Should Suns keep starting lineup of Bledsoe-Tucker-Marcus-Kieff-Len or start Knight?

[sunsfan88]

Tucker also stumped to keep the big lineup going, even when Knight comes back.

"We turned down shots to get other shots for each other," Tucker said. "Me and Marcus play so well together, a couple times I was wide open I seen him and swing it to him and he does the same. So it's just having trust in each other, playing together."

"I really like our lineup with me and Marcus (Morris) at the two and three," he said. "I don't think we lost a rebound battle against any team since we went to that lineup. We communicate better so I really like that lineup."

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Markieff and I believe Bledsoe also both said that they like this lineup more because it gives them much needed length defensively and others teams don't get mismatches they take advantage of.

I know we gave up a lot for Knight but still, is he better off in a 6th man type role for at least remainder of this season? I don't know if him and his agent will be happy about it since their trying to land a huge contract this summer but still, the team seems to be doing so much better. Win or loss, for the first time in a long time we don't look like a gimmick team during this stretch.

I'm not a big fan of Marcus but he's been balling since getting the start defensively and especially on the glass.

Also, we always try to post up Tucker and even that works much better when he's playing the 2 because he has a strength advantage over most SGs in the league.

Our bench has been outscored in 6 straight games so I think Knight, a premier scorer, off the bench would help greatly with that also.

I think we should go forward with this current lineup at least for the time being until it turns into a disaster or something.

Keep this lineup or return to Bledsoe-Knight-Tucker-Kieff-Len?

 

[BC867]

Markieff and I believe Bledsoe also both said that they like this lineup more because it gives them much needed length defensively and others teams don't get mismatches they take advantage of.

I know we gave up a lot for Knight but still, is he better off in a 6th man type role for at least remainder of this season? I don't know if him and his agent will be happy about it since their trying to land a huge contract this summer but still, the team seems to be doing so much better. Win or loss, for the first time in a long time we don't look like a gimmick team during this stretch.

I'm not a big fan of Marcus but he's been balling since getting the start defensively and especially on the glass.

Also, we always try to post up Tucker and even that works much better when he's playing the 2 because he has a strength advantage over most SGs in the league.

Our bench has been outscored in 6 straight games so I think Knight, a premier scorer, off the bench would help greatly with that also.

Keep this lineup or return to Bledsoe-Knight-Tucker-Kieff-Len?

K e e p ! ! !

 

[Catlover]

Too early to tell. Teams will adjust. Also if we are really set on trading Markieff and Marcus it might be best to focus on integrating Knight even if it costs us a few games.

 

[SirStefan32]

I want to say keep this lineup, but the Suns gave up a lot for Knight and won't put him on the bench.

 

[Mainstreet]

Too early to tell. Teams will adjust. Also if we are really set on trading Markieff and Marcus it might be best to focus on integrating Knight even if it costs us a few games.

I think the Suns need to start Knight although I can see him coming off the bench for a game or two while he integrates. He has only played ten games for the Suns. The Suns need to look towards next season. The Suns already got a good look at what a taller, stronger shooting guard can do in Tucker.

I'm not set on trading Marcus and Markieff although I suppose a lot of posters fall in this category. IMO, they just keep getting better. I'd rather add to the core rather than take away from it. I don't like being redundant, but I think the Suns got a look at what adding a quality center can do to the roster with OKC trading for Kanter. I definitely want the Suns to add at least two big men (F/C) to their roster for next season and that includes keeping Wright. I am a huge believer in Len but a team can never have too many big men. The Suns need to get more size on the roster. They can always trade a surplus of big men if it gets crowded.

 

[Mainstreet]

I voted other, that the Suns should start Bledsoe, Knight, the Morris twins and Len with Tucker as the 6th man off the bench. I simply think the twins play better together. It's a difficult call because Tucker has been carrying the Suns but I would play him near starter minutes.

 

[sunsfan88]

If Tucker came off the bench then opposing teams would just light us up to start each game because unfortunately, he's by far our best defensive wing player. The drop off between him and the next guy is too large.

 

[Mainstreet]

If Tucker came off the bench then opposing teams would just light us up to start each game because unfortunately, he's by far our best defensive wing player. The drop off between him and the next guy is too large.

I know what you are saying. My mind is still going around about this subject. I am questioning myself. Tucker has been the heart of the Suns. I wish Tucker could stay at SG but this is not a realistic option with Knight on the roster. Tucker's defense has been huge. The Suns cannot afford to fall behind early in games so they would have to bring Tucker off the bench early. Whether Tucker starts or comes off the bench he needs to play a lot of minutes.

 

[Catlover]

Tucker has been playing very well of late but it started a couple of games before he was moved to the shooting guard position. I'm more concerned about why he was a disappointment for most of the season than I am about whether we should move him to shooting guard. In most games this season his effort and focus has been missing for either the 1st half or the 2nd half. It's only been recently that he's put together 2 good halves for a couple of games in a row. That's the player we need, whether he's at off guard or small forward.

 

[elindholm]

I think the real question is whether Tucker is a long-term keeper. What the Suns need is a player like him, but who has some sense of social responsibility. I don't think they can afford to keep him around with the franchise's reputation already teetering.

 

[JCSunsfan]

They will need to work Knight back in but it is too early to tell. They do need to keep the idea of playing PJ at the two as a ready option.

 

[Sunburn]

I think the real question is whether Tucker is a long-term keeper. What the Suns need is a player like him, but who has some sense of social responsibility. I don't think they can afford to keep him around with the franchise's reputation already teetering.

I disagree. DUI or not, Tucker is a fan favorite.

