Grizzlies @ Suns 1-2-14

[AzStevenCal]

We just don't match up well with this team but I think some of you are making too much of this game. Sure it's a bad loss but OKC and San Antonio both lost home games tonight too and they were playing the Nets and the Knicks. Teams lose games.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

We just don't match up well with this team but I think some of you are making too much of this game. Sure it's a bad loss but OKC and San Antonio both lost home games tonight too and they were playing the Nets and the Knicks. Teams lose games.

Steve

I think its the way they lost. Its extremely concerning that the Suns have zero offense when they can't outrun teams and when their 3s aren't falling. Its been exposed a lot this season.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think its the way they lost. Its extremely concerning that the Suns have zero offense when they can't outrun teams and when their 3s aren't falling. Its been exposed a lot this season.

Well, sure, if you take away our strengths, our weaknesses will kill us. We score mostly as the result of fast breaks, three point shooting and dribble penetration. Not having Bledsoe hurts us in at least two of those areas. Almost every team can shut down one penetrator but it's a lot harder to contain two guys. We simply aren't the same team when one of our two point guards is out. I'm not trying to minimize the problem, we are definitely a flawed team but I thought that was a given.

I think we're a slightly weaker version of the Golden State of last year. But they got their big guy healthy, gained a year of experience playing together and added a solid player to the mix and now they are one of the best in the league. I don't see any reason we can't do something similar but we're not just a work in process, we're in the very early stages of that process.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

From my SAT days:

The Grizzlies are to the Suns as the Suns are to the Blazers.

 

[sunsfan88]

Grizzlies backup guard Jerryd Bayless led the rally, once again reveling in faring well down the street from his alma mater.

“Some guy on the sideline said that I disgraced St. Mary’s (High School),” Bayless said. “That kind of hurt my feelings. That kind of got me going a little bit.”

Bayless has averaged 8.0 points and shot just 37.5 percent this season but he scored 13 of his 17 points in the Thursday game’s final 14 minutes.

“JB had a homecoming,” Randolph said.

Bayless throughout his career has killed the Suns. Career highs against PHX.

If I'm his agent I would advise him to sign with a team in the Pacific division so he gets more chances to play the Suns. LAL could certainly use a PG...

 

[82CardsGrad]

The Grizzlies played us in a manner that is very similar to how we will be played in the post season (should we get there). There is a difference between regular season ball and playoff ball. We are simply not constructed to be successful in playoff ball.
We desperately need a legit power forward and a legit backup to Plumlee.
I can't go without making a comment on Frye here... Who, played some decent defense tonight, however, I maintain that he is a big part of the problem, more than he is part of the solution...


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[devilalum]

The chaos they create is predicated on having BOTH of their point guards. Without either one they're a lottery team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This game showed the value of Bledsoe. Even if he is not as effective as Dragic at pg, having both of them available allow this team to keep up the frenetic pace for 48 minutes. The real key at the end of the game was that Dragic was just wasted. He missed a couple of easy shots, and even a tech free throw.

Also, you have to believe that Bledsoe playing D on Bayless would have allowed inside players to stay home on their players rather than switching out.

For those that don't think Frye plays effective D. I watched him closely last night, he worked hard and was effective.

Sometimes you learn more about your team in losses than in wins.

 

[Suns_fan69]

As for Frye, I think he's our legit power forward. When he and Plumlee play together, I actually think they balance each other out on both ends of the floor. When Frye has to slide to the 5 and plays with Morris, he becomes much more of a liability on defense.

 

[devilalum]

The unit of Bledsoe-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee is as good as any when they're on.

http://www.82games.com/1314/1314PHO2.HTM

 

[Mainstreet]

This game showed the value of Bledsoe. Even if he is not as effective as Dragic at pg, having both of them available allow this team to keep up the frenetic pace for 48 minutes. The real key at the end of the game was that Dragic was just wasted. He missed a couple of easy shots, and even a tech free throw.

Also, you have to believe that Bledsoe playing D on Bayless would have allowed inside players to stay home on their players rather than switching out.

For those that don't think Frye plays effective D. I watched him closely last night, he worked hard and was effective.

Sometimes you learn more about your team in losses than in wins.

I agree with your assessment.

Dragic had that same wasted look like Steve Nash used to have trying to carry the Suns without help at PG.

 

[82CardsGrad]

The unit of Bledsoe-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee is as good as any when they're on.

http://www.82games.com/1314/1314PHO2.HTM

Meh... in order for that to be "on", Frye must be drilling his 3's. Can be fun in the regular season... It won't create much success in the post season however... As Memphis showed last night...

 

[Suns_fan69]

Meh... in order for that to be "on", Frye must be drilling his 3's. Can be fun in the regular season... It won't create much success in the post season however... As Memphis showed last night...

Er, Bledsoe wasn't playing, so I'm not sure how Memphis showed that lineup won't work in the post season.

 

[devilalum]

Meh... in order for that to be "on", Frye must be drilling his 3's. Can be fun in the regular season... It won't create much success in the post season however... As Memphis showed last night...

How did Memphis show last night? Bledsoe didn't play?

The Suns chaos defense only works with all the pieces. They don't have an LBJ that can carry the team.

