Game Day: Suns (8-12) @ Grizzlies (11-9), Sun 12/6/15

[iLLmatic]

Hey don't look now but we have the longest losing streak in the NBA! What a shit show, I'm so glad I didn't renew my subscription to ballstreams this year.

[Mori Chu]

OH MY GOD.

My wife was casually watching it with me, and as we went down to the final 0.8 play, I said to her, "Knowing the Suns, they'll find a way to mess this up and let one of Memphis' big men tip the ball into the basket and lose now." And sure enough. That was the most "Phoenix Suns" way to lose the game ever.

I actually really enjoyed watching the game overall. It's so pleasant not seeing Markieff out there. Leuer was great. Len had a big game. Teletubby made some huge 3s. Booker is extremely impressive and gives me hope. Bledsoe and Knight hogged the ball too much, but Bledsoe did have a lot of nice plays and shots and generally played hard. A lot of nice pieces, just didn't add up to a win.

I'm not even really upset about this loss because this team has no hope anyway. Might as well have some fun games and play the young guys and lose as many as we can.

[Charlie Smithy!]

Suns have had nice starts, buy bad finishes.

if you want to make the playoffs.

PLAYOFFS?!?!

Also:

THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE!!

[Gladiator]

I didn't get to see the game but followed the box score. It's probably not a great sign that I'm not the tiniest bit surprised we managed to lose it down the stretch like that.

One thing that stands out to me: our expensive starting back-court took 37 shots between them (making 15) and combined for 11 assists and 9 turnovers. If we keep relying on these 2 to take the bulk of our shots and only get others involved as a last resort (which seems to be the plan) there's no hope we'll get any better.

[Shabazz]

Not much to add here about the loss. We're a laughingstock.

I will say we looked much better this game than we have in the last few. Not a coincidence considering who we benched.

[Cap]

See, this is why we can't have prediction contests. The winner would always be the biggest Debbie Downer.

[Superbone]

How in the world is that a tech on Len? Wow.

You are not allowed to extricate yourself. You just have to sit there and take it.

[Superbone]

Hilarious as always in crunch situations, Brandon.

That was funny. Ha ha. Ha. Ha...

[Superbone]

Hey don't look now but we have the longest losing streak in the NBA! What a shit show, I'm so glad I didn't renew my subscription to ballstreams this year.

You are missing out on the hilarity.

[Robot]

Can I get some props as a primary voice in the Jeff Hornacek sucks campaign ? I believe started last year. Remember when everyone was like

"oh but he so smart and his players so stupid. If only they could understand how brilliant he is and run his brilliant offense"

L O L

Spoiler: show/hide

No dude just terrible, gawd awful , horrendous coach

The HORRIBLE SUNS COACH RING OF FLAME :

Terry Porter
Lindsey Hunter
Frank Johnson

introducing...

Jeff Hornacek

- R

[azsportsfan]

I guess folks are upset that Knight didn't just dribble out the game (in hindsight that would have been preferred)? He got the pass in a spot to do nothing. Guarantee that was not the play.

[carey]

Can I get some props as a primary voice in the Jeff Hornacek sucks campaign ? I believe started last year. Remember when everyone was like

"oh but he so smart and his players so stupid. If only they could understand how brilliant he is and run his brilliant offense"

L O L

I stand by the thought that both his PGs, his starting SF, and his former starting PF are all dumb as rocks. Honestly, if you enjoy rooting for the demise of the coaching staff and by extension the team then have your props. Maybe I"ll start trumpeting myself because I was the very first to say Markieff sucks way back when we drafted him. I'll start calling him TheWhiff (since we whiffed on the pick and could have had Leonard) again.

[djy2j]

The Suns are the most consistent team in that they find the worst case scenario and execute it flawlessly every time. It's truly amazing.

[carey]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /76904890/

Once Markieff Morris reported for training camp and declared he wanted to be in Phoenix, the Suns wanted that to make his offseason discontent and trade demand go away.

The boiler situation is only reheating. Suns coach Jeff Hornacek gave the slumping Morris his first benching by coach’s decision since Morris' 2011-12 rookie year, when it happened once.

Morris declined comment after Sunday’s 95-93 Suns loss at Memphis. He was a full participant in Suns warm-ups and was the bench player with the most vested reaction of disappointment when he grimaced and put his hands to his head after Brandon Knight's last-second turnover set up Memphis’ game-winning alley-oop.

“That’s that big group (for Memphis),” Hornacek said after the game. “We were hoping. We been playing them for two years now and haven’t beaten them and thought maybe with Mirza (Teletovic) and Jon (Leuer) out there shooting 3s, that would help us. Mirza was shooting the ball well and Jon had a solid all-around game and we just stayed that way.”

