Suns @ Hornets game thread 3-10-18

[Mainstreet]

Wow Reed really showed some stuff. I hope it's not a flash in the pan performance.

I have a feeling it's not a flash in the pan. The question with Reed, could he come back from injury physically and mentally.

He answered that tonight.

 

[pokerface]

Really good game from everyone, while still coming up with the loss. Glad Booker and Jackson were out since everyone else seemed to show up in the 2nd half. Odd to see everything click in the 2nd half when it's usually the opposite.

Maybe because we had a completely different lineup.

 

[Mainstreet]

Really good game from everyone, while still coming up with the loss. Glad Booker and Jackson were out since everyone else seemed to show up in the 2nd half. Odd to see everything click in the 2nd half when it's usually the opposite.

Agree. The players really stepped up tonight.

 

[SirStefan32]

It was really nice to see Reed play well.

 

[Hoop Head]

It was nice to see Ulis play like he did last year. This was by far his best game of the season. He's playing for his job now, if he keeps this up then the Suns should keep him next season but if he reverts back to the guy he's been for the first half of the season then I don't think he'll be retained.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

It was nice to see Ulis play like he did last year. This was by far his best game of the season. He's playing for his job now, if he keeps this up then the Suns should keep him next season but if he reverts back to the guy he's been for the first half of the season then I don't think he'll be retained.

I think he is screwed regardless. Harrison is getting closer and closer to locking up that last guard spot on the roster next year.

 

[BC867]

They need to at least play decent every other game or so next year. Bender better be living in the weight room this off season. I can imagine his confidence going way up with a significant strength gain.

This season isn't even over and Suns fans are already setting the bar low for next season. They need to play decent every other game or so next year?

Are we so brainwashed to eight years of losing that's the goal we set? It hurts to quote that.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

This season isn't even over and Suns fans are already setting the bar low for next season. They need to play decent every other game or so next year?

Are we so brainwashed to eight years of losing that's the goal we set? It hurts to quote that.

Are you kidding me? Them playing a solid game every other game would be a huge step in the right direction. Currently they are only playing a solid game every 5-6 games. That being said if Bender can find a way to tap into whatever it is that got into him in the 4th quarter of this game with any regularity, he could make a good jump before even the end of this season. We shall see.

 

[BC867]

Are you kidding me? Them playing a solid game every other game would be a huge step in the right direction. Currently they are only playing a solid game every 5-6 games. That being said if Bender can find a way to tap into whatever it is that got into him in the 4th quarter of this game with any regularity, he could make a good jump before even the end of this season. We shall see.

'Not kidding you. Improving over "only playing a solid game every 5-6 games" in the NBA is still settling for mediocrity or, as I said, it is setting the bar low following eight seasons of missing the playoffs.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

'Not kidding you. Improving over "only playing a solid game every 5-6 games" in the NBA is still settling for mediocrity or, as I said, it is setting the bar low following eight seasons of missing the playoffs.

They are still developing. If the end result was playing well every other game then I would agree that it isn't good enough, but as simply the next step in their progression I would be pretty happy with that.

 

[Chaplin]

'Not kidding you. Improving over "only playing a solid game every 5-6 games" in the NBA is still settling for mediocrity or, as I said, it is setting the bar low following eight seasons of missing the playoffs.

Of course we'd like to turn it completely around this summer. But this isn't NBA 2k18--it's a lot harder to do that in real life.

 

[SirStefan32]

This season isn't even over and Suns fans are already setting the bar low for next season. They need to play decent every other game or so next year?

Are we so brainwashed to eight years of losing that's the goal we set? It hurts to quote that.

Past eight years have nothing to do with Chriss and Bender. Good Lord, those things are completely unrelated.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Are you kidding me? Them playing a solid game every other game would be a huge step in the right direction. Currently they are only playing a solid game every 5-6 games. That being said if Bender can find a way to tap into whatever it is that got into him in the 4th quarter of this game with any regularity, he could make a good jump before even the end of this season. We shall see.

If those lottery picks can only play solid 50% of the time in their THIRD year, they’re lost hopes.

These aren’t D-League guys. They aren’t even straight from high school guys.

By their third year they should be solid contributors on a regular basis.

Expecting otherwise really speaks to how little faith you have in them.

And I don’t blame you.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

If those lottery picks can only play solid 50% of the time in their THIRD year, they’re lost hopes.

These aren’t D-League guys. They aren’t even straight from high school guys.

By their third year they should be solid contributors on a regular basis.

Expecting otherwise really speaks to how little faith you have in them.

And I don’t blame you.

Completely disagree. It shows major progress from this season and they would still be only 21. Thus they would have a strong chance of making yet another leap the following couple seasons. They key is that they show major improvement st this point and becoming players that can at least bring it every other game would in fact be major improvement over their current position.

