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

[Mainstreet]

I think Scoot will be fine. He had 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, but he also had 6 turnovers.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Nice w always feels good beat blazers

Super tired lemon desil kush hit to w

Also nurik doing well is good to see scary line up

Ohhh good to beat ayton

 

[Hoop Head]

There will be an odd man out or two that could easily make another playoff team’s rotation. Vogel and Young will earn their money figuring this rotation out.

I keep forgetting Miles Simon is an assistant. He hasn’t aged much.

David Fizdale is also an assistant. He had some success in Memphis not long ago. Really like the coaching staff that's been assembled.

 

[CardNots]

The Suns have a boatload of some very good players, like Yuta Watanabe, Jordan Goodwin, Grayson Allen, Josh Okogie, Devin Eubanks and Eric Gordon.

I'm already starting to worry about losing them after this upcoming season.

Worry only when needed as it presents no value done early

 

[Big Al]

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.

They probably haven't played much together either. Vogel is mixing and matching a lot of players.

Well, it is pre-season. I expect it might end up being that way with him regardless. But it's probably worth at least waiting until the real games start before definitively saying he's going to be a bum in Portland, too.

 

[BirdGangThing]

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[Chaplin]

As of today, my cuts would likely be Damion Lee and Keon Johnson. If the Suns want to hold onto Damion for whatever reason, then I'd probably go with Bol Bol as the next cut.

And yes, damn right I'd keep Ish Wainwright over those 3 guys.

 

[BirdGangThing]

As of today, my cuts would likely be Damion Lee and Keon Johnson. If the Suns want to hold onto Damion for whatever reason, then I'd probably go with Bol Bol as the next cut.

And yes, damn right I'd keep Ish Wainwright over those 3 guys.

All 3 could be gone when all said and done

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

As of today, my cuts would likely be Damion Lee and Keon Johnson. If the Suns want to hold onto Damion for whatever reason, then I'd probably go with Bol Bol as the next cut.

And yes, damn right I'd keep Ish Wainwright over those 3 guys.

I'd keep Keon over the rest. Way more potential to develop at the end of the bench.

 

[Chaplin]

I'd keep Keon over the rest. Way more potential to develop at the end of the bench.

It's been 3 preseason games. You'd think he would show something of this potential. So far, he hasn't. At least Ish can play some sort of defense and hit the corner 3 in spurts. Keon hasn't shown he could any of that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Welp! The cats outta the bag now. If there was any doubt, Portland now knows they got got.

Its preseason. No one will believe anything about any player they recently added until 20 games into the season.

 

[Chaplin]

Its preseason. No one will believe anything about any player they recently added until 20 games into the season.

But this was against his former team and teammates he doesn't like (apparently). It's preseason where fouling out doesn't matter.

And he lays an egg. At home, no less. He let's Nurk outplay him, not just a little, but SIGNIFICANTLY outplay him.

Good riddance.

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[Cheesebeef]

Its preseason. No one will believe anything about any player they recently added until 20 games into the season.

Without a doubt. But I bet you had a bunch of eyebrows raised from Portland fans expecting a big difference maker.

 

[mjb21aztd]

But this was against his former team and teammates he doesn't like (apparently). It's preseason where fouling out doesn't matter.

And he lays an egg. At home, no less. He let's Nurk outplay him, not just a little, but SIGNIFICANTLY outplay him.

Good riddance.

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Lmfao da looks like the little .man character in the wayans movie

 

[Big Al]

Well, it is pre-season. I expect it might end up being that way with him regardless. But it's probably worth at least waiting until the real games start before definitively saying he's going to be a bum in Portland, too.

Yes this is only preseason game. But you would think Ayton would be fired up as hell against his former team which he seemed to be so dissatisfied with. Although I don't think Ayton is saving his best for start of this season but who knows what's his way of thinking? Suns couldn't reach him or motivate him. He had disappointed us so much. But a little to his defense Ayton never had a true power forward to to work next to him. He had a 6'4 3/4" in socks non rebounder Crowder and a skinny but talented long arm 6'6" Bridges going against the likes of 6'11 Gannis, 7'0" Lopez, and 6'7" Middleton frontline. It's sad to see a guy (Ayton) with so much ability can't put it together the motor, motivate and maturity not there but we have been down this road before.
One thing you can say about Ayton is he not for super teams. And I not saying he's super but with KD, Book, Beal and a bench of Gordon, Yuta, Goodwin, Ewbank there would have been some great opportunities for Ayton to shine if he would have been willing to comply & work consistently but that's a huge IF. The move is done and best to Ayton & the Suns going forward as we will see what the games that really count brings.

