Rockets @ Suns 2-23-14

BC867

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This is what concerns me about the current Suns. They scored 112 points in a loss and everyone is talking about how to make the offense better.

Over and over we've been complaining on this board about how the Suns need to overhaul their culture, shed the offense-only label, and try to forge a new identity that is centered around being stronger in the playoffs than in the regular season, not weaker. I kept reading about how wonderful it was that this front office was going to be patient and rebuild the right way.

And now here we are half a year later and it's offense, offense, more offense. The rebuild is over, the Suns have forfeited their opportunity for major help in the draft, and we have just the latest run-and-fun roster for a franchise that seems to know nothing else.

If we want to say, hey, the regular season counts too, there's more to the NBA then winning titles, I'm fine with that. But I desperately hope that we won't be repeating this conversation in another six or eight years, because the Groundhog Day effect (RIP Harold Ramis) is getting pretty hard to take. The Suns are apparently content to make the same mistake over and over, but their fan base doesn't have to be.
:thumbup::thumbup:
Chaplin said:
The Suns were down 18, then up 11 and lost by 3. How anyone could be angry about this loss is a mystery wrapped in an enigma in a big bag of riddles.
Rooting for your team (especially at home) to make moves to play defense, as well as offense, is hardly a riddle . . . to a lot of us.
 

Chaplin

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:thumbup::thumbup:

Rooting for your team (especially at home) to make moves to play defense, as well as offense, is hardly a riddle . . . to a lot of us.

They are what they are. Without their best defensive player-and yet, they've been winning more than they have been losing. Want to continue the time-honored tradition of bitching about defense after every loss? Fine, be my guest. But defense or not, what they did in the game was pretty impressive.

Even spoke to some people that saw the game and were not invested in it and they came away impressed with the Suns.
 

Catlover

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They are what they are. Without their best defensive player-and yet, they've been winning more than they have been losing. Want to continue the time-honored tradition of bitching about defense after every loss? Fine, be my guest. But defense or not, what they did in the game was pretty impressive.

Even spoke to some people that saw the game and were not invested in it and they came away impressed with the Suns.

I had fun watching the game. On paper it's no contest but on the court, we fought back time and again and lead for much of the second half. A break here or a break there and we beat perhaps the hottest team in the NBA right now. Some people want to be upset after that loss, that's their right. I'll just marvel at how well these Suns played despite supposedly not having anywhere near the talent the Rockets have.
 

BC867

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A break here or a break there and we beat perhaps the hottest team in the NBA right now.
And if we could have had additional breaks here and there, so could have the Rockets.

If a team has to depend on breaks, it really doesn't deserve to be in the playoffs. The skills and balance of the five on the floor far outweigh the breaks, especially in a long series.
Catlover said:
I'll just marvel at how well these Suns played despite supposedly not having anywhere near the talent the Rockets have.
"How well the Suns played, despite ..." doesn't address whether we were better than our opponent. Moral victories don't show in the standings.
 

Catlover

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And if we could have had additional breaks here and there, so could have the Rockets.

If a team has to depend on breaks, it really doesn't deserve to be in the playoffs. The skills and balance of the five on the floor far outweigh the breaks, especially in a long series.

"How well the Suns played, despite ..." doesn't address whether we were better than our opponent. Moral victories don't show in the standings.

I have no idea what you're trying to say here. Teams catch breaks all the time, in every single game. AFAIC, without Bledsoe, we're probably the 9th best team in the west despite the fact we probably have the 15th best roster. I'm not in search of a moral victory but I see no shame in losing a close game to one of the best and perhaps THE hottest team in the league.
 

Superbone

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I have no idea what you're trying to say here. Teams catch breaks all the time, in every single game. AFAIC, without Bledsoe, we're probably the 9th best team in the west despite the fact we probably have the 15th best roster. I'm not in search of a moral victory but I see no shame in losing a close game to one of the best and perhaps THE hottest team in the league.

Exactly. The Rockets were the ones who caught a break here with the Harden flop call (out of position, pushing and pulling, falls down: foul on Tucker, two free throws) and the lack of the obvious lane violation call.
 
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Mainstreet

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I have no idea what you're trying to say here. Teams catch breaks all the time, in every single game. AFAIC, without Bledsoe, we're probably the 9th best team in the west despite the fact we probably have the 15th best roster. I'm not in search of a moral victory but I see no shame in losing a close game to one of the best and perhaps THE hottest team in the league.

The Suns are not worthy. :notworthy:
 

AfroSuns

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And if we could have had additional breaks here and there, so could have the Rockets.

If a team has to depend on breaks, it really doesn't deserve to be in the playoffs. The skills and balance of the five on the floor far outweigh the breaks, especially in a long series.

"How well the Suns played, despite ..." doesn't address whether we were better than our opponent. Moral victories don't show in the standings.

Wow...seriously.
 

Errntknght

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My offensive efficiency rating method is showing us to be creeping upward lately - its now projecting 44 season wins, the highest for us since I started doing it about 15 games into the season. Oddly enough, our defense is what is showing improvement with the offense sitting steady - at one percent below the league average. Defense is 3.7 percent above average. With the tough schedule we have ahead it may come out to be about right unless Bledsoe gives us a lift - 44 wins won't put you in the playoffs out west this year.

This could be a pivotal game tonight... Minny hasn't been able to win close games this year and this is not the time to reverse that. Actually, they should be out of it unless they have an especially easy schedule remaining but Memphis is coming on strong and figures to be the team we have to beat out.
 

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