Suns at Jazz 8:30 MY45 HD TNT HD

[Maligzar]

I've always been a huge supporter of D'antoni. I've come at odds with several of you when I post just for that specific reason. I've supported Sarver and his desire to be under the salary cap, and try to be a rational fan. I try to understand why, instead of making suggestions that I know will never see the light of day.

Last night's coaching was pathetic. Playing Pike was by far the stupidest thing I have seen an NBA coach do in a really long time. We obviously were not going to win that game; so get the damn young kids off the bench and let them play.

Instead, Mike rolls old man Pike out there for 18 minutes. 18 minutes of him getting burned by yougner faster guys. 18 minutes of him making 1 shot out of 5. Pike SUCKS. I really want to know how the hell you inactivate Tucker and give Pike 18 minutes.

I can handle losing. I would have watched us lose by 30 if I thought we were at least trying to accomplish something. Seeing Pike out there instead of Marks, instead of Tucker, just made me feel like the works of Pat Burke complaining about how Mike has his "favorites" neer rang more true.

 

[greensborohill]

ESPN showed a lot of Amare slacking and being lazy last night. Was he that bad?

 

[cly2tw]

ESPN showed a lot of Amare slacking and being lazy last night. Was he that bad?

Lazy? Where does that impression come from? He might be blamed for allowing Okur score on him for 7 pts, but he was the most active Suns player on the court.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I would agree that he was lazy defensively. Standing straight up on D, not boxing out, etc.

 

[DeAnna]

Didn't expect the Suns to win, but, wow - that was ugly. This team is dysfunctional without Nash.

Amare for all his talk, shoulda put the team on his back tonight. In his defense, the guards didn't look his way all that much, but he missed a lot of shots also and let Okur get (how many?) rebounds!

TNT was saying that Diaw has been battling back problems again - the only reason he played was because 3 other starters were out.

I see the logic behind D'Antoni playing Pike (he's a veteran) but at the expense of our future (Strawberry)? I'd rather have seen more DJ, less Pike.

 

[greensborohill]

Lazy? Where does that impression come from? He might be blamed for allowing Okur score on him for 7 pts, but he was the most active Suns player on the court.

Saw it on ESPN, they spot shadowed him a number of times not getting back on D, letting Okur dunk on him, etc.

It really made him look bad.

 

[Covert Rain]

Lazy? Where does that impression come from? He might be blamed for allowing Okur score on him for 7 pts, but he was the most active Suns player on the court.

Amare was being asked to do alot more then normal because our guards disappeared. Not to mention without Marion he was the only one on the boards. The guy looked exhausted to me. Amare probably wants more of the offense to run through him but not like this. Amare bashers need to give it a rest about last nights game because it was not a typical scenario.

 

[B-Dogg]

The commentators, Barkley, and everyone else talked last night about D'antoni's refusal to play his bench and develop his players. This is the biggest problem on this team is that he refuses to develop our players so that when injuries come up these guys are just not ready to play. Barbosa and Banks have absolutely no ability to play the PG position they are both scorers 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Strawberry has looked good playing PG why not give him sometime behind Nash with the other starters to help him develop so he can give Nash some rest and fill in when necessary, its obvious to everyone but Dantoni that B and B can not. Our two biggest needs are some help for Nash, which I believe Strawberry can do, and we need help for Amare, not sure where that will come from. JMO...

 

[Hat]

Barbs isn't a ballhog. He just has the mindset to score in fast transitions and cut to the basket. He's a fast SG playing a ball-moving PG position. Those don't work well together. Plus, with the way the Suns were shooting, I wouldn't pass the ball to anyone else except Amare and Bell. Doris was hitting bricks all night, same with Banks and Pike.

One thing I learned last night that Strawberry>Bell. He will make a great sub. for Bell.

 

[DeAnna]

Without Nash to run the show, coaches would have to run a lot of set plays for the guys on the floor (especially with rooks). That would probably take a whole season to work itself out!

I can see why D'Antoni won't play his bench - they pretty much stink. On the other hand, do they stink because they don't get enough playing time? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

 

[jbeecham]

Saw it on ESPN, they spot shadowed him a number of times not getting back on D, letting Okur dunk on him, etc.

It really made him look bad.

With the Suns being shorthanded, I think he was just trying to avoid foul trouble. Plus I think he was pretty frustrated that he gets called for ticky tack crap and gets abused by Boozer on the other end with no calls. The team had a minuscule chance of winning last night and when our best player on the court gets that kind of treatment from the refs then we have no chance. Amare was 3-4 from the free throw line and could've easily shot 20+ attempts if the refs had called fouls. We probably still would've lost because we were just missing too many pieces and D'Anotoni can't make adjustments (like stop playing zone once they've figured it out or stop playing Pike & play DJ).

 

[jbeecham]

Without Nash to run the show, coaches would have to run a lot of set plays for the guys on the floor (especially with rooks). That would probably take a whole season to work itself out!

