BC867
Long time Phoenician!
Yes, offense or defense, Ayton's best work is in 1st halves. He should be considered a work in progress.
And if not automatically not finishing for awhile, with the emergence of Holmes, let that be part of the progress.
Clippers @ Suns 12-10-18
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And if not automatically not finishing for awhile, with the emergence of Holmes, let that be part of the progress.
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Not many, at least.
OP
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When Ayton re-entered the game the Suns needed his scoring. With a key rebound the Suns might have won this game.
ColdPickleNachos
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Maybe my standards are depressingly low these days, but I thought this game was a pleasant and enjoyable surprise .
OP
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Agreed. A lot of talking out of both sides of the mouth.
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
Doesn't anyone believe that Holmes' hustle and defense, which don't show in the box score, were a key factor in the game . . . until he was pulled with a 7-point lead and the game winding down?
Intangibles, man, intangibles. This was our game to win. I believe it is crucial that this young team experiences some victories.
OK, tomorrow is another day. Have a good night.
Intangibles, man, intangibles. This was our game to win. I believe it is crucial that this young team experiences some victories.
OK, tomorrow is another day. Have a good night.
ArizonaSportsFan
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This forum has become nearly unbearable. It's either mute half of the posters or just stop visiting.
But, good game. Good to see joy on the court and on the bench tonight. Tough loss.
But, good game. Good to see joy on the court and on the bench tonight. Tough loss.
SirStefan32
Krycek, Alex Krycek
Dude, he was in the game for like 14 minutes straight. If he stayed in the game, you would have complained that Ayton was on the bench. Why are you such a miserable person? They played a good game, almost beating the Clippers while not having Booker, Crawford and (for most of the game) Warren. Why can't you be happy for like five minutes?
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Yeah, there are a lot of games that we would have won had we played as we did tonight.
Not with this coach. I honestly think he is incapable of winning in the NBA.
Suns_fan69
Official ASFN Lurker
I wrote the game off before it started when they said Crawford was out, and lo and behold they actually had a good game, despite all the adversity.
If the Suns came with this effort and execution every game, I wouldn't mind all the losing. They played well on both ends, and kept it interesting all the way to the end.
Let's see more of this!
If the Suns came with this effort and execution every game, I wouldn't mind all the losing. They played well on both ends, and kept it interesting all the way to the end.
Let's see more of this!
1tinsoldier
Hall of Famer
since the Thought Police are patrolling again, i'll suppress any critical thoughts for this post:
the good:
1. best game of the year -- because the whole team played defense for 4 quarters. Melton and Okobo were very disruptive together.
2. Holmes is terrific. his energy is always dependable and productive. that's why i suggested last month that the Suns extend his contract as soon as possible
3. for the first time, i have no criticism of Ayton's performance. he was aggressive, fought for position on offense and defense, and called for the ball in crunch time.
***for 2 months we've we've only speculated Ayton can learn to play aggressive. now we have some proof he can!
4. the answer to, "what do you expect without our 2 best players?" is "this game"
the good:
1. best game of the year -- because the whole team played defense for 4 quarters. Melton and Okobo were very disruptive together.
2. Holmes is terrific. his energy is always dependable and productive. that's why i suggested last month that the Suns extend his contract as soon as possible
3. for the first time, i have no criticism of Ayton's performance. he was aggressive, fought for position on offense and defense, and called for the ball in crunch time.
***for 2 months we've we've only speculated Ayton can learn to play aggressive. now we have some proof he can!
4. the answer to, "what do you expect without our 2 best players?" is "this game"
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1tinsoldier
Hall of Famer
the bad:
1. this overtime game against a team with one of the best records in the league, tells me this team is capable when motivated. why have they been so unmotivated until this game, Igor?
2. how could Igor not call time out for the last 2 Suns possessions in regulation (down 2 with 22 seconds left)? Melton ending up keeping the ball and shooting both times. then, again Igor did not call time out for our last possession in overtime! inexcusable. especially with a young, inexperienced team. it's as if he had nothing to say.
1. this overtime game against a team with one of the best records in the league, tells me this team is capable when motivated. why have they been so unmotivated until this game, Igor?
