client is guilty. Just taking care of their family!

We don't hold people accountable for their performance right? As long as we're consistent.

It's fine if that's what Beal wants and I'd probably do the same in his position. But it's also fine if the fanbase hates him for never buying in, playing consistently with effort, hell actually PLAYING consistently and not being injured with soft ass injuries, and then running his mouth and throwing a middle finger up to them saying I'm smiling I have A NTC and I'm rich, nothing you can do about it

[Superbone]

Those are such straw man arguments that I won't even bother.

At least you get it right at the end:

"It's fine if that's what Beal wants and I'd probably do the same in his position."

[Split T]

I have never thought Beal doesn’t try hard. He’s just a bad fit and can’t do the things we need him to do at a high level. He’s constantly hurt, but that’s not really something he can control. He’s prioritizing stability and his family over the team. Can’t say I blame him too much.

[specialsauce]

Beal doesn't try hard. You see a stretch of 5 plays across his time on the court, but he doesn't CONSISTENTLY give that effort

[specialsauce]

[Split T]

Meh, I mean he’s definitely a problem, but I don’t really agree with that video. He shoots more 3s than KD. He gets to the rim more than Book and KD…in fact the area of the court he uses the least is the midrange, so no he doesn’t just operate in the same areas as Book and KD(especially not KD).

He’s not Okogie, Dunn, or Oso, but he tries as hard as Book and KD. He’s just an offensive player and has always been an offensive player. Would it be great if he had Okogie’s level of hustle? Of course, but he’s never been that player and to expect it at 31 is crazy. He was a bad fit. That’s all.