Last Week's Games
Mon, Jan 5th @ Rockets: 97 - 100 LOSS
Wed, Jan 7th @ Grizzlies: 117 - 98 WIN!
Fri, Jan 9th vs Knicks: 112 - 107 WIN!
Sun, Jan 11th vs Wizards: 112- 93 WIN!
This Week's Games
Tue Jan 13 @ Heat, 5:30 PM MST
Thu Jan 15 @ Pistons, 5:00 PM MST
Sat Jan 17 @ Knicks, 5:30 PM MST
I just want to mention that the Pistons last game was at home this past Saturday Jan 10 and was a loss to the Clippers. They don't play again until we meet them this Thursday. So not only are they going to be pissed off from the last loss but are going to be on their home court again with a bunch of rest.
I just want to mention that the Pistons last game was at home this past Saturday Jan 10 and was a loss to the Clippers. They don't play again until we meet them this Thursday. So not only are they going to be pissed off from the last loss but are going to be on their home court again with a bunch of rest.
That'll make it all the sweeter when we beat their asses.
So in terms of the upcoming road trip - I think 6 games in 11 days (fun) - Miami, Detroit, NY, BK, Philly, Atlanta.
What are we thinking? Detroit and NY are tops in the east and we've already beaten the Knicks in a close one. Miami is always tough but kind of up and down (have lost 3 in a row). Can't look past BK, Philly has Maxey and Edgecome with maybe Embiid and George and ATL (have won 3 in a row right now).
I have weak mental constitution so in general I don't watch the games we lose (time zone difference, rarely get to watch live), so take this analysis with a grain of salt.
My theory is that we don't do as well with bruising teams that play a very physical style or have gargantuan centers who can pound us on the glass, so I think we'll have a lot of trouble with Detroit if Duren is healthy. I feel somewhat okay about Miami. New York is going to be tough because of the way we won that last game. Philly is also an issue because Maxey is so electric and in particular such a low turnover player. Atlanta, I hope we remember that last loss and really clobber them.
I'd love to walk away with a 3-2 record in these next 11 days.
“He’s a star player who’s coachable. He’s a star player who plays defense. He’s a star player who’s so unselfish,” Breen said of The Valley’s star, as relayed by the Suns on Instagram. “He’s clutch. He’s got everything you want in a franchise player.”
Maybe the NBA should force every team to give up its draft picks!
It’s hard to argue with that notion in Phoenix, where the Suns’ future remains clouded by a series of short-sighted moves that left them without control of their next seven drafts, but the present is oddly exciting thanks to a team that is playing as hard or harder than any club in the league. With no ping-pong-ball fixations after last season’s 36-win season, the Suns are instead sending out a gritty, undersized squad that has overachieved its way to a 24-15 start in the unforgiving Western Conference — even with key offseason acquisition Jalen Green playing only two games.
The embodiment of the Suns’ season, though, was that last play by Ighodaro. Back story: He played 23 minutes and had zero points and zero rebounds. Just before the final play against Brunson, he had bricked two free throws that could have extended the Suns’ advantage. No, his was not an inspiring statistical story.
Yet in a Phoenix season that seemingly makes no sense, it is the player who makes no sense that typifies the Suns’ success. Ighodaro averages 5.9 points per game, has not made a 3-pointer in his NBA career, shoots 52.5 percent from the line, doesn’t block many shots (1.4 per 100) and has one of the worst rebound rates among any center in captivity.
Based on that information, you’d think he stinks. You would be horribly wrong. Ighodaro has the best net rating on the Suns and the biggest on-court vs. off-court differential, with the Suns outscoring opponents by 7.5 points per 100 possessions when he plays and losing by 1.2 when he sits. So, yeah, playing 23 minutes with no stats and still massively impacting winning was pretty much par for the course.
That was why Ott kept him in the game: He shook off the misses, played to the score by crowding the 3-point line and daring Brunson to drive past him and then stayed down when Brunson tried to bait him into a three-shot foul.
“I missed the free throws, but it was on to the next play,” Ighodaro said. “Me and Dillon had communicated well on the switch with (Karl-Anthony Towns) and Brunson. I just tried to stay down and not foul, forced him right. Then, yeah, he tried to step back, and I didn’t bite. … He picked up his dribble, and then, like I said, (Allen) made a great play.”
“It’s obviously a no-3 situation. So that obviously helps the defense a little bit; you can guard it a little differently. So I just want to just get up and pressure him a little bit but not foul. I’m just trying to stay down on his pump fake and then step through. I just kind of got my hands out of there, made sure there was no contact, and (Allen) just did a great job.
Sounds like it might just be a league wide thing…refs are allowing more physical play in general. Wish they would always just ref every game like the playoffs.
I'm one that just all bought in with our Injury Management
I know many on here were growing tired of Grayson and Jalen taking long to return but I am fine with it
I said that I felt Grayson could have played before he actually came back but it's obvious to me they were being cautious
Jalen came back and got hurt within 5 quarters so unfortunately for him he can probably keep saying all he wants that he feels good and I'm sure he's being told But....
Everything's gone well with Mark and if all this precaution means Jalen plays the last 30+ games I good with it
Only if something happens after he returns that I will start tripping and cursing our luck
