Phoenix Suns @ OKC Thunder 12-31-14

[SirStefan32]

Well, passed it to Morris the next time for an easy two. That's something, I suppose.

 

[sunsfan88]

We're getting hosed on some of these calls.

 

[sunsfan88]

Durant buzzer beater coming up.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Well at least Bleds selfishness didnt lose it for the Suns but it didnt win it either.

 

[Cheesewater]

Wow what a freaking travel. Durant took 32 steps there.

 

[SirStefan32]

Ah, they ran out of gas. Had a good chance at the end too- Tucker had Dragic wide-open cutting to the hoop, but it was a tough angle.

 

[Cheesewater]

Ibaka crushes Morris. How is that not a foul?

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Oh well. Nice effort Suns!

 

[drk3351]

Great pass by Bledsoe. Great look from Morris to win the game. You can't make em' all :/

 

[Hoop Head]

Bledsoe should have taken the shot at the end. He was right at the hoop and there was a good chance to at least get to the line. If that was Dragic or IT they would have taken the shot. I know tonight was the second night of a back to back on the road against a better team but with no Westbrook in the second half they should have been able to steal a win. I know the Suns have a better record than OKC but now that they're healthy it's just a matter of time before they move back into a playoff spot. This was a winnable game but ended up being one of those games that will be looked back at as one that cost them a chance at the postseason.

Hornacek needs to manage Len's minutes better. I know he was in foul trouble but leaving him out there with 4 fouls in the early 3rd quarter was just asking for problems. I know Randolph isn't a center but they should give him a chance at the 5 when Len/Plumlee are in foul trouble or cut him and find a third center. Benching Plumlee hasn't helped light a fire under him but maybe having to compete for minutes might. Kieff at the center spot doesn't work at all defensively and puts him at a real disadvantage offensively as well while the other team plays a real big.

 

[BC867]

Hornacek dont even have to waive his hands.

The Suns are going to waive his hands? How is he going to hold his clipboard?

'Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[AzStevenCal]

At the risk of sounding like I'm willing to settle for a moral victory, the last two games give me hope. We played poorly against New Orleans and still had a decent chance to win the game. And tonight, for the most part, we played against a team that played very well and again we were right there.

We need to develop a better closer and Len has to continue to improve but this looks like a core that could contend in a few years. I suspect we won't willingly wait that long and we'll start making trades, especially if we miss the playoffs, but I'm not sure staying put with the main guys isn't the best decision. Somewhere along the line we need to upgrade Green, Tucker and Plumlee but that should be very doable with our draft picks and/or trading IT.

Steve

 

[95pro]

At the risk of sounding like I'm willing to settle for a moral victory, the last two games give me hope. We played poorly against New Orleans and still had a decent chance to win the game. And tonight, for the most part, we played against a team that played very well and again we were right there.

We need to develop a better closer and Len has to continue to improve but this looks like a core that could contend in a few years. I suspect we won't willingly wait that long and we'll start making trades, especially if we miss the playoffs, but I'm not sure staying put with the main guys isn't the best decision. Somewhere along the line we need to upgrade Green, Tucker and Plumlee but that should be very doable with our draft picks and/or trading IT.

Steve

I've been saying that for a bit now, we need a SF. Sure missed out on Deng.
And right there we need a back up center for sure.

 

[Hoop Head]

We need someone like Frye, not necessarily a stretch 4 but someone who can play the 4 & 5 and can play alongside either Markieff or Len. Who that is though, I don't know. We have Warren at SF who just needs minutes, adding a veteran wing like Deng would only reduce the chances of him getting playing time and developing in Phoenix.

 

[FutureSuperstar]

I noticed a pretty big error in the Box Score from the game (Never seen a FGA given to the wrong player)

It says Len was 1-2 FG, but he only shot once actually. At 8:47 left in the 1st Q (Can see the play on NBA.com's stat page), Dragic misses a layup ... Len isn't anywhere near the play, but Len is given a missed shot attempt.

Hasn't been fixed either ....

By the way, Len was open a few times in the 1st Q - And I mean OPEN right near the basket and he was never passed the ball. Len's line was underwhelming tonight, but he could have easily scored 8-10 pts. if was passed to a bit more.

 

[Griffin]

Ibaka crushes Morris. How is that not a foul?

It was an obvious foul, but it didn't affect the shot, and the refs didn't feel like letting the Suns settle the game with three free throws. Sadly, I think if the tables were turned and it was Durant shooting the three down by two, OKC wins the game at the free throw line.

