Knicks @ Suns Friday game thread 1-3-20

[Mainstreet]

Suns return home for a five game home stand including the Knicks, Grizzlies, Kings, Magic and Hornets.

Knicks (10-24) visit on Friday. They have won three games in a row, two being on the road. On Wednesday the Knicks beat the Trail Blazers at home 117-93.

Suns (13-21) split a four game road but will be trying to recover from the 117-107 thumping at the hands of the Lakers.

Obviously the Knicks game is not looking like the relief the Suns needed especially if Rubio is out.

Game time is 7 p.m. MST (Arizona time).

It will be televised on FSAZ.

 

[Mainstreet]

As reported on another thread, Rubio has what is described as a hip injury.


Gina Mizell‏Verified account @ginamizell

Rubio said the injury is to his hip. He is waking around with a slight limp, but not nearly as bad as when he left the court. Did not know about his status for Friday’s game or beyond. #Suns

10:33 PM - 1 Jan 2020

 

[Mainstreet]

Gina Mizell‏Verified account @ginamizell

The #Suns do not have media availability today, so we will not have an official update on Ricky Rubio’s hip until the game-notes injury report is released later today.

9:20 AM - 2 Jan 2020

 

[Luciano]

I’ll be at the game for the first time in a long time !!

Go Suns !

 

[mjb21aztd]

Go suns!!!

Need to win these upcoming gms to get back in it not to late

Rise up suns!!

 

[Hoop Head]

The Suns need to go 4-1 over this home stand and that starts with a win over the Knicks. Losing the first game isn't a way to start things and it could throw them off throughout the entire stretch. The Knicks are beyond awful and it would be embarrassing to lose to them at home anyways. If they can't put them away then they have no business even thinking about making the playoffs.

 

[Suns_fan69]

The Knicks are not as terrible as they were under Fizdale. I think they're 6-6 over the past 12 including a stomping of Portland just last night. The Suns need to take them seriously from the start.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Knicks are not as terrible as they were under Fizdale. I think they're 6-6 over the past 12 including a stomping of Portland just last night. The Suns need to take them seriously from the start.

yup. as "awful" as there Knicks are, we're a mere 3 games better than them.

 

[Ronin]

We can't take the Knicks lightly.

Will the Suns please start fast tomorrow?

 

[1Sun]

We can't take the Knicks lightly.

Will the Suns please start fast tomorrow?

They need to start Ayton and Bridges, to go along with Booker, Oubre and whomever starts at the point, in order to have a chance of doing so, in my opinion.

 

[BC867]

They need to start Ayton and Bridges, to go along with Booker, Oubre and whomever starts at the point, in order to have a chance of doing so, in my opinion.

You know that Booker is going to be the Point. They might as well
just put a shooter next to him and not pretend that Book is both.

 

[1Sun]

You know that Booker is going to be the Point. They might as well
just put a shooter next to him and not pretend that Book is both.

If there is any hope of Booker further developing, that can't happen. It just can't. Play Carter, Okobo, Jerome or even Lecque or Tyler Johnson at the point if Rubio can't play, but don't go back to Point Book.

 

[Chaplin]

You play to player's skills. And guess what, as much as BC and others don't want it to, one of Devin Booker's skills is PLAYMAKING. It's a fact and the numbers bear that out. I think it's more crazy that armchair fans think they know more about players than their coaches or they themselves do.

Devin Booker is an exceptional playmaker, and has been for a couple years. It would be foolish to take a strength away from a player. If he scores 30 points and has 10 assists, he's responsible for at least 50 points -- and probably more based on 3-point shooting. You take the assists away and you think he will score over 50 points himself? That would be incredibly rare. The difference between Devin having 30 and 3 vs 30 and 8 is monumental, especially in a close game.

This narrative that him being a playmaker makes him less of a player is nothing short of ridiculous.

 

[Proximo]

James Jones was on the radio and said Rubio is moving around pretty well, and they think he will be able to play tommorrow - so that is good news.

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Suns_fan69]

You play to player's skills. And guess what, as much as BC and others don't want it to, one of Devin Booker's skills is PLAYMAKING. It's a fact and the numbers bear that out. I think it's more crazy that armchair fans think they know more about players than their coaches or they themselves do.

Devin Booker is an exceptional playmaker, and has been for a couple years. It would be foolish to take a strength away from a player. If he scores 30 points and has 10 assists, he's responsible for at least 50 points -- and probably more based on 3-point shooting. You take the assists away and you think he will score over 50 points himself? That would be incredibly rare. The difference between Devin having 30 and 3 vs 30 and 8 is monumental, especially in a close game.

This narrative that him being a playmaker makes him less of a player is nothing short of ridiculous.

My biggest frustration with Booker as a playmaker is the turnovers. As with all turnovers, it's not all on him, but he often has careless passes that have no hope of succeeding. Also some of the passes that do make it there are still off target enough that the receivers have to recover from the catch and can't shoot/attack right away.

This was definitely true last year but I haven't seen him as much this year so I don't know if that's improved with less emphasis on him initiating the offense. Either way, it's still an overall asset for him to be able to create offense for others, especially as teams are collapsing on him and leaving others open.

 

[1Sun]

My biggest frustration with Booker as a playmaker is the turnovers. As with all turnovers, it's not all on him, but he often has careless passes that have no hope of succeeding. Also some of the passes that do make it there are still off target enough that the receivers have to recover from the catch and can't shoot/attack right away.

This was definitely true last year but I haven't seen him as much this year so I don't know if that's improved with less emphasis on him initiating the offense. Either way, it's still an overall asset for him to be able to create offense for others, especially as teams are collapsing on him and leaving others open.

Booker is a fine playmaker...as a shooting guard. When relegated to the point, the turnovers increase, shooting efficiency decreases, defense suffers, and he wears down both in games and overall. This has borne out every time the failed Point Book experiment has been tried.

 

[Superbone]

My biggest frustration with Booker as a playmaker is the turnovers. As with all turnovers, it's not all on him, but he often has careless passes that have no hope of succeeding. Also some of the passes that do make it there are still off target enough that the receivers have to recover from the catch and can't shoot/attack right away.

This was definitely true last year but I haven't seen him as much this year so I don't know if that's improved with less emphasis on him initiating the offense. Either way, it's still an overall asset for him to be able to create offense for others, especially as teams are collapsing on him and leaving others open.

He way too often throws cross court passes that usually get picked off. He's got to stop that leak.

 

[TJ]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

No need to rush Kaminsky back. Give him a year and a half break to make sure that knee is right.

 

[1Sun]

No need to rush Kaminsky back. Give him a year and a half break to make sure that knee is right.

Would have much preferred to have Richaun Holmes back at the same price...

 

[95pro]

Booker just needs to shoot when he’s open. I’m sure the scouting report is to stay down on bookers jump shots, defenders simply aren’t falling for his mid range pump fakes. Then he gets himself trapped and leads to a bad possession, when he should just have taken that open shot to begin with.

 

[Mainstreet]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Probably the best news I have read today.

 

[Mainstreet]

No need to rush Kaminsky back. Give him a year and a half break to make sure that knee is right.

Since the Suns have a team option on Kaminsky for next season hopefully they let him walk after the season or use him in a trade.

 

[Superbone]

Probably the best news I have read today.

Some would say two pieces of good news.

 

[Mainstreet]

Some would say two pieces of good news.

I guess but I haven't been counting on Frank. Have the utmost respect for him though.