 

[devilalum]

Er, Bledsoe wasn't playing, so I'm not sure how Memphis showed that lineup won't work in the post season.

Beat me by about 10 seconds.

 

[elindholm]

Meh... in order for that to be "on", Frye must be drilling his 3's. Can be fun in the regular season... It won't create much success in the post season however... As Memphis showed last night...

I don't agree with this notion that three-point shooting becomes less important, or less valuable, in the post-season. Last year's Finals swung on a critical three-pointer. Any team needs to make their shots in order to win in the playoffs. If their shots come mainly from the inside, they have to make those; or if their skill is in drawing fouls, then they have to make free throws.

It's not correct to identify one kind of shooting as more vulnerable than another. If you don't shoot as well as you normally do, no matter what the circumstances or the distance, you're in for an uphill battle. If anything, I'd be more skeptical of soft players getting their points inside -- that's the kind of shot that you're going to have a harder time making once more fouling is permitted.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Beat me by about 10 seconds.

/fistpump

 

[sunsfan88]

Er, Bledsoe wasn't playing, so I'm not sure how Memphis showed that lineup won't work in the post season.

How did Memphis show last night? Bledsoe didn't play?

The Suns chaos defense only works with all the pieces. They don't have an LBJ that can carry the team.

Memphis has already spanked the Suns this season with Bledsoe and with Z-Bo not even playing.

 

[Suns_fan69]

True. What Memphis showed is that they seem to have the upper hand in the match up. That has no correlation to the playoffs. Memphis is not a playoff team currently and is unlikely to make the playoffs this year.

 

[BC867]

I don't agree with this notion that three-point shooting becomes less important, or less valuable, in the post-season. Last year's Finals swung on a critical three-pointer. Any team needs to make their shots in order to win in the playoffs. If their shots come mainly from the inside, they have to make those; or if their skill is in drawing fouls, then they have to make free throws.

It's not correct to identify one kind of shooting as more vulnerable than another. If you don't shoot as well as you normally do, no matter what the circumstances or the distance, you're in for an uphill battle. If anything, I'd be more skeptical of soft players getting their points inside -- that's the kind of shot that you're going to have a harder time making once more fouling is permitted.

In general, your points sound valid. But we're the team that is soft inside. It might not matter if our 3-point shooting was consistent and dominated every game, but it is not and it hasn't.

If we had a stronger inside game, it would take pressure off our outside shooters. And by stronger, I mean more than Dragic and Bledsoe penetrating.

 

[AzStevenCal]

In general, your points sound valid. But we're the team that is soft inside. It might not matter if our 3-point shooting was consistent and dominated every game, but it is not and it hasn't.

If we had a stronger inside game, it would take pressure off our outside shooters. And by stronger, I mean more than Dragic and Bledsoe penetrating.

I'm fine with our inside game for the most part. I wouldn't mind having an upgrade at backup center but the real key for us is having both Bledsoe and Dragic available. Missing either one of them relegates us to lottery status. You made a comment about our lack of consistency with our three point shooting. Check out our record and stats when we have Dragic and Bledsoe healthy and playing, I'm thrilled by that level of domination and consistency - especially when you consider how young and inexperienced this team is. Right now, we're not much of a playoff threat but 10 weeks ago we were still a lock to pull one of the top draft picks.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

Memphis has already spanked the Suns this season with Bledsoe and with Z-Bo not even playing.

And this baby team was about three weeks old at the moment. They are still just coming together as a team.

 

[82CardsGrad]

How did Memphis show last night? Bledsoe didn't play?

The Suns chaos defense only works with all the pieces. They don't have an LBJ that can carry the team.

Would Bledsoe be defending Davis? Miller? Johnson? Or Randolph for that matter?
Would Bled be grabbing all those rebounds that Memphis took away from us last night??

 

[AzStevenCal]

Would Bledsoe be defending Davis? Miller? Johnson? Or Randolph for that matter?
Would Bled be grabbing all those rebounds that Memphis took away from us last night??

Yes, Bledsoe would defend Davis, Miller, Johnson and Randolph - at the same time. And, yes, he would have grabbed all those rebounds that Memphis took away from us last night. Of course, all that work would have left him too exhausted to make the last minute layup that would have won the game for us. I guess it's just as well he didn't play.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yes, Bledsoe would defend Davis, Miller, Johnson and Randolph - at the same time. And, yes, he would have grabbed all those rebounds that Memphis took away from us last night. Of course, all that work would have left him too exhausted to make the last minute layup that would have won the game for us. I guess it's just as well he didn't play.

Steve

LOL...

I simply believe a championship team is most often grounded in a hard-nosed, tough defense with strong rebounding capability. I just don't believe that having a guy who plays the PF position as does Frye, who's greatest value is knocking down 3's, contributes to that concept...
Hey, if Frye were a bench guy, backing up a legit power forward who was strong defensively and can consistently rebound, that would be one thing...
Otherwise, I am just not sold on the make-up of this team with Frye as the starting PF... I think Bled/Dragic/Tucker/Plumlee can be a Champsionship caliber line-up, only if there is a legit PF added to that mix. Otherwise, as I said, I think the team will be a very fun, athletic run & gun regular season team that essentially lives and dies by the 3. IMHO, that is not the formula for success in the post season...

As always, time will tell...