I really like the Suns guard crew of Booker, Beal, Gordon, Allen, and Goodwin. That backcourt will be interesting & fun to watch.

Nice w always feels good beat blazers

Super tired lemon desil kush hit to w

Also nurik doing well is good to see scary line up

Ohhh good to beat ayton

No, and I'm uneasy about it. Beal will have to be hidden on defense to some extent. I don't trust players who are great only at scoring, who play acceptable defense only if motivated. I find them lazy. Booker and Durant don't have that problem.

I certainly excuse players who play bad defense only due to being unathletic, such as Steve Nash. They do what they can do. Back in the day, I didn't understand that Nash was just athletically inferior to most players; and like Larry Bird, Nash had to compensate with effort and skill.

You can't give anyone a pass if they can't play defense. They are judge by their ability period. If bad defense is their flaw then the opposition will exploit it. If they have that flaw then that's their shortcoming and you are reward by your abilities & not your flaws. You judge everyone accordingly. That's what amazed me about fans they will criticize one player and yet another player they will give a pass for the same thing.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don’t think it’s an issue that Ayton didn’t come out fired up against the Suns. It was a preseason game.

Bigger issue was he just looked like the same player that drove us crazy for years. Like, the exact same issues.

He just is what he is.

 

[mjb21aztd]

I don’t think it’s an issue that Ayton didn’t come out fired up against the Suns. It was a preseason game.

Bigger issue was he just looked like the same player that drove us crazy for years. Like, the exact same issues.

He just is what he is.

I dont think ayton gonna lead portland anywhere he just rarely shows the killer attitude and no book to bail.him.out

 

[JCSunsfan]

I don’t think it’s an issue that Ayton didn’t come out fired up against the Suns. It was a preseason game.

Bigger issue was he just looked like the same player that drove us crazy for years. Like, the exact same issues.

He just is what he is.

Now that is totally fair. At one time, I had hoped Ayton would develop like Robert Parish--initially a disappointment but eventually developed into a solid dependable piece on a championship team. But he seems to be going the way of Joe Barry Carroll. He just doesn't seem to care that much. I can see how frustrating that could be to a competitor like Book.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ayton doesn't seem to embrace the role of paying inside as a center on offense and defense. He seems to prefer more of a finesse game. This seems to date back to his college career at Arizona where he played power forward.

Personally, I wish the Suns had played him some at power forward to convince him he is a center. However, this may have only engrained his forward mentality, although there is a chance he could have seen that he was not a fit there himself.

He has the ability to dominate inside, but I haven't seen much evidence since the Finals that he wants too. Maybe someday Ayton will see light, but it will take a lot of convincing and an attitude change.

 

[CardsFan88]

Entertaining Blazers board...

Game Thread - 2023-24 PRESEASON - BLAZERS VS SUNS - OCTOBER 12, 2023 - THURSDAY - 7:00 PM PST - NBATV, ROOT +

Pretty obvious the Suns are the better more talented team. Get ready for a long season. I don’t know. We’ve looked good and we’re not playing Phoenix...

www.sportstwo.com

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Thanks for the link!

Yep, they're on to him, but giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Good luck with making Ayton catch passes as a staple of the offense.

 

[BirdGangThing]

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Thanks for the link!

Yep, they're on to him, but giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Good luck with making Ayton catch passes as a staple of the offense.

I'm guessing a few of them have read this forum a time or two

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm guessing a few of them have read this forum a time or two

Maybe but I recognized a few user names from another Suns site so there might be another explanaytion.

 

[Dr dumas]

The frustration is just starting in Portland and this is after the first preseason game against an NBA team.

Seems like people forget that he’s been playing in the NBA for half a decade. He’s not changing his game. DA will flash just enough to get you excited knowing that the potential is there.

Great trade by JJ!

 

[Yuma]

The Suns have a boatload of some very good players, like Yuta Watanabe, Jordan Goodwin, Grayson Allen, Josh Okogie, Devin Eubanks and Eric Gordon.

I'm already starting to worry about losing them after this upcoming season.

I have been working on staying in the moment....

 

[Dr. Jones]

Every game without Ayton on this team is a blessing for my mental health.

Now.... Can we get KD's middy game right? He seems a bit off still.