 

[BC867]

2015 New Years Resolution

The Arizona Republic/AzCentral.com recap of the the game at OKC began with this quote.

The Suns franchise has carried a soft label in the NBA for years.

Becoming a Western Conference power will require getting teams to look at them differently and respect their toughness and defense.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...lahoma-city-thunder-gutty-ot-battle/21139579/

It sounds like a good New Years resolution for the Suns Front Office for 2015. To put together a roster to get teams to "look at them differently and respect their toughness and defense."

Tiny ball at five positions (by bumping their players up one or two positions) hardly fits that description.

I hope the Front Office reads AzCentral.com.

And, BTW, a happy 2015 to all.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The Arizona Republic/AzCentral.com recap of the the game at OKC began with this quote.



http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...lahoma-city-thunder-gutty-ot-battle/21139579/

It sounds like a good New Years resolution for the Suns Front Office for 2015. To put together a roster to get teams to "look at them differently and respect their toughness and defense."

Tiny ball at five positions (by bumping their players up one or two positions) hardly fits that description.

I hope the Front Office reads AzCentral.com.

And, BTW, a happy 2015 to all.

I think you have tunnel vision on this. All you can see is the few minutes per game that we go small. This is a more physical squad than we've seen in Phoenix perhaps ever and that's what they're talking about. Len is often the biggest player on the court and I think it's clear that our future rides with him. Let him add a little strength and learn the tricks of the game so he can get his foul situation under control and I have zero doubts that he'll be out there to close most games.

Steve

 

[Chaz]

Toughness isn't measured in feet and inches.

 

[SirStefan32]

I think you have tunnel vision on this. All you can see is the few minutes per game that we go small. This is a more physical squad than we've seen in Phoenix perhaps ever and that's what they're talking about. Len is often the biggest player on the court and I think it's clear that our future rides with him. Let him add a little strength and learn the tricks of the game so he can get his foul situation under control and I have zero doubts that he'll be out there to close most games.

Steve

No, he does not have tunnel vision on this. Many fans just refuse to see it.
Suns START the game small- a small point guard, and a small shooting guard. Their PF (the only semi-legitimate PF on the roster) is every bit as soft as Frye, and the starting SF and backup Centers are slightly undersized (though Tucker makes up for it with hard play, being built like a bulldog, etc.)

Last night was a great example of being soft and undersized. Suns shot 51%, including 48% from three, the other team was missing their second best player for half of the game (Their second best player is far better than any player Suns have on their roster), and they still managed to lose the game. Why? Because OKC was bigger and tougher at every single position.

Sure, Suns being ball hogs is a factor, but this game shouldn't have been even close. It was close because OKC was tough and big. Their shooting guards are 6'5 and 6'7. Their big men are 6'10 and taller, and tough as nails. Hell, their small forwards are 6'10 and 6'11.

Suns are soft, undersized, and selfish. This is by far my least favorite Suns team ever.

 

[AzStevenCal]

No, he does not have tunnel vision on this. Many fans just refuse to see it.
Suns START the game small- a small point guard, and a small shooting guard. Their PF (the only semi-legitimate PF on the roster) is every bit as soft as Frye, and the starting SF and backup Centers are slightly undersized (though Tucker makes up for it with hard play, being built like a bulldog, etc.)

Last night was a great example of being soft and undersized. Suns shot 51%, including 48% from three, the other team was missing their second best player for half of the game (Their second best player is far better than any player Suns have on their roster), and they still managed to lose the game. Why? Because OKC was bigger and tougher at every single position.

Sure, Suns being ball hogs is a factor, but this game shouldn't have been even close. It was close because OKC was tough and big. Their shooting guards are 6'5 and 6'7. Their big men are 6'10 and taller, and tough as nails. Hell, their small forwards are 6'10 and 6'11.

Suns are soft, undersized, and selfish. This is by far my least favorite Suns team ever.

Then I think you have tunnel vision too because like BC, you missed the point of the article.

And your post is silly. Yes, silly. You say their 2nd best player is far better than any player we have but then you claim the only reason we lost is because of their size and toughness? This game is about stars, if your 2 best players are far better than anyone on the other team you ought to blow the other team out. Even with just one of these far superior players you ought to have a fairly easy time with such a mismatched team.