2. how could Igor not call time out for the last 2 Suns possessions in regulation (down 2 with 22 seconds left)? Melton ending up keeping the ball and shooting both times. then, again Igor did not call time out for our last possession in overtime! inexcusable. especially with a young, inexperienced team. it's as if he had nothing to say.
Suns_fan69
Official ASFN Lurker
Oh god, that was tough to watch. I like Melton but that's a lot of trust that I'm not sure he's earned yet.
Enjoy your 3 day break. Debate the topic, not the poster.
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
Stef, why the personal insults because you have a different opinion? "Miserable person"? Why can't I "be happy for like five minutes"? I was happy for most of the minutes of the game. And I like being happy. If I didn't, I wouldn't bother criticizing what management has done to our team. Don't you see the common sense in that?
I became disappointed near the end when the key player who was leading us to victory with his hustle (which the Suns have been lacking) was pulled with a few minutes to go. And the result was that we were sucked into overtime and that player fouled out. It shouldn't have come to that.
Your argument is that I would have complained that Ayton was on the bench? How do you know what I would have posted with Ayton on the bench? You're putting words in my mouth. Actually, you should know, because I've posted why I thought that he doesn't necessarily need to be the closer so early in his career. Especially with the emergence of Holmes. He was the difference maker tonight. Until he was pulled.
I am sorry if it offends you that I considered the game was ours to win. I was rejoicing all game long, especially when we were up by 7 with minutes to go. Did you not see that in my posts? I can't believe I have to defend that I was rooting for a rare win.
As I posted, I think the young players really needed the win tonight. Forget tanking. Forget not being good enough to win. The Suns (and the fans) had the game. And the fact is that we lost. The Coach blew it!
Why are you on the attack for me not being happy with the strategy of the final few minutes of regulation? Why? I am not rooting against our team. To the contrary.
Please reconsider the personal attack in your post. Pretending that I am the scapegoat is not going to produce progress for the Suns.
I just stopped to chuckle at all of this, by thinking, "Are you on Sarver's payroll?" Which I will follow with a big
. Go Suns!Edit: Thanks, Linderbee, for your support.
Ouchie-Z-Clown
I'm better than Mulli!
Yes this. I was so excited for ayton’s first half play. It was the most passionate and active and assertive I’ve seen him all year. And it infected the rest of the team. This was the best energy I’ve seen from the team as a whole all year. But Ayton definitely waned in the second half. He awoke again in overtime, but we needed that assertive guy calling for the ball in the deep post earlier.
Oh well, overall a much effort from everyone. Nice to see bridges and JJ play well in the same game. Great game by Holmes. Melton with the big shot even if he took some awful ones in OT.
Hopefully this game is step in the right direction.
And lose in either event.
Igor Kokoskov is well on his way to posting the worst winning percentage in NBA history of any head coach who has coached at least 30 games. The Hue Jackson of the NBA (and like the Cleveland Browns, I expect the level of play to increase appreciably and the results to improve dramatically if/when Kokoskov is replaced even with merely a below average coach).
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Bufalay
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The bench guys built a lead off of flukey baskets scored after massive collapses of the clippers defense. They tightened up their D and Igor put the starters back in. That seemed like ok timing to me. Warren or Booker probably could’ve closed out the game.
Ouchie-Z-Clown
I'm better than Mulli!
I agree with these statements but I’m not sure Warren could’ve closed it out - don’t think he has the assassin mindset that does booker. What Warren could have done was scored once or twice down the stretch when we couldn’t buy a basket and that would have likely been enough of a difference to result in a w.
Bufalay
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That’s what I meant. Warren would’ve gently nudged the door closed.
Sunburn
ASFN Lifer
Do you ever write a post that isn't about Kokoskov?
Sorry, but as I see it, he is the team's biggest problem, even more so than lack of a point guard, lack of a power forward, the mess in the front office, and the mess that is Robert Sarver.
Plus, my absolute biggest pet peeve is lack of accountability for incompetence and people being elevated undeservingly to positions they have no business occupying. In other words: Privilege (rather than having to earn one's way in the world). In my opinion, it is among the biggest things, if not THE biggest thing, wrong with this world.
So please forgive me if I go overboard on this point, but it is a very sensitive subject for me.
Sunburn
ASFN Lifer
That's fine. I understand. There are other things to discuss though, no?
edit-Never mind. I found a post of yours that did not mention Kokoskov lol.
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