Game Day: Suns (4-10) @ Wizards (3-9), Mon 11/21/16

[Shabazz]

Pretty crazy that Bender still can't see the floor with 55 minutes worth of the frontcourt rotation sidelined.

[Superbone]

Pretty crazy that Bender still can't see the floor with 55 minutes worth of the frontcourt rotation sidelined.

Yeah, but at least they're winning.

[Danimal]

It's clear this team isn't any good. I suppose the front office can use Warren and Chandler being out as an excuse. However, when we lean on the vets so heavily and we lose to 2 of the worst teams in the NBA maybe it's time to read the tea leaves or the writing on the wall. Embrace the youth movement. Play Bender. Play Ulis. Play Jones Jr. There really is zero point to riding PJ Tucker 40 minutes. At least tonight he only played 21. He was a warrior for us for 4 solid years, but those minutes need to go to the young guys now. Sorry, PJ.

Preach it! This team is going nowhere with Bledsoe and Knight at the helm.

While the team has missed TJ, I don't think the same could be said about Chandler.

With all due respect to his recent circumstances acknowledged, Chandler is a guy management could consider shopping.
Williams is rough around the edges, but he plays with great enthusiasm and rebounds well.

They should also rotate Bender and Chriss at the 4 and think about dumping Tucker.
Tucker boards well, but slows the offense. And his shot has been off.
While we wait for him to get totally healthy, Chriss and Bender sit on the bench...

I kept hoping these loses to bad teams would be a wake up call but we typically do several things in these situations:
- blame injuries
- say vets are getting back into shape
- blame it being a young team/new system...even though the young guys don't play that much and we don't have much of a system

As much as it hurts to say we really to have another bad 10 game stretch with the same rotations and then maybe the local media may wakeup and also raise the question of why we continue not to fully embrace youth. Its pathetic how little pressure is applied by major local media when you see any fan site crying out for this the past several seasons

[sunshoopjunky]

I think we can win games but:

We have a poor ability to manage momentum. In one example when the bench is playing well, the transition back to starters seems to stall the team. Why not let the bench, (or whoever either dug us out of the hole, or built the lead for us), stay in against the other teams starters and if they are doing well, let them finish the game? Being so open with the media about team roles is a double edged sword. It paints you into a corner you didn't even know was there yet in some cases. New players as well as new coach.

We have free throw problems and get inconsistent calls because the youth on the team and of our coach has not yet had enough time to earn the respect of the refs. It sucks but it is that way so you have to play well enough that the refs cant take you out of the game and you have to keep it from getting in to your head.

We need to play Bender more next to Len. I posted about why on here before no need to rant.

One of the keys to the next couple of years is in Sarver's patience. I worry that if he gets bored he may do something. I worry if the media gets involved it may also wake the giant.

[Cap]

Uh oh. Big Sauce has slipped behind Bill Russell:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... trb_per_mp


Another fun one (you'll spot several familiar names in the top 20):

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... stl_per_mp

[The Bobster]

I did not expect to see Horacio Llamas on that second list....

[Mori Chu]

I was curious about Beal's health. He's been made of glass the past few years, and I thought he was on a minutes restriction. I guess not. 40 minutes, 42 points.

Not that much to be positive about here, but at least Bledsoe has had a strong stretch of a couple games in a row of 20+ points (tonight: 29 points, 9 reb, 6 ast). Booker also had 30.

I don't want to blame injuries, but it does feel like this would have been a W if Warren and Chandler were in the lineup. That and $5 will buy you a small Starbucks, but still.

[Superbone]

I did not expect to see Horacio Llamas on that second list....

Ronnie Lee number 4. That's cool.

[Superbone]

I don't want to blame injuries, but it does feel like this would have been a W if Warren and Chandler were in the lineup. That and $5 will buy you a small Starbucks, but still.

Yeah, I agree that we probably win that one at full strength. It's also true that we've had one of the toughest schedules to start the season. Certainly the most road games.