Has winning camouflaged the Suns weaknesses?

[Mainstreet]

well alrighty then. I’ll just go wipe the egg off my face.

Ayton rose to the challenge tonight. Showed a lot of passion in the way he played.

We've all been waiting for more of these games.

 

[Bobster]

Keep camouflaging those weaknesses I say!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ayton rose to the challenge tonight. Showed a lot of passion in the way he played.

We've all been waiting for more of these games.

He was jawing at Gobert tonight. We never see that. I wonder what lit his fire.

 

[Chaplin]

He was jawing at Gobert tonight. We never see that. I wonder what lit his fire.

I thought both teams were talking to each other more than usual tonight. Some of it seemed to be conversational like they're friends, other times it appeared to be intense and confrontational.

Gobert was also screaming at the referees a bunch but never got a technical. I'm wondering if he was doing things to Ayton that the refs couldn't see and that got Ayton mad. Ayton himself complained a bunch to the refs as well.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

You are your record.

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[ProdigalSun]

Anybody else suffering from battered fan syndrome? I feel like I still can’t believe we are this good...awaiting the fall off the cliff

 

[Cheesebeef]

Anybody else suffering from battered fan syndrome? I feel like I still can’t believe we are this good...awaiting the fall off the cliff

ive been there at times this season, but not anymore. Our schedule gets a lot tougher here and I expect a few more losses, but this team is just flat out good.

 

[Covert Rain]

ive been there at times this season, but not anymore. Our schedule gets a lot tougher here and I expect a few more losses, but this team is just flat out good.

I have totally been there until recently. If anybody didn't see anything new down the stretch of the Utah game I don't know what you are looking for. Yes, it's one game and yes the final part of our schedule will be the real story but there is reason to believe.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I have totally been there until recently. If anybody didn't see anything new down the stretch of the Utah game I don't know what you are looking for. Yes, it's one game and yes the final part of our schedule will be the real story but there is reason to believe.

even beyond that, I never thought we were playing that well with how frustrating some of those finished over the last two or three weeks, but when you take a step back, you realize they’ve won 10 of 11 games DESPITE not looking great. Good teams rip off streaks like that when you don’t even realize it because winning has just become routine.

such a ridiculous far cry from ANYTHING we’ve seen in a decade. Does that mean we’re a lock for a series win in the playoffs? Not necessarily as the west is LOADED and we are going to be overwhelming playoff neophytes. But no one will want to play us either. Even in the games we’ve lost since we were 8-8, it’s seems like ALL of them still came down to the wire and most of them we blew big leads in.

we’re a tough spot on the schedule for anyone at this point.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Suns are #5 in OffensiveEfficiency and #7 in Defensive Efficiency. The only team with a better combo is Utah.

When you are great in both, you win a ton even when you are clunky in the other.

 

[Proximo]

Ayton rose to the challenge tonight. Showed a lot of passion in the way he played.

We've all been waiting for more of these games.

I've never really doubted Ayton's ability to play defense in big games, it's his offense that worries me - specifically his bad shot selection and tendancy to not catch passes, and lose the ball down low.

But overall I am not worried that much about Ayton in the playoffs, however I am very worried about our lack of a suitable backup for him. We got worked in this game when Saric was in taking his place.

I think it is utterly ridiculous Jones has not attempted any kind of move to plug this huge hole in the roster.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I thought both teams were talking to each other more than usual tonight. Some of it seemed to be conversational like they're friends, other times it appeared to be intense and confrontational.

Gobert was also screaming at the referees a bunch but never got a technical. I'm wondering if he was doing things to Ayton that the refs couldn't see and that got Ayton mad. Ayton himself complained a bunch to the refs as well.

I believe Ayton gets fouled a lot, but they’re smaller, softer type fouls bc he fades away and doesn’t create big contact. That’s why he doesn’t the calls. And I disagree that Ayton doesn’t complain a lot (I believe you said that in another post, if not, apologies). I don’t think he’s overly demonstrative like book can be, but if you watch him intently he’s constantly shrugging his shoulders like “no call?”

