#1 or BUST! The O'Mighty DRAFT Thread

[AzStevenCal]

The only way I can root for the tank is to not watch the games, so that's what I've been doing lately.

This team is just way too likable for me. I love our young core and I just cant help but root for us to win when I watch the games.

So I'm trying to skip as many as possible and just check the finals. I hate the idea of tanking, but it would be so cool to have the #1 or 2 pick for once.

blah. Tanking sucks, but I hope we get it. Go Suns.

I root for the Suns to win while the game is being played and then I take solace in the fact we'll be rewarded in the next life when we lose.

 

[BC867]

I root for the Suns to win while the game is being played and then I take solace in the fact we'll be rewarded in the next life when we lose.

Except against the Lakers.

 

[pokerface]

And the tank rolls on...

Kings won yesterday

Philly won
Timberwolves won
Suns lost

After the Suns game McDonough said they are committed to the youth movement.. More Len, Williams, Ulis, and Derrick Jones Jr will be played.

 

[pokerface]

I hope I'm reading McD correctly.

More Ulis = Less Bledsoe

 

[AzStevenCal]

I hope I'm reading McD correctly.

More Ulis = Less Bledsoe

Well, tonight was a tease in that regard. It looked great early but as I've already whined about several times, Watson relied on the starters far too much in the second half. Bledsoe needs about 30 minutes, that's it. I'm okay with Booker, Chriss and Warren getting close to 35 but that should be it.

Give Len 25 to 30 minutes, and the rest of the center minutes to Williams. Give Bledsoe about 28 minutes, and Ulis the other 20. Use Booker 33 minutes and Barbosa 15. Play Warren 30 minutes, use Jones for the other 18. And lastly, play Chriss 30 minutes and sign a D Leaguer for the other 18 until Bender is available. Something like that. But however you do it, don't let Bledsoe approach 30 minutes before the 4th quarter even starts.

 

[Cheesebeef]

And the tank rolls on...

Kings won yesterday

Philly won
Timberwolves won
Suns lost

After the Suns game McDonough said they are committed to the youth movement.. More Len, Williams, Ulis, and Derrick Jones Jr will be played.

Tank you McD!

 

[hsandhu]

I think we are in good shape to have at least one of the 4 worst records with bkn, lal and orlando.

Orlando is in the weak east, they've just been on a horrible run the last 20 games, they have enough talent to start winning some games in the east.

 

[Phrazbit]

Astounding how bad Billy King destroyed the Nets. There are several teams trying to lose games, meanwhile the Nets, with every incentive to win each game they play, have an insurmountable lead in the race for worst.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Astounding how bad Billy King destroyed the Nets. There are several teams trying to lose games, meanwhile the Nets, with every intensive to win each game they play, have an insurmountable lead in the race for worst.

They are bad with no incentive, they have traded away their future. Its bad. u no good because

 

[pokerface]

Not a bad evening...The highlight was Orlando won. Various other tanking teams won so some distance is being gained.

Suns need to keep up the bad work tomorrow!

 

[Mainstreet]

Not a bad evening...The highlight was Orlando won. Various other tanking teams won so some distance is being gained.

Suns need to keep up the bad work tomorrow!

Overall good news although the 76ers lost to the Knicks.

 

[pokerface]

Overall good news although the 76ers lost to the Knicks.

Yeah I was hoping the sixers would win although the Knicks winning wasn't terrible either

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah I was hoping the sixers would win although the Knicks winning wasn't terrible either

Can't lose them all. The 76ers are expert tankers.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Can't lose them all. The 76ers are expert tankers.

Hopefully we will be too. Don't know for sure but I have to believe we're going to sit Bledsoe for several remaining games which along with the trade of Tucker should help the tank. Especially if some of Tucker's minutes go to Dudley as they did against Chicago.

I like Jared but I hate the idea of playing him 20 minutes a night. At this stage of his career he's not much more effective than Brandon Knight so that should help us in the L column. Plus it's tough to tell just who is tanking and who is competing right now.

 

[pokerface]

Orlando is in the weak east, they've just been on a horrible run the last 20 games, they have enough talent to start winning some games in the east.

You called it... Magic win

 

[Mainstreet]

Hopefully we will be too. Don't know for sure but I have to believe we're going to sit Bledsoe for several remaining games which along with the trade of Tucker should help the tank. Especially if some of Tucker's minutes go to Dudley as they did against Chicago.

