Rockets @ Suns Saturday game thread 3-2-2024

[Dr. Jones]

We lost on the Matrix and Amare ceremony nights. Sheesh.

And to think I almost flew in for the weekend games. So glad I dodged that bill.

 

[Yuma]

Again, was that a team you’d think has lost 9 in a row on the road? For some reason they played like a contender tonight. Hats off to them.

We have trouble with teams that double hard, and play aggressively on defense. The hacking, hands on physical defenses give us a really hard time. This is becoming more the style, especially with younger teams, and that's why I am down on Kevin Young. Kevin Young needs to figure out better ways to beat presses, beat the double teams, and strategies for when players are getting bullied by defenses. The strategy so far I have seen from Book and KD is to back up into the corners of the court, which makes out easier to trap them, and then attempt an over the top cross court pass, which is more difficult to be accurate with and is easier to steal.

Since this is happening so much to the Suns, you would think they would work on these situations in practice for game time.

 

[Yuma]

a lot of stuff went wrong but we just beat this team without Beal and Gordon - and that's the thing - when things go wrong we can't correct the course and there's no excuse for it - doesn't matter who's hurt or available or on the floor at the moment - i still think it has more to do with who's walking around clueless on the sidelines

regardless we're marching into the post season with him - starting to think the players only meetings might become more of a thing because losing sucks - especially when it's due to being out coached - i mean if someone has stunk all game long that's what the bench is for - not solely to provide rest for your starters - a hot hand can turn the whole game around but we sit on ours

Agreed. We have even seen Eubanks do that in one game for us. I think Vogel is trying to come up on a playoff rotation, and that is squeezing guys to the end of the bench and being non options.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I’d rather get hot at the end of a season instead of during season!

Lol… the is the ultimate refrain of a fan of a pretender… as if a team that stumbles and bumbles ALL YEAR can magically “get hot” at the end of the season.

Wouldn’t you rather the team was actually just really good all season, rather than hoping they can magically put all the pieces together in a really short period of time with 20% of the season left?

 

[Yuma]

Lol… the is the ultimate refrain of a fan of a pretender… as if a team that stumbles and bumbles ALL YEAR can magically “get hot” at the end of the season.

Wouldn’t you rather the team was actually just really good all season, rather than hoping they can magically put all the pieces together in a really short period of time with 20% of the season left?

Actually, I don't care HOW we get our first championship.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Actually, I don't care HOW we get our first championship.

Neither does anyone else. I’m just not going to live in a fantasy world and think “our best is yet to come!” when 3/4ths of the season has given us overwhelming evidence of who we are… a playoff pretender.

I just find it bizarre that nashman’s constantly laughed at all the criticism the team has rightly garnered all year, as if he’s going to have the last laugh on all of us. I mean, I hope he does, but it ain’t realistic in the least to think he will be based on what we’ve seen through 60 games.

 

[ajcardfan]

Lol… the is the ultimate refrain of a fan of a pretender… as if a team that stumbles and bumbles ALL YEAR can magically “get hot” at the end of the season.

Wouldn’t you rather the team was actually just really good all season, rather than hoping they can magically put all the pieces together in a really short period of time with 20% of the season left?

I guess we are reduced to saying "Maybe we will be this year's Miami Heat". The biggest hurdle to that dream is we play in the West.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I guess we are reduced to saying "Maybe we will be this year's Miami Heat". The biggest hurdle to that dream is we play in the West.

And that we don’t have the best coach in the league… and we’re not playoff tested like the Heat who had made it to Game 7 of the East Finals and the NBA Finals in 2 of three seasons prior to last year’s Finals run.

 

[CardNots]

And that we don’t have the best coach in the league… and we’re not playoff tested like the Heat who had made it to Game 7 of the East Finals and the NBA Finals in 2 of three seasons prior to last year’s Finals run.

We do not seem motivated. Being a veteran team, they could turn it on going down the stretch run for positioning. We’ll at least that is my hope

 

[Hoop Head]

We do not seem motivated. Being a veteran team, they could turn it on going down the stretch run for positioning. We’ll at least that is my hope

Veteran team or not this team can't even turn it on in the 4th quarter the majority of the time. We're nearing the 4th quarter of the season. The only thing I've come to expect from this team is disappointment and that sucks because I bought in when we acquired Beal. I really thought we stood a chance to be favorites headed into the playoffs but that isn't happening.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Veteran team or not this team can't even turn it on in the 4th quarter the majority of the time. We're nearing the 4th quarter of the season. The only thing I've come to expect from this team is disappointment and that sucks because I bought in when we acquired Beal. I really thought we stood a chance to be favorites headed into the playoffs but that isn't happening.

If he was healthy all year, we probably would be at least solid contenders, if not one of the favorites. But I think we’re all disavowed of that fantasy ever happening after seeing him break down multiple times this year. It’s easy to believe that MAYBE he wasn’t putting his body 100% on the line for a terrible franchise and this would be a bounce back opportunity. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

 

[Sunstroke]

Suns will look back at inexcusable losses to the Rockets, Spurs, Blazers and Hawks
and realize why they're in the play-in tournament.

 

[Hoop Head]

Suns will look back at inexcusable losses to the Rockets, Spurs, Blazers and Hawks
and realize why they're in the play-in tournament.

Didn't we lose to the Wizards also?

Edit - we almost lost to them. Seeing who we lost to isn't pretty though. Add Memphis, Toronto, and Brooklyn.

 

[leclerc]

This is just pathetic for a team that calls itself a contender. I think Vogel should be one and done. Also take with him the genious offensive coach Young. KD is a master of the mid range game right? He's getting older, so he is not as explosive. So why the heck is he getting the ball way outside the three point line? Get him on the wing where he can do damage right away. Anyone have the e-mail address for Vogel or Young so I can tell them directly?