I can see why D'Antoni won't play his bench - they pretty much stink. On the other hand, do they stink because they don't get enough playing time? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Marks & Pike stink. Banks is like Eddie House with defense, except the coaches expect him to be a PG & run the show, which doesn't work that well. DJ can play, but he needs to play to improve. He showed some good flashes out there last night and also made some rookie mistakes, but he looks like he could be a solid player down the line.

 

[nashman]

I will agree that DJ should maybe get some minutes for Nash to rest and develop his game. He may be our future PG and looks to handle the ball fairly well. Better than Bell as someone suggested not sure about that, Bell is a proven NBA player so that alone makes him better at this point. Banks again shows his inconsistancy after all the talking he did after the good game the other night I expected much better. It has to be frustrating for the coach to think ok maybe this guy has figured it out and then he goes out and plays like that. Its easy to see why he doesn't go to the bench that often when it seems like those guys don't pay attention to the starters and how this team is supposed to play. Move the ball and get it to the open guy or Amare geesh its like they get stupid when they walk on the floor.

 

[nowagimp]

I think DJ is going to be a very good player, he's appears to have the skills and the heart to be a very good point guard. DA needs to get him PT so he can develop. Problem is in the NBA, contenders often dont do much player development, thats why the spurs gave up on scola and traded his rights. The suns have alot of motivation to develop DJ, it could be the difference in Nash playing a few extra years or being fresh for the playoffs. If DJ can hit the outside shot consistently, he will develop quickly. his accuracy from outside int he D league is very encouraging. DJ and Marcus Banks could be a tough defensive backcourt off the bench with alot of speed.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

ESPN showed a lot of Amare slacking and being lazy last night. Was he that bad?

Yes he was that bad.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Saw it on ESPN, they spot shadowed him a number of times not getting back on D, letting Okur dunk on him, etc.

It really made him look bad.

You tread on dangerous ground right now. Amare scores and by golly that's what we want here first and foremost.

 

[nashman]

He was pretty bad last night. Just stood around alot, didn't box out, was a no show many times defensively.

 

[Griffin]

Playing Pike was by far the stupidest thing I have seen an NBA coach do in a really long time. We obviously were not going to win that game; so get the damn young kids off the bench and let them play.

Instead, Mike rolls old man Pike out there for 18 minutes. 18 minutes of him getting burned by yougner faster guys. 18 minutes of him making 1 shot out of 5. Pike SUCKS. I really want to know how the hell you inactivate Tucker and give Pike 18 minutes.

Tucker was sent down to the D-League. That decision was made far in advance. Strawberry was just recalled. In fact, I don't think he was supposed to have been back yet, but was recalled due to Grant Hill's absence.

According to Coro:

Suns rookie Alando Tucker was scheduled to leave the team today to join Development League affiliate Albuquerque, but he was going to play there with rookie D.J. Strawberry, who instead will join Phoenix on Friday. Tucker's planned long-term stay now will be just two games before he returns to Phoenix.

So Tucker will be back in time for the Clippers game on Tuesday.

I see the logic behind D'Antoni playing Pike (he's a veteran) but at the expense of our future (Strawberry)? I'd rather have seen more DJ, less Pike.

As I said before, I would have rather seen DJ too. But considering that he hasn't been with the team for quite awhile and might have not practiced with the team for several weeks, I can see why he would be the last man off the (very short) bench.

 

[BigCountryPope82]

Raja 8pts in 32min
Strawberry 8pts in 12min

raja has been completly worthless this season. when will mad mike give the rookies their shot?

 

[scXfreakX]

Raja is banged up and is still nagged by injuries. I agree Strawberry should get a few minutes in some games. I mean, we need a healthy Raja come playoff time. Knowing Mike, he will play Raja into the ground.

 

[green machine]

I like how since Strawberry played well in garbage time that means he is better then a guy like Bell.

 

[dodie53]

Raja 8pts in 32min
Strawberry 8pts in 12min

raja has been completly worthless this season. when will mad mike give the rookies their shot?

the rookies will get their shots when the whole starting 5 gets injured

 

[mojorizen7]

Raja 8pts in 32min
Strawberry 8pts in 12min

raja has been completly worthless this season. when will mad mike give the rookies their shot?

I'm not ready to count Raja out yet. Offensively, he's a streak shooter and although frustrating, i believe his shot will return.
Defensively, he's either lost a step,or his nagging injuries are hampering him still...or both. Not sure.

 

[cly2tw]

I'm not ready to count Raja out yet. Offensively, he's a streak shooter and although frustrating, i believe his shot will return.
Defensively, he's either lost a step,or his nagging injuries are hampering him still...or both. Not sure.

Raja needs 2 weeks rest. But he won't get it since DA is only looking at one game at a time and will sacrifice everything to just win the next game.

 

[green machine]

Raja needs 2 weeks rest. But he won't get it since DA is only looking at one game at a time and will sacrifice everything to just win the next game.

If the medical staff said Raja needed to rest then he'd rest.