Preseason: Suns @ Trail Blazers Thursday game thread, 10-12-2023

[somethingshesaid]

idk what you're talking about - Beal plays defense

This being not quite the only Suns forum I visit, I have been reading posts that claim the exact opposite, that he is an awful defender. But as I am neither a fanboy nor hater of Beal--I was hardly familiar with him before he came to the Suns--I am willing to be convinced he can actually defend. There seems to be a polarity of opinions on this.

They probably ssaid Ray Allen couldn't defend, before he came to the Celtics and guarded Kobe Bryant. But you, Bradley Beal, are not Ray Allen.

 

[Cheesebeef]

If you avoid taking "we don't care about you" with excessive literalism, it can be interpreted as a team saying "We're not afraid of you. In fact we're so not afraid of you that we won't show you our best players. Because we think our new team is better than you." It very well could be better than the Nougats' roster, because the Nougats obviously didn't get better, only worse. So, I would find it a reasonable (if arrogant) boast.

I note that in the examples I can think of between Suns teams and their rivals, it was always the Suns' rival doing it to them. For instance, besides the Spurs dynasty doing it, the Bulls also pulled a smaller variant of the trick in the first post-finals meeting in November 1993. They kept Scottie Pippen on the injured list, pretending (probably) he had tendinitis, then they activated Pippen just before the game. It threw the Suns off and helped the Bulls swat the Suns away. I want to say the Lakers probably did it too, except that Kobe Bryant was so stubborn in his egotism and resentment of the Suns (for beating him in 2006 and 2007) that he seemed to always want to play against them.

Again, you’re talking about DYNASTIES. The idea that this team, which got HUMILIATED was trying to prove some kind of “we don’t worry about you” only serves to make them look stupid.

And the “we don’t care about you” “attitude” isn’t what beat those Suns teams. Those teams were dynasties that were flat out better than us.

We’ve accomplished nothing. If our attitude really is we don’t worry about the Nuggets, that means we think our ish doesn’t stink, even after crapping all over ourselves and fans last season. Which means their self awareness of what they need to do to overcome that is slim to none.

ESPECIALLY if they think they can play mind games in the preseason, no less. That would show to me this team isn’t over the Nuggets loss and aren’t scared of them AND they are completely OVERTHINKING their eventual match up with the team who humiliated them last year.

 

[Hoop Head]

This being not quite the only Suns forum I visit, I have been reading posts that claim the exact opposite, that he is an awful defender. But as I am neither a fanboy nor hater of Beal--I was hardly familiar with him before he came to the Suns--I am willing to be convinced he can actually defend. There seems to be a polarity of opinions on this.

They probably ssaid Ray Allen couldn't defend, before he came to the Celtics and guarded Kobe Bryant. But you, Bradley Beal, are not Ray Allen.

Beal is an adequate defender. He's never going to clamp someone up or be assigned to the #1 player in the other team but he can be a slightly above average defender when motivated. He hasn't had much to play for in Washington so he gets knocked similar to Booker early in his career. The effort is there, he definitely tries.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Again, you’re talking about DYNASTIES. The idea that this team, which got HUMILIATED was trying to prove some kind of “we don’t worry about you” only serves to make them look stupid.

And the “we don’t care about you” “attitude” isn’t what beat those Suns teams. Those teams were dynasties that were flat out better than us.

We’ve accomplished nothing. If our attitude really is we don’t worry about the Nuggets, that means we think our ish doesn’t stink, even after crapping all over ourselves and fans last season. Which means their self awareness of what they need to do to overcome that is slim to none.

ESPECIALLY if they think they can play mind games in the preseason, no less. That would show to me this team isn’t just thinking stupid, they are completely OVERTHINKING their eventual match up with the team who humiliated them last year.

I think the more realistic scenario is that they just want to limit and spread out when the big 3 get their 3 games played. Games 1-3-5 seem to make the most sense.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think the more realistic scenario is that they just want to limit and spread out when the big 3 get their 3 games played. Games 1-3-5 seem to make the most sense.

Without a doubt.

And to be honest, if it’s the other, this team is already too full of itself and mentally weak to win a title.

But I don’t think that’s the case at all. Playing “mind games”… in the preseason… to the team that humiliated you in the playoffs isn’t a realistic scenario, in any way, shape or form.

 

[somethingshesaid]

Beal is an adequate defender. He's never going to clamp someone up or be assigned to the #1 player in the other team but he can be a slightly above average defender when motivated. He hasn't had much to play for in Washington so he gets knocked similar to Booker early in his career. The effort is there, he definitely tries.

