Pelicans @ Suns 11-10-13

[ProdigalSun]

The Suns were not supposed to be this good. It is beginning to look more and more like that it is not a fluke. Or when does the bottom drop out?

Yeah this team is solid. I thought our bench depth would lose us many games ...but even that does not seem to be the case

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm sure we'll hit some tough stretches but this team plays well enough on the defensive end that I think we can give up our dream of getting all those ping pong balls. We may not make the playoffs but barring injury I think we're in the race for most of the season.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Good for Markieff improving his game. Hopefully he has finally figured it out for good

EJ said that, quite often, it takes a player being in his third season to break out. It is not just what Markieff is doing, but how he is doing it. He looks likes a seasoned pro.

And the depth that Jeff is using. Our bench outscored the Pelican's bench 49-20. Hell, Markieff outscored the whole Pelican's bench 23-20.

Jeff's use of a bench is going to keep the Suns refreshed. It is why we have come to expect the Suns to be the fresher team in the 4th quarter.

Seven games into the season and we've come to expect the Suns to break open the game in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. A giant step toward respectability.

 

[Mainstreet]

EJ said that, quite often, it takes a player being in his third season to break out. It is not just what Markieff is doing, but how he is doing it. He looks likes a seasoned pro.

And the depth that Jeff is using. Our bench outscored the Pelican's bench 49-20. Hell, Markieff outscored the whole Pelican's bench 23-20.

Jeff's use of a bench is going to keep the Suns refreshed. It is why we have come to expect the Suns to be the fresher team in the 4th quarter.

Seven games into the season and we've come to expect the Suns to break open the game in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. A giant step toward respectability.

I liked how Hornacek found 17 minutes of playing time for Archie Goodwin. He is genius in getting minutes for players, especially for a young player like Goodwin.

 

[ProdigalSun]

What a fun team to watch!
Draft might be deep enough for the Suns to find an impact player even if the pick ends up being between 10 and 15.

The only con to winning is missing out on Wiggins, Parker, Randle. There are going to be impact players later in the draft for sure...but those 3 appear to be legit cornerstone type players

 

[Superbone]

Oh they'll lose a game eventually. They have to play us some time and you can't stop the Plumlee.

Steve

That's going to be fun to watch these guys go at their old team in their new roles.

 

[Superbone]

And he continues to prove his supporters (me and ???) correct. Okay, that's not really the truth. He continues to prove me less wrong than some of you guys. I was one of his biggest supporters but I had reached the point where I thought his ceiling was in the neighborhood of decent. He's played well above that level for the past week. It's still not enough to start his HOF campaign but I think he's showing us all that he can be effective even against quality opponents.

Steve

I'll raise my hand. I've always supported Markieff and said he had the potential to be better than anybody was giving him credit for. I don't know how many times I defended his "short arms".

 

[Superbone]

Who would have thought that Hornacek would be the first rookie coach in Suns history to start out 4-0 at home when the year began?

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'll raise my hand. I've always supported Markieff and said he had the potential to be better than anybody was giving him credit for. I don't know how many times I defended his "short arms".

I knew there were a few of us, I just couldn't remember who. I do remember one of us pointing out his arms were average rather than short which I guess was probably you. I'm sure his shooting percentage will return to earth but I'm convinced he can be an effective player. Now, we just have to get Marcus up to speed. He's looked a little better this season but he hasn't matched the strides taken by his brother.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

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[AzStevenCal]

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It was a great block and it wasn't too much before that when Plumlee also blocked Davis. It was a lot of fun down the stretch there.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

Don't look now but the Suns are on top of the Pacific Division:

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[Superbone]

I'm loving coach Hornacek!

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...oenix-suns-win-over-new-orleans-pelicans.html

Their second half was more of a fastbreaking, high-rising crowd-pleaser with 59 points to make Jeff Hornacek the first Suns coach in history to win his first four home games.

Hornacek had to jump into his team more than ever before to help get them there, calling a timeout five minutes into the second half after a string of five turnovers in three minutes.

“I’ve never seen Coach that mad,” said Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe, who had his fourth 20-point game as a Sun after having four in his three-year Clippers run. “We just kept making immature mistakes. It’s going to get better as the course of the season goes on. I think everybody locked in from then on.”

"I don't think we played all that well," Hornacek said. "The guys don't think we played that well. And we still got a win and scored 101 points and gave up 94. That's probably a sign that they're growing and they have confidence that they can win these games. Fourth quarter, they don't get rattled."

 

[sunsfan88]

I'll raise my hand. I've always supported Markieff and said he had the potential to be better than anybody was giving him credit for. I don't know how many times I defended his "short arms".

I have also supported him. I thought it was a good pick we drafted him.

However, I do believe that recently I made a comment in a Marshall thread saying something like "Marshall sucks and I knew he would from the day we drafted him. I have been right on all our draft picks so far, with the only exception maybe being Morris. I really thought Markieff would turn into a good role player/starter for us."

 

[sunsfan88]

Hmm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epXYD7699OI&feature=player_embedded

 

[JCSunsfan]

Hmm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epXYD7699OI&feature=player_embedded

Could have gone a long, long time without seeing that.

 

[ProdigalSun]

Hmm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epXYD7699OI&feature=player_embedded

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[sunsfan88]

Haha sorry guys, I had to watch it so I think it's only fair that you guys suffered through it too

 

[Superbone]

One play that really impressed me was Frye had a nice block on the Pelicans and then Archie made a fantastic athletic play to save the ball resulting in the double Morri dunk attempt/make on the other end.

It can be seen at 0:30 in the video here:
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/11/11/new-look-suns-getting-it-done/