Mavericks vs Suns SL Game Thread 7/6/18

[95pro]

Okobo surprised me. Was quicker than expected and has good D. He does tend to overdribble a little bit, I notice the shot clock went to 10-12 while he was running the show early on. BUT he does make the right passes and they’re impressive as well.

Bridges shot looks great.

JJ was trying to force too much and take over it seemed.

I am still tired of bender. Yes he had one nice block and held his own when they tried to back him down. But my gosh for a third year guy he just made too many errors.

 

[Mainstreet]

Okobo doesn't look like a 2nd round pick. The Barbosa comparisons seem more apt after seeing him play. He's really quick, has a good handle even though it appears a little unorthodox, and he's got some range also.

Really like Reed. Hopefully he can stay healthy. I don't think we need to move Troy Daniels but he might have some value in a trade. He's on a cheap deal this season and has proven he can nail 3's. He's got to have more value than a 2nd pick. So maybe he can be included in a larger deal or sent off for someone alone. That's if the Suns think Reed and Bridges will be ok backing up Booker. I don't think it will be an issue though. Especially if Canaan can make the team in training camp. He played SG before in the NBA so he's another option for the Suns to replace Daniels.

I agree about Okobo. I'm willing to trade Daniels but I agree, he has value.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Tonight was eye-popping. I didn’t expect the 3 rooms to play so well outta the gate. They seemed unflappable. And whatever concern we might e had with that video of bridges shooting is out the window. Kid is smooth and gets it off plenty quick even in the face of aggressive close-outs. And Reed might have a lot of people eating crow.

This was a tasty tasty morsel tonight.

 

[TJ]

Shoutout to the Mavs
for doubling Ayton out of the gate. Dude, it’s Summer League!

Ohh, and consider my butt firmly planted on the Okobo bandwagon. This dude will be a good one w/in two seasons.

 

[Hoop Head]

Chriss has all the talent in the world but he might be the single dumbest player I've ever seen. He really has no basketball IQ and has shown no work ethic at all so far

He also pouts like no other player I've ever seen. I think it's telling he's not on this team in the summer

I worry about Chriss and what sort of player he'll be if he can get a large contract from the Suns. We saw how he reacted to his first summer in the league. Once he gets a little older and his metabolism slows down some he'll need to work harder to stay in shape. I don't think he has the mental ability or drive to push himself and stay in shape. How he would respond to injury worries me also. I could see him heading down a Shawn Kemp type of path when he ballooned up during the lockout season when he signed with the Cavs.

 

[95pro]

One thing about Ayton, a slight knock is that he tends to watch sometimes, and goes to far under the basket for rebounds.

 

[GatorAZ]

One thing about Ayton, a slight knock is that he tends to watch sometimes, and goes to far under the basket for rebounds.

He’s a little bit out of shape but nothing major. He actually looks slimmer which I like.

 

[BC867]

Bender with a highlight block! Defense has been there for him.

Is blocking a ball into the stands to Motumbo really a good block? Highlight is right. Too high and too light.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm not a fan of the boxscore layout on NBA.com but I copied it for those interested...

Here's a link also
http://www.nba.com/games/20180706/DALPHX#/boxscore

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not a fan of the boxscore layout on NBA.com but I copied it for those interested...

Here's a link also
http://www.nba.com/games/20180706/DALPHX#/boxscore

I found the layout confusing to my eyes as well. Had to double check everything.

 

[JS22]

Okobo looks so damn smooth. Suns might have something there.

 

[95pro]

Okobo was a pleasant surprise but we’ve been fooled before. Just sayin.

 

[95pro]

Haha bender with the same amount of minutes played as Ayton. Look at the stats. Aaaand Bender has the ball A LOT.

 

[Superbone]

Is blocking a ball into the stands to Motumbo really a good block? Highlight is right. Too high and too light.

There was nothing light about that block.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Haha bender with the same amount of minutes played as Ayton. Look at the stats. Aaaand Bender has the ball A LOT.

Bender sucks, I really was buying into him again. But he plays awkward, not sure of himself and the game doesnt seen easy to him. He has a shot and some D, but thats about all I expect from him now. If Ariza is the 4 I dont hate the signing as much and Okobo if he is the real deal I might back off a little on the PG need.

 

[Bufalay]

Benders go to move is to take one dribble pick up the ball and hold it until someone is close enough to hand it to them.