 

[AfroSuns]

I disagree. DUI or not, Tucker is a fan favorite.

I agree and fans would not crucify him unless he makes that stupid mistake again, definitely not with him playing like this.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

The spacing is awful with Tucker at the 2.

 

[Catlover]

I disagree. DUI or not, Tucker is a fan favorite.

One DUI, 2 missed busses and about 40 poor halves of basketball. He's a fan favorite when he's giving it his all, scrappers usually are. But he's not always playing full speed this season for some reason. Anyway, if the DUI is truly behind him I'm okay with the team supporting him. I would also have been fine with the team letting him go last summer but it's probably too late to take a strong stand against DUI's now. If he's still drinking though the team should try and trade him as soon as possible. I would have doubts about trusting his good behavior.

 

[sunsfan88]

I think the real question is whether Tucker is a long-term keeper. What the Suns need is a player like him, but who has some sense of social responsibility. I don't think they can afford to keep him around with the franchise's reputation already teetering.

Well if they do cut ties, there are players like him available to be had in free agency. Wesley Matthews, Khris Middleton are some of the options though they will likely cost more but they bring more as well.

 

[WuRaider]

#4: P.J. Tucker was a 2-guard all along

Let's get this out of the way quickly: If you can successfully defend James Harden and Monta Ellis on back-to-back nights, you can play shooting guard in the NBA. As a bonus, Tucker has been a steady contributor on offense since the break, scoring in double figures in 14 of 17 games.

He didn't skip a beat when moved to the 2, where he suddenly has a matchup advantage in his favor. Generously listed at 6'5, there was little Tucker could do on offense against longer small forwards besides spot up and shoot when open. At guard, however, he can exploit his opponent in the low post and on the boards, and does so with an obvious glee as he makes his poor adversary work that much harder, thus having less energy to expend on offense.

He was already a bonafide badass at the 3. At the 2, he's just wrong.

Bringing Tucker off the bench should never be an option on this current team (missed buses notwithstanding). Running Knight in from the bench to spell either guard position makes abundantly more sense.
http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2...night-should-finish-the-season-as-the-6th-man

Having PJ as our long term 2 isn't a good idea but it's the right move for this playoff chase. Putting PJ on the post against weaker guards doesn't always equal a score, but it's been getting wins.

 

[Errntknght]

I don't think this is really about Tucker. The more important thing is getting as good a take on Brandon Knight as possible - especially he and Bled playing together. IMO, Hornacek's wimpy half court offense is not good enough for two combo guards - Goran and Eric couldn't do enough with it and I don't expect Bledsoe/Knight to be significantly better. With a more structured offense the duo make work well but this offense needs a point guard - a creative PG at that. I rather despair of our 'brain trust' ever figuring it out but seeing this last sequence of games against the top WC teams in the best hope of enlightening them. Signing AJ Price is a hopeful sign that they have it in mind but he hasn't looked very convincing thus far.

Anyway, thats my reasoning that leads me to vote for returning to Bled/Knight as the starting backcourt...

 

[Phrazbit]

When Bledsoe and Dragic were on the court together it was a top 5 offense, and thats with a lot of offensively challenged guys around them. Its reeeeeally hard to claim that they "couldn't do enough" with it or that it was wimpy.

Our problems were on the defensive end.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Tucker needs to be in the starting lineup plus in the teams long term plans. Nobody plays with the defensive intensity tuck does along with all the dirty work. His DUI was a isolated incident and I cant believe it keeps being brought up....still.

 

[elindholm]

His DUI was a isolated incident and I cant believe it keeps being brought up....still.

Would you feel the same way if he'd killed someone? Because the only reason he didn't was dumb luck. Also, it's naive to think that it's an "isolated incident" when he was three times the legal limit. Someone gets caught drinking after three beers instead of two, okay, maybe that's an isolated incident. It's amazing enough that Tucker could find his way to his car in the condition that he was in.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Would you feel the same way if he'd killed someone? Because the only reason he didn't was dumb luck.

He didnt though. You just hope he learned from his one mistake. If your kid got a DUI would you disown him. I certainly hope not. If it happens again, then... lets disown him.

 

[elindholm]

If your kid got a DUI would you disown him.

No, but that's a stupid argument. The love of a parent for a child is strong enough to defy logic. I'm not closely enough related to Tucker to be confounded by a familial bond, and neither are you, so that should give us the clarity of mind to assess him rationally.

Also, we're not talking about "disowning" him; we're talking about paying him millions of dollars a year to be a public figure. The bar is a little higher.

 

[Phrazbit]

If we were all dealt with based on the worst possible outcomes of our mistakes then I expect most of us would be unemployed, dead or in jail.

A DUI is a serious thing and potentially deadly but he didn't kill anyone and hopefully he has learned from his mistake.

 

[BC867]

If we were all dealt with based on the worst possible outcomes of our mistakes then I expect most of us would be unemployed, dead or in jail.

Some, not most. There are certainly as many people, if not more, who are not prone to highs and lows. Not victims of substance abuse. Most people are not unemployed, dead or in jail, even as an exaggeration.

I like the hustle and defense PJ brings to the team, but he has problems and the Suns are hopefully dealing with them.

'Missed the team bus because he couldn't figure out the difference between AM and PM? C'mon. Not with a history of being under the influence of alcohol.

A DUI is a serious thing and potentially deadly but he didn't kill anyone and hopefully he has learned from his mistake.

Not killing someone doesn't play down his lack of discretion. He obviously has problems which go beyond learning at this point and involve personality traits.

Again, I hope the Suns are keeping a close eye on his off-court behavior now that he has put himself in this position. They would be fools not to. Most importantly for his own good.