Knicks @ Suns 3-28-14

[BC867]

So here is the deal, the Suns players will not shave until they make the playoffs.

And the announcers . . . except for Albert and Kevin Ray who, I guess, think they're too pretty. Albert tried to wiggle his way out of it on-air, but wound up mumbling and stumbling. Snowbird!

EJ and TC were really doing a job on Albert and Ray. EJ also said that 19-year old Archie Goodwin is trying, but you'd never know it.

 

[BC867]

Anyone who devalues PJ Tucker's importance to the Suns should take another look at tonight's game.

I posted before the game that the key would be PJ neutralizing Carmelo Anthony and he sure did.

A great game by the Dragon, good games by Bledsoe and Markieff and a good comeback by Plumlee. But the key to our victory over the Knicks was PJ Tucker's defense on Anthony. It allowed the Suns to turn the game into a laugher.

 

[jw7]

And here it is...

 

[Iceman]

Great win for the Suns and a key loss by the Grizzles!! He we come!

 

[Mainstreet]

And here it is...

Nice find. Plumlee can fly.

 

[Mainstreet]

Great win for the Suns and a key loss by the Grizzles!! He we come!

It's a tough race to the end. Memphis has the tiebreaker over Phoenix.

 

[Sunburn]

The Knicks are a mess. I've never seen such a lack of effort from a team supposedly fighting for the playoffs. The Suns outplayed them in pretty much every facet of the game tonight. On the other side, I love our team. Even up big, we're diving on the floor for loose balls. I love it.

 

[Sunburn]

We're in the seventh spot y'all. Woot woot!

 

[82CardsGrad]

Tremendous game... Could be the most complete game they have out together all season! This team is for real, and damn they are fun to watch!


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[Superbone]

Maybe I'm slow to notice but is Goran trying to grow a beard.

The whole team is not shaving during the playoff push.

 

[BC867]

More good news. The technical called on Markieff was change to Marcus. Whew!

 

[gimpy]

How could that dunk not be on ESPN's top ten plays?

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[Catlover]

More good news. The technical called on Markieff was change to Marcus. Whew!

Was it actually "changed"? Watching it at the time I had no idea how it was being called on Markieff in the first place. I wondered then if he had said something in defense of his brother who was clearly in the altercation with Tyson or if Steve Albert had done his traditional great job of butchering the call.

 

[Azlen]

How could that dunk not be on ESPN's top ten plays?

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It was the top NBA play of the day.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10692969&categoryid=2378529

 

[Azlen]

So here is the deal, the Suns players will not shave until they make the playoffs.

Is Bledsoe not doing it or does he just have a really weak beard?

 

[carrrnuttt]

Love this:

 

[Catlover]

How could that dunk not be on ESPN's top ten plays?

It was the top NBA play of the day.

Azlen is right, it was the ESPN play of the day. If it were up to me though it would have come in second behind the Bledsoe to Morris pass that resulted in the reverse layup. Incredible play. As were the Plumlee putbacks that we're now seeing regularly once again.

 

[BC867]

Was it actually "changed"? Watching it at the time I had no idea how it was being called on Markieff in the first place. I wondered then if he had said something in defense of his brother who was clearly in the altercation with Tyson or if Steve Albert had done his traditional great job of butchering the call.

Far be it from me to let the runt-of-the-litter Albert brother off the hook, but AzCentral/AzRepublic.com has reported that "A double-technical foul initially levied against him (Markieff) and Chandler was changed to Marcus Morris."

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...at-new-york-knicks-us-airways-center/7046121/

Don't worry. Steve's traditional botch job is still around and he will continue self-deprecating (or is that self-defecating) himself.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Just as an aside, the ESPN game recap called Dragic "the Sun's superstar."

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?categoryId=2459789&id=10692847

Funny how you can be in search of a star player, and find him on your own roster.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Lost in all the noise is how much better the Suns defense looked. I know it's just the Knicks, not exactly offensive juggernauts, but the rotations were there all game. Knicks would make good passes to what should be an open jumpshot but Suns always managed to contest.

Don't know if this is a direct by-product of the return of Bledsoe but hopefully they can keep it up.

 

[Catlover]

Lost in all the noise is how much better the Suns defense looked. I know it's just the Knicks, not exactly offensive juggernauts, but the rotations were there all game. Knicks would make good passes to what should be an open jumpshot but Suns always managed to contest.

