Pacers @ Suns Thursday game thread 12-19-2024

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
36,892
Reaction score
16,715
I think coaching is most of the issue. Plus, the Suns are in desperate help at the 4/5. They don't have any athletes there.
If coaching is most of the problem, I'd wager it's because the players aren't listening to him. Bud knows how to coach and let's face it, we've gone through a lot of coaches in a short amount of time - and that's what bad organizations do.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
If coaching is most of the problem, I'd wager it's because the players aren't listening to him. Bud knows how to coach and let's face it, we've gone through a lot of coaches in a short amount of time - and that's what bad organizations do.

I wouldn't call the Suns a bad organization.

Their personnel moves have puzzled me at times, specifically the moves made by the GM.
 

82CardsGrad

7 x 70
Joined
Dec 31, 2004
Posts
36,293
Reaction score
8,329
Location
Scottsdale
This team is brutal. The only reliable player on offense and defense is KD… otherwise, Book is someone I don’t recognize anymore. Beal stole a ton of $$. Nurk is flat out laughable and one the most unwatchable players I have ever been forced to watch… literally one of my least favorite Suns players - ever!
Jones is limited and inconsistent. Allen is a non-factor anytime and every time he’s on the court. O’Neale is good and serviceable…but only off the bench.
Dunn has a tunn to learn… who knows if he will develop into a productive asset.
I mean, seriously… this team is putrid in so many ways.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
Obi Toppin was a steal by the Pacers.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

GatorAZ

feed hopkins
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
25,671
Reaction score
18,689
Location
The Giant Toaster
At this point its not coaching. If youve had two championship winning coaches and it still looks like this…coaching easy scapegoat because other pieces harder to change and we dont want to admit this team is just a** together.

The Vogel hate last year compared to Bud getting no criticism is fascinating though whether it’s coaching or not.
 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
36,892
Reaction score
16,715
The Vogel hate last year compared to Bud getting no criticism is fascinating though whether it’s coaching or not.
I think it has to do with expectations. More of us had expectations going into last season and when we failed to come close to them, we blamed Vogel. Now after a short hook for yet another head coach, we find ourselves still looking like a mediocre collection of individuals. So at this point, it's tough to point fingers anywhere else then on the organization as a whole, especially including the players.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
17,699
Reaction score
12,909
Location
Tempe, AZ
End of 3rd quarter:

Pacers 97 - Suns 83

I shutoff before it got that out of hand, maybe with 3-4 minutes to go. Suns were within 10 though. Glad I saved myself some grief.

The Suns won't win a damn thing until they guard the perimeter.

Anyone who discounts the Pacers because of their record is foolish. They had a shaky start with lots of injuries to their bigs. Unlike us, they have bigs returning now to help them. I won't be surprised if they have a better record than the Suns at year end.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
I shutoff before it got that out of hand, maybe with 3-4 minutes to go. Suns were within 10 though. Glad I saved myself some grief.

The Suns won't win a damn thing until they guard the perimeter.

Anyone who discounts the Pacers because of their record is foolish. They had a shaky start with lots of injuries to their bigs. Unlike us, they have bigs returning now to help them. I won't be surprised if they have a better record than the Suns at year end.

On paper, the Pacers have a good team, so the loss doesn't bother me as much as it might others who are not familiar with their roster.

However, the Suns poor defense and turnovers are inexcusable.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
92,243
Reaction score
70,551
This team is brutal. The only reliable player on offense and defense is KD… otherwise, Book is someone I don’t recognize anymore. Beal stole a ton of $$. Nurk is flat out laughable and one the most unwatchable players I have ever been forced to watch… literally one of my least favorite Suns players - ever!
Jones is limited and inconsistent. Allen is a non-factor anytime and every time he’s on the court. O’Neale is good and serviceable…but only off the bench.
Dunn has a tunn to learn… who knows if he will develop into a productive asset.
I mean, seriously… this team is putrid in so many ways.
I see what you did there with Dunn and Tunn.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
17,699
Reaction score
12,909
Location
Tempe, AZ
I wouldn't call the Suns a bad organization.

Their personnel moves have puzzled me at times, specifically the moves made by the GM.