Morris chose to sit out Wednesday’s game at Detroit, where his brother plays, for a knee bruise after he warmed up with the coaches watching. He returned Friday at Washington but Hornacek kept Leuer in the starting lineup. Morris still played more, logging 28 minutes and playing the entire fourth quarter as the Suns lost a 10-point lead. Morris has shot a career-low 39 percent from the field. On defense, his opposing men have shot 51 percent.

Hornacek had a cordial courtside conversation with Morris before the team warmed up for Sunday’s game.

Adding to Morris’ awkward situation, his twin, Marcus, called former Suns teammate Brandon Knight “soft” after Phoenix’s overtime loss in Detroit.

[Mori Chu]

I guess folks are upset that Knight didn't just dribble out the game (in hindsight that would have been preferred)? He got the pass in a spot to do nothing. Guarantee that was not the play.

He didn't have to dribble the ball off his foot. It's on Knight. He didn't even catch the ball right on the out-of-bounds line. He just moved that way and bounced the ball out, all on his own. It is 100% on Knight.

[Superbone]

I guess folks are upset that Knight didn't just dribble out the game (in hindsight that would have been preferred)? He got the pass in a spot to do nothing. Guarantee that was not the play.

As opposed to dribbling it off his foot out of bounds? Yeah.

[TOO]

Hornacek sucks more than the refs and more than his players and less than his daughter.

Smh.

[Ring_Wanted]

“That’s that big group (for Memphis),” Hornacek said after the game. “We were hoping. We been playing them for two years now and haven’t beaten them and thought maybe with Mirza (Teletovic) and Jon (Leuer) out there shooting 3s, that would help us. Mirza was shooting the ball well and Jon had a solid all-around game and we just stayed that way.”

Teletovic-Leuer against Memphis' rebounders is a suicide. Without Chandler, Leuer has to be your backup center but then you go with Tucker at PF. Nope. Instead the Grizzlies kept getting extra possessions in a one basket game, while the scoring Teletovic provided was nullified on the other half because he can barely move on defense. Hornacek even used a weak ass lineup including Knight-Booker-Warren-Teletovic-Leuer. 31 threes. Bad strategy.

[pickle]

Sorry to revisit this earlier thread, in what seems to be a very painful memory for everyone, but I just finished catching up on the game and wanted to add some thoughts.

Bledsoe -- he really doesn't seem to have much of a feel around the basket whatsoever. On multiple drives to the basket you can see him get by his man and then literally hang in the air for about 2 tenths of a second figuring out how to take and hopefully make that little layup. Maybe this coming summer work on that around the basket shooting-in-traffic game. Learn to put some spin on that layup and be creative with your angles.

Knight -- I saw that inbounds play and I have to say, partly, yes Knight is a bit soft, but partly, he's just way too skinny. I totally understand what happened with that play. He doesn't weigh enough or have enough strength in his legs, and a little nudge from Conley, which no ref would call in an end of game situation like that, was enough to shove his left foot forward for balance, which kicks the ball out of bounds. I say this because I am also fairly slim and weak, particularly in my core, leading to poor balance when I try to play basketball and I tend to get bullied around on the court. He needs to improve his balance overall. Not likely to put a lot of muscle on that frame but at least he needs to know how his body can flex and counter whatever pressure he faces.

Len -- strong play, very good post defense against Gasol. Loved the big offensive rebound put back on Leuer's free throw miss (thanks PJ for the hustle) and the block on the other end (thanks PJ for the hustle). His play made this game somewhat pleasant for me.

Leuer -- his face up/post game is highly reminiscent of ZBo's, with the jab steps feeling out his opponents. He uses his quickness well, and has a very nifty little spin move that is almost Parker-esque. He learned well from those two bruising big men in Memphis. Thank you Memphis. While I'm on the subject, I don't get why Gasol doesn't use his size advantage to just back down on Leuer; instead he seems to do these spin moves and end up in essentially the same spot.

The officiating wasn't the greatest, a couple of poor offensive foul calls. But the one Warren had, I hope he can learn from it. He seems to lean in when shooting those floaters off a drive, which then leads to offensive fouls. Just go straight up.

Our general passing game is sloppy which leads to turnovers. Someone said this is on the coaching staff and I'm inclined to agree.

The Memphis announcers are great. A lot of respect to them.

[Robot]

Yes I will give you a call out for hating markeif early on Carey !

I don't think anyone on our team is dumb as a rock . I think we have a bunch of role players without logical roles and no offensive system to help define their place .

-R