 

[Phrazbit]

Okobo was a pleasant surprise but we’ve been fooled before. Just sayin.

I'm not carving his plaque, not even ready to hang him the backup job yet. But I thought he would have a serious learning curve and would likely struggle, the French league is pretty lousy. I would have impressed if he merely looked like he belonged, but he excelled.

I'm impressed. I didn't think he'd have much of an impact for at least a year, but he might be a lot farther along.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Haha bender with the same amount of minutes played as Ayton. Look at the stats. Aaaand Bender has the ball A LOT.

The team was plus 12 while Bender was out there. Not that +/- means all that much, especially looking at one game. But I think he did have an impact defensively and as a decoy if nothing else.

 

[95pro]

The team was plus 12 while Bender was out there. Not that +/- means all that much, especially looking at one game. But I think he did have an impact defensively and as a decoy if nothing else.

And Mikal was -13, but he already has a better shot (not flat) and a better percentage at 1 game into the summer league. They even missed him when he was open as well. I know we try to be positive but cmon. It’s benders 3rd year and he has NBA minutes under his belt.

 

[AzStevenCal]

And Mikal was -13, but he already has a better shot (not flat) and a better percentage at 1 game into the summer league. They even missed him when he was open as well. I know we try to be positive but cmon. It’s benders 3rd year and he has NBA minutes under his belt.

Yes but he's still more than a full year younger than Bridges. And he announced his NBA plans early and as a result spent much of his late teen years on the bench. He simply doesn't have the playing background of most college players. I don't have high hopes for him but we do not know how he'll develop and probably won't for another 2 years or so. Which is a problem for us as extension time will likely come before he matures into whatever player he's going to become.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Yes but he's still more than a full year younger than Bridges. And he announced his NBA plans early and as a result spent much of his late teen years on the bench. He simply doesn't have the playing background of most college players. I don't have high hopes for him but we do not know how he'll develop and probably won't for another 2 years or so. Which is a problem for us as extension time will likely come before he matures into whatever player he's going to become.

The only plus would be that we might be able to extend him on the cheap at that point. That's is assuming that he is at least showing some real signs of progress by that time.

 

[GatorAZ]

Mikal’s 3’s weren’t even hitting the rim. I guess we shouldn’t be worried about the hitch.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

One angle I didn't really consider was the nerves for a lot of these guys. This is the first time in months that these guys have played on national TV and in front of a crowd. Will be curious to see how these guys look without as many nerves tomorrow.

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[GoldGloveschmidt]

I won't write Bender off until he's had a full season with Kokoskov.

 

[Raze]

I'm truly, and finally, excited for our future. The guys played as advertised in spite of the mad pace of these summer games (Anyone remember the game Frogger? Remember how fast the cars and logs got past level 5? That's what the summer league games feel like to me). This finally looks like the team I can get excited about.

Among all the positives this game had to offer, I have one point of constructive criticism. Okobo, Ayton, and JJ need to rewatch this game primarily focusing on how Bender, Reed, Harrison, and Bridges play D. And then they should watch themselves. They are worlds apart in their comprehension of defensive footwork and positioning.

I am particularly frustrated with JJ, a guy I'm HUGE on. He should be the best defender on the floor and yet he's still unbalanced in his pursuits. Often he over pursues and his opponent gets by him. He need to focus his eyes on the player's hips rather than their eyes and the ball. He also needs to stop hopping around. His footwork should be much farther along than it is now. Davon Reed is the perfect example of fundamental defense: body balanced, feet chopping, hands up in the lanes, and eyes on hips. I was stunned by some of Reed's defensive plays tonight. Hopefully JJ will mirror that soon.

Okobo still looks lost off the ball and reaches too often rather than relying on his footwork. The good news is that he looks like he's made progress from the French league, but still has a way to go. As one of his major critics on defense pre-draft, I felt this game showed lots of promise. (Offensively, he's as advertised)

All the criticism for Ayton's D was supported tonight as he was caught napping often. He really is just standing under the rim watching the game rather than playing. Chandler and Ariza need to sit down with him and watch the film. I'd bet DeAndre isn't even aware that he's a spectator on the court at times. Tyson could be worth his contract if he can wake him up. He also got schooled numerous times deep in the post by Motley who physically imposed his will on Ayton. Ayton looked stunned when Motley blasted him in the chest driving him back under the rim. Hopefully he'll be embarrassed by some of the clips. Welcome to the pros.