The Suns aren't bad like the Wizards but they have a lot of work to do. The jury is still out whether this is a good organization in terms of building a winning team under Ishbia's tenure but it doesn't look good. Sarver isn't to blame for handing off a stripped team either, Ishbia owns where the Suns are 100%. The goodwill is running out and fans will start calling for results. Ishbia better hope he can still attract some decent signings at that point because I have a feeling this year will be the last any player takes a chance on the Suns being a contender so they come here to win.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
The Suns aren't bad like the Wizards but they have a lot of work to do. The jury is still out whether this is a good organization in terms of building a winning team under Ishbia's tenure but it doesn't look good. Sarver isn't to blame for handing off a stripped team either, Ishbia owns where the Suns are 100%. The goodwill is running out and fans will start calling for results. Ishbia better hope he can still attract some decent signings at that point because I have a feeling this year will be the last any player takes a chance on the Suns being a contender so they come here to win.

We agree, Robert Sarver didn't hand over a stripped franchise to Mat Ishbia. He did that quite nicely by himself along with James Jones.

The Suns were in prime position to keep building on a young, maturing team but decided to go for the gold at the end of the rainbow.

The Suns do need to attract free agents. This is one of the reasons I didn't want to chance Collin Gillespie slipping away when Tyus Jones likely goes elsewhere next season.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
I want to add, I think Mat Ishbia wants to run a first class organization. Unfortunately, I think he has the wrong GM to do it.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
Devin Booker hasn't missed a game all season, so I hope no one wants to put this on him if he misses time.

IMO, he has been playing hurt for a while. I've mentioned this before.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
20,383
Reaction score
11,480
Really don’t understand the idea of doubling down on the admittedly awful trade we made, folks.

Discount my opinion however
you want for dating to admit I was wrong, but this team ain’t winning squat and neither is either of it’s two “best” players as the head of any snake in the NBA.

I don’t debate that is a sunk cost, as you know, I think it was a sunk cost the moment the trade happened. But I don’t think the value we can send out will make any difference in six or seven years when this team might finally be able to compete again.

If the result of a fire sale is winning 10 to 15 games a year for the next five years and our return is a few piddly late draft picks, then I don’t care, I’d rather be some borderline play in team that prays to get lucky than deal with being the worst team in the NBA and seeing the reward of all that losing going to whoever controls our pick that year.

Among the many reasons I hated that trade is because we are locked into this disaster. I don’t see a way out that has any real benefit.
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
20,383
Reaction score
11,480
I want to add, I think Mat Ishbia wants to run a first class organization. Unfortunately, I think he has the wrong GM to do it.
It’s Ishbia‘s fault that we are in the shape we are in. I like a lot of stuff he’s done off the court, but his playing GM has sunk this franchise.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
17,699
Reaction score
12,909
Location
Tempe, AZ
I want to add, I think Mat Ishbia wants to run a first class organization. Unfortunately, I think he has the wrong GM to do it.

I hope he's smart enough to see Jones for who he is at this point. He's given Jones enough leeway to do his job so there's no excuses left. Injuries only can be used once, IMO. Writing off more than one season due to injuries shows a miscalculation of the players by management. Coaching isn't an excuse as we've had 2 title winning coaches and 1 highly touted former Coach of the Year who led the team to a franchise record in wins and was responsible for 1 of 3 trips to the finals. We could go through player accolades as well so it isn't a lack of talent. The problem is the collection of talent doesn't mesh and that's the GM's responsibility.
 

GatorAZ

feed hopkins
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
25,671
Reaction score
18,689
Location
The Giant Toaster
I think it has to do with expectations. More of us had expectations going into last season and when we failed to come close to them, we blamed Vogel. Now after a short hook for yet another head coach, we find ourselves still looking like a mediocre collection of individuals. So at this point, it's tough to point fingers anywhere else then on the organization as a whole, especially including the players.

Teams typically copy the attitude of their best player. We are the Brooklyn Nets from 3-4 years ago. Lots of name brand talent and no results to show for it.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,486
Reaction score
60,020
I don’t debate that is a sunk cost, as you know, I think it was a sunk cost the moment the trade happened. But I don’t think the value we can send out will make any difference in six or seven years when this team might finally be able to compete again.

If the result of a fire sale is winning 10 to 15 games a year for the next five years and our return is a few piddly late draft picks, then I don’t care, I’d rather be some borderline play in team that prays to get lucky than deal with being the worst team in the NBA and seeing the reward of all that losing going to wolves controls our pick that year.

Among the many reasons I hated that trade is because we are locked into this disaster. I don’t see a way out that has any real benefit.

We are pretty much on the same page.

About all the Suns can do is gun the engines and hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Also, they need to change GMs stat. The Suns need a new cook.
 
Top