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Anybody else suffering from battered fan syndrome? I feel like I still can’t believe we are this good...awaiting the fall off the cliff

I think it’s time we move beyond this. It’s tough to do with the past decade in tow, but we are a legimately good team. We should have higher expectations now. This isn’t an early season run. This has been consistent winning. At the second highest level in the league two-thirds of the way through the season.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

ive been there at times this season, but not anymore. Our schedule gets a lot tougher here and I expect a few more losses, but this team is just flat out good.

Lol. Borg

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Suns are #5 in Defensive Efficiency and #7 in Defensive Efficiency. The only team with a better combo is Utah.

When you are great in both, you win a ton even when you are clunky in the other.

Our defensive efficiency is so good they rank us TWICE!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I've never really doubted Ayton's ability to play defense in big games, it's his offense that worries me - specifically his bad shot selection and tendancy to not catch passes, and lose the ball down low.

But overall I am not worried that much about Ayton in the playoffs, however I am very worried about our lack of a suitable backup for him. We got worked in this game when Saric was in taking his place.

I think it is utterly ridiculous Jones has not attempted any kind of move to plug this huge hole in the roster.

I agree. Particularly when there backup bigs to be had.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I believe Ayton gets fouled a lot, but they’re smaller, softer type fouls bc he fades away and doesn’t create big contact. That’s why he doesn’t the calls. And I disagree that Ayton doesn’t complain a lot (I believe you said that in another post, if not, apologies). I don’t think he’s overly demonstrative like book can be, but if you watch him intently he’s constantly shrugging his shoulders like “no call?”

definitely noticed him arms half raised shoulders up asking for calls the second half of the season.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Our defensive efficiency is so good they rank us TWICE!

Hah sorry was typing that during a LONG zoom call. Meant Offensive is #5

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Btw, we haven't ranked top 10 in defense since 2001. So 20 years

 

[TJ]

The biggest weakness hasnt been camouflaged. This team stinks in the 4th quarter. Too much chucking from outside guys, and Booker needs to either be more consistent or defer to CP3 or Ayton

 

[Covert Rain]

The biggest weakness hasnt been camouflaged. This team stinks in the 4th quarter. Too much chucking from outside guys, and Booker needs to either be more consistent or defer to CP3 or Ayton

No he doesn't. The team just needs to work hard for good shots regardless of who is taking it.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Not sure where else to stuff this so putting it in this thread. Good post and some deeper dives on the overall effort last night.

https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-notebook-defense-film-study

Of note: overall team defense and rotations, interesting stats when Ayton is iso'd out on the wing, other positive notes on his defense and crunch time minutes.

Still love the increase in attention winning brings. Helps remove the bitter taste of the last 10 years.

 

[Covert Rain]

Some food for thought.

Suns Record against teams at or above .500 - 18-6. That's #1 in the NBA.

Suns Record on the road - 17-6. That's #1 in the NBA.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Some food for thought.

Suns Record against teams at or above .500 - 18-6. That's #1 in the NBA.

Suns Record on the road - 17-6. That's #1 in the NBA.

That first stat is flat shocking in a year of many pleasant surprises.

 

[Mainstreet]

I've never really doubted Ayton's ability to play defense in big games, it's his offense that worries me - specifically his bad shot selection and tendancy to not catch passes, and lose the ball down low.

But overall I am not worried that much about Ayton in the playoffs, however I am very worried about our lack of a suitable backup for him. We got worked in this game when Saric was in taking his place.

I think it is utterly ridiculous Jones has not attempted any kind of move to plug this huge hole in the roster.

I'm perplexed as well about the Suns not adding more depth at the 4/5. I'm hoping they know this team a lot better than us.

Maybe the Suns are waiting to see if Nader can return.

Right now, I've never been more optimistic about Ayton.