The likely fact of the matter is that we would probably have to move on from one of them in this scenario though. Because I believe next season we are going to need a PF that can bring it on pretty much a nightly basis if the team wants to make major strides in the win column.

 

[Hoop Head]

If those lottery picks can only play solid 50% of the time in their THIRD year, they’re lost hopes.

These aren’t D-League guys. They aren’t even straight from high school guys.

By their third year they should be solid contributors on a regular basis.

Expecting otherwise really speaks to how little faith you have in them.

And I don’t blame you.

Bender is basically a straight from high school type prospect considering his age. He's the 15th youngest player in the league and he's in his 2nd year. Chriss is a little different because he's older but I'd say Bender should be compared to the type of players that used to enter the league straight from high school. Yeah, he played professionally overseas but players can go pro at 16 in Europe and they have leagues specifically for underage talent.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I can’t recall when jermaine O’Neal finally blossomed (and I recognize he sat behind some established bigs), but I know it took awhile with him and he was straight outta high school. Whenever I get frustrated I think of O’Neal.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I can’t recall when jermaine O’Neal finally blossomed (and I recognize he sat behind some established bigs), but I know it took awhile with him and he was straight outta high school. Whenever I get frustrated I think of O’Neal.

He broke out in year 5 at 22 years old. To be fair though, he never played more than 13 minutes per game in his first 4 seasons.

 

[Mainstreet]

For what it is worth, Bender was born on November 17, 1997 (age 20) while Chriss was born on July 2, 1997 (age 20).

There is not a whole lot of difference in age.

 

[SirStefan32]

He had a really nice run of five games, starting with Utah, and ending with Denver. Without looking it up, I'd say he was averaging 14 points, 3 assists, and 6 rebounds. Then he hadn't been seen until the fourth quarter tonight.

Edit:
Well, I guess he had a couple of games with a crazy number of assists since that stretch, but he really didn't do anything outside of that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I’m happy when Josh and Book have big games while actually playing in live NBA games. I’m happy when we play well, but lose helping push us towards the main goal.

But I’m not going to bend over into a pretzel to ******* the team and myself because a guy who hasn’t shown a pulse in weeks or months finally shows some thing in complete garbage time.

And you make that comment... as if WE’RE NOT THE WORST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE, with the only bright spot being Booker and a couple great months from Jackson, both of whom I repeatedly give props too.

Save your trolling comments literally posted for no other reason than to start a flame war to yourself and just talk basketball.

Good grief. We’re TANKING the worst record is the point.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Careful there Stefan. You keep going this way and you might go blind.

Talk about flaming comments! Cheese. You really need to back off a bit.

 

[sunsfan88]

Of course we'd like to turn it completely around this summer. But this isn't NBA 2k18--it's a lot harder to do that in real life.

Minnesota and Philadelphia both turned it around and became playoff teams after being jokes of the league before.

Suns are now the biggest joke of the league and this rebuild has been going on for 3-4 years now so yeah I think it’s time next season for the Suns to take the next step and make playoffs.

Of course we could’ve done it this season but Ryan McDonough instead wanted to sit on his ass and do nothing instead of trading for the numerous star players who were dealt this summer.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Minnesota and Philadelphia both turned it around and became playoff teams after being jokes of the league before.

Suns are now the biggest joke of the league and this rebuild has been going on for 3-4 years now so yeah I think it’s time next season for the Suns to take the next step and make playoffs.

Of course we could’ve done it this season but Ryan McDonough instead wanted to sit on his ass and do nothing instead of trading for the numerous star players who were dealt this summer.

Philly and Minnesota didn't happen overnight either...

Both of them had to get #1 picks (Philly has had multiple of those) and multiple high draft picks to get where they are. The Suns haven't bottomed out any longer than the Sixers and the only reason Minnesota hasn't had to bottom out as long is because they lucked out and got Towns the one year that they were terrible.

Philly won less than 30 games for four straight seasons (some under 20 wins) prior to this season. Minnesota last had a winning record prior to this season in 2004/05. They have been "rebuilding" for an eternity.

 

[leclerc]

Payton and Bender must be aggressive also when Booker and Warren is playing. It's so obvious. We know what he's capable of. Let's see if Bender, Ulis, and Reed can carry it over.

 

[sunsfan88]

Philly and Minnesota didn't happen overnight either...

Both of them had to get #1 picks (Philly has had multiple of those) and multiple high draft picks to get where they are. The Suns haven't bottomed out any longer than the Sixers and the only reason Minnesota hasn't had to bottom out as long is because they lucked out and got Towns the one year that they were terrible.

Philly won less than 30 games for four straight seasons (some under 20 wins) prior to this season. Minnesota last had a winning record prior to this season in 2004/05. They have been "rebuilding" for an eternity.

Ok Denver is another team to add to this mix.

There’s no more excuses to be used, Ryan McDonough has been here FIVE years now, he needs to turn this into a playoff team by next season imo.