Seriously, this game was in OKC. And they have 2 of the top 5 players in the game. Yes, they lost one of them at halftime but were they blowing us out when they had both of them? No. And IMO we lost this game because a skinny superstar went off on us and we spent the game in foul trouble. We're getting the kind of fouls called against us that the physical teams get away with. The point of the article is that it will take time to change the mindset of the league on our supposed "soft play" and when that changes we'll be much better off. And even still, if that one ref had stayed with the play instead of basket gazing, we go to the line with a chance to sink 3 and win it instead of having to foul with a second left.

Steve

 

[SirStefan32]

The Suns show 51% from the field, and 48% from the three. OKC shot 41% including 31% from three. If you still say they won because of Durant, then you are just not being intellectually honest, because I KNOW that you know better.

Suns lost because OKC was a bigger, tougher team. When you have huge height and toughness edge on every single position, you get rebounds, and you get to the line.
11 more rebounds, 19 offensive rebounds leading to 25 second-chance points, and 14 FT attempts more than the Suns. That's the textbook example of a big, tough team beating up a smaller, undersized, soft team.
Same thing happened in the previous game, and the same things happens every time we play Memphis or any other similar team.

EDIT:
Just for fun, I went and checked if my perception was correct. Look at the shot chart:
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/shotchart?gameId=400578772

 

[BC867]

The Suns franchise has carried a soft label in the NBA for years.

Becoming a Western Conference power will require getting teams to look at them differently and respect their toughness and defense.

Tiny ball at five positions (by bumping their players up one or two positions) hardly fits that description.

I think you have tunnel vision on this.

'Hard to tell if you were disagreeing with my post, which agreed with Paul Coro of the AzRepublic/AzCentral.com, or directly with his quote.

Either way, you apparently disagree with his premise, that "the Suns franchise has carried a soft label in the NBA for years."

I appreciate your backing the Suns no matter what, even if the Press disagrees. But, honestly, doesn't that define the tunnel vision to which you referred?

 

[AzStevenCal]

'Hard to tell if you were disagreeing with my post, which agreed with Paul Coro of the AzRepublic/AzCentral.com, or directly with his quote.

Either way, you apparently disagree with his premise, that "the Suns franchise has carried a soft label in the NBA for years."

I appreciate your backing the Suns no matter what, even if the Press disagrees. But, honestly, doesn't that define the tunnel vision to which you referred?

Of course I agree with it but I was talking about the reason he made that point and the fact you apparently missed it and went straight to small ball. His point was that this team is finally playing the game with an edge but right now we are paying for our longtime reputation as a soft team. And he's right. We were called for a lot of fouls in this game that OKC wasn't whistled for.

It's not because it's a conspiracy or because the refs hate us. It's because reputation plays a role in how our play is viewed. It won't change overnight but Len, Bledsoe, Tucker and the twins are very physical. Last night, they were all in foul trouble for doing the same kind of things that most of the Memphis players (for example) do every night but with different responses from the men in stripes. When Len can play this way and still keep himself in the game for 35 minutes a night we're going to be the bully and the refs will eventually accept it as our style of play.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Of course I agree with it but I was talking about the reason he made that point and the fact you apparently missed it and went straight to small ball. His point was that this team is finally playing the game with an edge but right now we are paying for our longtime reputation as a soft team. And he's right. We were called for a lot of fouls in this game that OKC wasn't whistled for.

It's not because it's a conspiracy or because the refs hate us. It's because reputation plays a role in how our play is viewed. It won't change overnight but Len, Bledsoe, Tucker and the twins are very physical. Last night, they were all in foul trouble for doing the same kind of things that most of the Memphis players (for example) do every night but with different responses from the men in stripes. When Len can play this way and still keep himself in the game for 35 minutes a night we're going to be the bully and the refs will eventually accept it as our style of play.

Steve

I see what you are saying. But is playing the 4th quarter (usually) with 3 Point Guards and moving the rest up to a "heavier" position going to change the team's image which Coro defined? I don't see how.

Len on the bench and Tucker and the twins being physical but at heavier positions with the game on the line takes away as much as it adds.

P.S.: It was obvious vs. OKC that the only reason IT didn't play the last 2/3 of the 4th quarter or any of the OT is because he sucked all night.

Otherwise, it would have been the same ol' story of 3 Point Guards, a Small Forward and a Power Forward to close out the game vs. more powerful players, no matter how tough they are at their own position.