Thanks, that helped.

 

[BirdGangThing]

This being not quite the only Suns forum I visit, I have been reading posts that claim the exact opposite, that he is an awful defender. But as I am neither a fanboy nor hater of Beal--I was hardly familiar with him before he came to the Suns--I am willing to be convinced he can actually defend. There seems to be a polarity of opinions on this.

They probably ssaid Ray Allen couldn't defend, before he came to the Celtics and guarded Kobe Bryant. But you, Bradley Beal, are not Ray Allen.

idk about other forums - or fanboys or haters - or their polarities - but I trust my eyes amigo - and they saw a guy playing some quality defense in our first preseason game

 

[Ronin]

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[somethingshesaid]

idk about other forums - or fanboys or haters - or their polarities - but I trust my eyes amigo - and they saw a guy playing some quality defense in our first preseason game

Thanks. I guess I could watch some Youtube videos on Beal's defense if any exist; but like I said, I can no longer watch regular-season games--no access. When I lived in AZ, we cut our cable years ago, so I haven't seen non-Finals games on TV in about eight years. Now that Mr. Ishbia moved the games back to local broadcast channels where they belong (again, I'm happy) but I've moved, I still can't watch. You win, I lose.

Besides, I never was good at analyzing video.

 

[GatorAZ]

Deandre Ayton doesn't want to talk about his five season with the Suns.

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He doesn’t want it to be a story while not realizing that not talking about it makes it a story. Typical DA lack of awareness.

 

[Mainstreet]

He doesn’t want it to be a story while not realizing that not talking about it makes it a story. Typical DA lack of awareness.

Yes, Ayton could have said something short and moved on.

Lots of stuff must have been going on behind the scene before the trade, probably for at least the last two seasons.

It's obvious other teams must have been aware of it, otherwise Ayton would have had more trade value.

 

[Chaplin]

Without a doubt.

And to be honest, if it’s the other, this team is already too full of itself and mentally weak to win a title.

But I don’t think that’s the case at all. Playing “mind games”… in the preseason… to the team that humiliated you in the playoffs isn’t a realistic scenario, in any way, shape or form.

I don't see how this is even a talking point. Isn't Frank Vogel the driving force here? What incentive does he have to play mind games? Book loves to do that anyway while he's on the floor. No need to sit out.

This is preseason, reading much of anything into almost everything is moot and doesn't affect the price of tea in china.

 

[CardNots]

I don't mean I think this Suns team is great, I mean I think possibly it does. It's probably very confident and possibly overconfident. I actually am skeptical of how good it is, mainly because Bradley Beal plays no defense.

All Beal needs is, play better defense than CP3.

 

[Phrazbit]

All Beal needs is, play better defense than CP3.

That probably isn't going to happen. CP3 had been a higher rated defender than Beal every single year of his career.

Beal is poor defender, it's just something we're going to have to deal with. We need him to make the plethora of open looks he should be receiving.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Without a doubt.

And to be honest, if it’s the other, this team is already too full of itself and mentally weak to win a title.

But I don’t think that’s the case at all. Playing “mind games”… in the preseason… to the team that humiliated you in the playoffs isn’t a realistic scenario, in any way, shape or form.

I think it is a little more than just pacing. They already know Denver, and they already know what our big three are. A team like Denver, that you just lost to in the playoffs, well, the competitive juices would start to flow. It's just natural for players who are highly competitive. No need to get into that type of situation in the preseason and risk injuries to key players. After all, they need to get other players minutes to evaluate.

 

[Chaplin]

I think it is a little more than just pacing. They already know Denver, and they already know what our big three are. A team like Denver, that you just lost to in the playoffs, well, the competitive juices would start to flow. It's just natural for players who are highly competitive. No need to get into that type of situation in the preseason and risk injuries to key players. After all, they need to get other players minutes to evaluate.

Knowledge has nothing to do with it. The one player on the Suns they know best actually played, after all.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Any word on if the Big 3 play tonight?

 

[Mainstreet]

Bradley Beal is out with lower back tightness. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant will play.

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[Mainstreet]

Here are the Suns starters.

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[Mainstreet]

Suns with some changes tonight. This is the latest update.

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[Mainstreet]

These are the starters for the Trail Blazers per Duane Rankin.

Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton.

 

[Chaplin]

Weird seeing Ayton on the Blazer side.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Booker knows Ayton best - and has probably shared some things with Nurk

 

[Mainstreet]

Jordan Goodwin will play tonight.

 

[Mainstreet]

Tip-off.