Don't know if this is a direct by-product of the return of Bledsoe but hopefully they can keep it up.

My first response would be "of course it is!". But the fact that Plumlee is healthy and playing well for the first time in 3 months also plays a part, although a small one IMO. There's also the fact that our recent opponents have been mostly Eastern teams.

I mentioned this elsewhere a few days ago. The Suns gave up more than 100 points in 9 straight games just before Bledsoe came back. In the time he was gone we only had 4 total wins where we held the opponent under 100 points. We've now held our enemy under 100 in 5 of the last 6 contests, all wins. Sandwiched in there is the comeback win against the wolves where he sat early because of 2 quick fouls and Minnesota scored a billion points on us in that first half. He is once again making our bigs look like better defenders. I love it.

 

[Mainstreet]

More good news. The technical called on Markieff was change to Marcus. Whew!

This is a relief. The Suns cannot afford to have Markieff suspended a game if he gets to 16 technical fouls. He presently has 13.

Another thought. Does this carry over to the playoffs?

 

[SirStefan32]

My first response would be "of course it is!". But the fact that Plumlee is healthy and playing well for the first time in 3 months also plays a part, although a small one IMO. There's also the fact that our recent opponents have been mostly Eastern teams.

I mentioned this elsewhere a few days ago. The Suns gave up more than 100 points in 9 straight games just before Bledsoe came back. In the time he was gone we only had 4 total wins where we held the opponent under 100 points. We've now held our enemy under 100 in 5 of the last 6 contests, all wins. Sandwiched in there is the comeback win against the wolves where he sat early because of 2 quick fouls and Minnesota scored a billion points on us in that first half. He is once again making our bigs look like better defenders. I love it.

I dislike "Advanced Stats" as they are easy to manipulate, and one can always find an example of why they are meaningless, but Bledsoe's defensive impact is obvious.

Without Bledsoe, the Suns were 18th in the defensive ratings, giving up 106+ points per game on 47% shooting. Since his return, they are allowing 44% shooting and around 100 PPG. As a team, they are only behind Chicago, Indiana, Memphis, San Antonio and the Clippers.

It's amazing what keeping your man in front of you will do to your team's defense. Not only does he keep his man in front of him, but he allows Dragic to slide over to guard the opposing SG/SF so he can stay in front of his man. I am a huge Dragic fan, but he just cannot guard quick point guards.
While I don't think Bledsoe makes anyone around him better on offense, he makes everyone around him look better on D.

I really don't think most people appreciate just how good Bledsoe is defensively.

 

[Catlover]

I dislike "Advanced Stats" as they are easy to manipulate, and one can always find an example of why they are meaningless, but Bledsoe's defensive impact is obvious.

Without Bledsoe, the Suns were 18th in the defensive ratings, giving up 106+ points per game on 47% shooting. Since his return, they are allowing 44% shooting and around 100 PPG. As a team, they are only behind Chicago, Indiana, Memphis, San Antonio and the Clippers.

It's amazing what keeping your man in front of you will do to your team's defense. Not only does he keep his man in front of him, but he allows Dragic to slide over to guard the opposing SG/SF so he can stay in front of his man. I am a huge Dragic fan, but he just cannot guard quick point guards.
While I don't think Bledsoe makes anyone around him better on offense, he makes everyone around him look better on D.

I really don't think most people appreciate just how good Bledsoe is defensively.

I agree with all this except I do believe Bledsoe helps our inside players a little more than Goran does. Neither of them is great at running an offense but Dragic definitely does it better right now but I still think it's the combination of them that makes each of them special. Together we have two superstars (close enough), separate them and the one that is left is just a pretty good player.

 

[BC867]

I agree with all this except I do believe Bledsoe helps our inside players a little more than Goran does. Neither of them is great at running an offense but Dragic definitely does it better right now but I still think it's the combination of them that makes each of them special. Together we have two superstars (close enough), separate them and the one that is left is just a pretty good player.

Would you really say that Dragic was just a pretty good player while Bledsoe was gone? Goran carried the team.

Having both of them catapulted the Suns, early and now, but, in between, Goran and Markieff carried the team, night in and night out.

Dragic's offense, PJ's defense, Bledsoe's defense (and dynamic offense) and Markieff (and to a lesser degree, Green and Marcus) coming off the bench have been better than pretty good. It is why we are right there for a playoff spot.