I like Jared but I hate the idea of playing him 20 minutes a night. At this stage of his career he's not much more effective than Brandon Knight so that should help us in the L column. Plus it's tough to tell just who is tanking and who is competing right now.

I'm hoping you are right that the Suns decide to give Bledsoe more rest although I have a feeling Ulis is just waiting for an opportunity to blossom. It helps the Suns either way.

If the Suns intend to play Dudley significant minutes in place of Tucker, I think it helps the Suns as well. If my eyes are not deceiving me, it looks like Dudley has slowed down even more.

I'm not sure how the Suns plan to play Chandler and Knight down the stretch but resting Chandler can only help.

 

[devilalum]

I'm not sure how the Suns plan to play Chandler and Knight down the stretch but resting Chandler can only help.

Chandler yes, Knight no. Knight should only play the last 10 minutes of every game. Develop continuity for the first 38 then toss the stink bomb in there to insure another L.

 

[Mainstreet]

Chandler yes, Knight no. Knight should only play the last 10 minutes of every game. Develop continuity for the first 38 then toss the stink bomb in there to insure another L.

I'm wondering if the Suns should play Knight at all. If the Suns use him, I think he should be played inconsequential minutes at SG. In fairness to Knight, I'm not sure if the Suns ever ever made this decision, that his position is SG. He is not a good decision maker. Actually Barbosa is very similar in that he is not a PG.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm wondering if the Suns should play Knight at all. If the Suns use him, I think he should be played inconsequential minutes at SG. In fairness to Knight, I'm not sure if the Suns ever ever made this decision, that his position is SG. He is not a good decision maker. Actually Barbosa is very similar in that he is not a PG.

I think he's played even worse as a shooting guard except for that brief stretch last season before the defenses started clogging the middle. When we've used him off the bench his responsibility is to provide scoring and even if he's nominally the PG then he's still functionally a shooting guard. And a horrible one at that.

I'd still use him to assist the tank efforts but I'd be okay with just giving up on him too.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think he's played even worse as a shooting guard except for that brief stretch last season before the defenses started clogging the middle. When we've used him off the bench his responsibility is to provide scoring and even if he's nominally the PG then he's still functionally a shooting guard. And a horrible one at that.

I'd still use him to assist the tank efforts but I'd be okay with just giving up on him too.

It will be interesting to see how the Suns use him in the remaining games. He can sit as far as I am concerned.

My gut feeling is he would play better for another team but how or when this happens remains to be seen. This is a dilemma for McDonough.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Assuming we continue to mix in the younger players (and either Dudley or Knight) I see us winning 3 games at minimum, 7 at the high end. Which means we'll finish the season with a win total between 21 and 25 games, is that a good enough tank job to place no worse than 3rd in the lotto race? What do you think?

 

[BC867]

Assuming we continue to mix in the younger players (and either Dudley or Knight) I see us winning 3 games at minimum, 7 at the high end. Which means we'll finish the season with a win total between 21 and 25 games, is that a good enough tank job to place no worse than 3rd in the lotto race? What do you think?

Sad but true. Our Suns don't even have the wherewithal to tank properly.

We're the Phoenix Suns. We represent the State of Confusion.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Sad but true. Our Suns don't even have the wherewithal to tank properly.

We're the Phoenix Suns. We represent the State of Confusion.

I'm not sure what part of my post elicited this response? I think finishing with 25 or fewer wins is a very effective tank job. Nobody in the league could compete with the futility of Brooklyn's roster so anyone else is automatically playing for 2nd worst. I give the edge to LA but I'm okay with this if we can hang on to a top 5 pick.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Assuming we continue to mix in the younger players (and either Dudley or Knight) I see us winning 3 games at minimum, 7 at the high end. Which means we'll finish the season with a win total between 21 and 25 games, is that a good enough tank job to place no worse than 3rd in the lotto race? What do you think?

25 wins could be close, but any less than that and it is a virtual guarantee that they finish in the bottom 3. The 4th worst win total in the league right now is 22 (Philly and Orlando). Which obviously means one of those two teams would have to win less than 4 games just to end at 25 or lower.

 

[AzStevenCal]

25 wins could be close, but any less than that and it is a virtual guarantee that they finish in the bottom 3. The 4th worst win total in the league right now is 22 (Philly and Orlando). Which obviously means one of those two teams would have to win less than 4 games just to end at 25 or lower.

That sounds about right. The fly in the ointment is which of the several teams that are wavering between competing and tanking will soon join the losing side.