Preseason: Spurs at Suns 10-16-14

[FArting]

Can ASU do this? I did not pay to see ASU get destroyed by UCLA. I want a gift from ASU.

 

[Azlen]

While nice of him, it's a little ridiculous to think that the Spurs weren't going to rest their players for a meaningless preseason game when Pop has shown that he will do that in games that matter.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I'm still perplexed by why TJ (and to a lesser extent, Ennis) is getting so little burn. 12 minutes in a blowout preseason game? What's up?

 

[Errntknght]

TJ got only 1 minute less than PJ - Marcus was getting a long look with the starters. It looks to me that Hornacek plans to give TJ a regular rotation spot. Goodwin looks like he is going to get table scraps along with Ennis until he earns more. He's looking better this year but he still forces a bit much. He did make a couple of nice baseline cuts though he seemed to mishandle the ball on one of them. He also make a 3pt shot, which may not be good - it might encourage him to pump up too many more. On the other hand it might mean we don't have get ready to cringe every time he gets the ball outside the arc.

Tolliver failed to make a good impression for the second time in a row. At least he isn't rushing into casting up 3's at every opportunity but he is living down to his rep as a rebounder.

 

[devilalum]

All three PGs at once to finish the half... and it worked well.

For years I've listened to pregame shows before the Suns played a team with an elite PG. They always talk about how you have to change your strategies when you go against CP3 or Rondo etc...

I know the Suns have some wholes but every game other teams will have to prepare for our 3 headed monster and there is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the NBA.

 

[devilalum]

Can ASU do this? I did not pay to see ASU get destroyed by UCLA. I want a gift from ASU.

Put down the bong and back away from the hot tub.

 

[Finito]

For years I've listened to pregame shows before the Suns played a team with an elite PG. They always talk about how you have to change your strategies when you go against CP3 or Rondo etc...

I know the Suns have some wholes but every game other teams will have to prepare for our 3 headed monster and there is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the NBA.

Lol.

It's called small ball and everyone knows just how far it can take you and the answer is not to a championship

 

[AzStevenCal]

Lol.

It's called small ball and everyone knows just how far it can take you and the answer is not to a championship

I think most of us have already conceded the championship this year to fill-in-the-blank. Anyway, there is really nothing wrong with small ball even though it's much maligned here. First off, the game is changing and small ball is likely to be more successful now than it's ever been in the past. But more importantly, it's always been a nice tool to pull from the box when the time was right. Our problem, now and seemingly forever, is that we don't have some of the other tools necessary to succeed. IOW, I think we should be lamenting the lack of an inside presence rather than the presence of small ball.

Steve

 

[Errntknght]

I hope they keep using all three of them toether for stretches - because they're likely to stumble on the value of making plays for each other, which Eric and Goran never did last year. I figured that Stockton and Horny didn't do much of that when they played together so the latter didn't think to try it here. IT does seem naturally inclined to do it and that should help as well.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Lol.

It's called small ball and everyone knows just how far it can take you and the answer is not to a championship

That lineup isn't as simple as just small ball. Those are 3 guards that are all more than capable of averaging 20 and 6. They can all shoot the 3 in catch and shoot or pull ups, they can all create offense for themselves and for their teammates and they are all good at getting to the rim and finishing at the rim. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it, or at least not to that level of potency of what we have with these 3. That being said it's not something that would necessarily be successful for too long of stretches and I don't expect to see them all on the floor together for more than about 5 minutes per game or so.

 

[sunsfan88]

Nice. Sarver is going to refund tickets for the game tonight because he says it was not the game they came to see.

Pop's response

Gregg Popovich responded Saturday to Robert Sarver, who grabbed a mic late in Thursday’s exhibition game to apologize to the Phoenix Suns' home crowd after five San Antonio Spurs players missed the game.

“As I said, the silliness begins," Popovich said. "Most wise individuals would check facts before they made statements. Unless you’re interested in putting on a show. In that case, the facts get in your way, as in this case.

“We had five guys we didn’t send: Patty Mills had a shoulder operation. Tiago Splitter has been out the whole preseason. Kawhi Leonard was out and is still out for 10 more days. The other two, Duncan and Ginobili, are two of the oldest guys in the league who just came back from a 13-day European trip.

“The only thing that surprises me is that he didn’t say it in a chicken suit. I’ll just leave it at that.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2014/10/18/popovich-fires-back-at-sarver/

And for those that missed what Sarver said