Suns @ Jazz 3-17-16

[Shaggy]

The Suns put in Alan Williams with about two minutes left.

And scored 1 point. Glad he got to play at least a few minutes and score his first point in the NBA!

 

[Errntknght]

We wasted this game on the Jazz - we should have saved it for the Lakers tomorrow! Jazz probably beat us if we play well but to lose to the Lakers we're going to have to play very poorly.

 

[Chaplin]

I have never seen Booker go up in the air and not know to whom he's passing.

Even at 19, Booker has more court sense than Bledsoe.

But I still don't want to see Booker worn out as the facilitator. He is a legitimate Shooting Guard, in size and skills.

You keep doing this--slamming Bledsoe out of the blue. Why? Our record was much better when he was healthy and playing, and even with Booker becoming our "future" superstar, Bledsoe is unquestionably our best player.

 

[BC867]

Bledsoe is unquestionably our best player.

That, in itself, may be true at this time. The problem is that he is not a pure shooter and is too small to play anywhere but PG. Booker, at age 19, has already shown to be our best Point Guard (from the Shooting Guard position). That is how weak we are at PG.

 

[Chaplin]

That, in itself, may be true at this time. The problem is that he is not a pure shooter and is too small to play anywhere but PG. Booker, at age 19, has already shown to be our best Point Guard (from the Shooting Guard position). That is how weak we are at PG.

How do you figure that? Because he had one game over 10 assists and a handful of others around 7-9?

Sheesh, that is jumping to conclusions, even for you. Bledsoe has done that and more in the past.

 

[BC867]

How do you figure that? Because he had one game over 10 assists and a handful of others around 7-9?

Sheesh, that is jumping to conclusions, even for you. Bledsoe has done that and more in the past.

Bledsoe has done it as our starting Point Guard. Booker has been covering the Point from his Shooting Guard position as a 19-year old rookie. There is no comparison by citing stats.

If you've watched the games since Booker joined the starting lineup, he has been our smoothest Point Guard -- compared to Bledsoe, compared to Knight and compared to our less talented PG backups. It is why Devin is playing so many minutes.

I don't want to see Booker burn himself out as our best Shooting Guard by having to cover the Point as well next season.

Personally, I don't believe that Bledsoe will ever be a skilled facilitator. Others think he will. OK. But the point is that either way we need two skilled Point Guards -- one starting and one coming off the bench.

Will the Suns go back to 2 out of 3 undersized tweeners in next season's Guard rotation? I expect they will. Damnit! And especially with the tweeners' injury history, it means that Booker will be overworked covering the Point again. So Sarver and McDonough can once again try to save face.

 

[SirStefan32]

The difference between Bledsoe and Knight on one side and Booker on the other is simple- basketball IQ. Booker THINKS before he does something, while Bledsoe and Knight do not. Bledsoe thinks he is Russell Westbrook, Knight thinks he is Steph Curry, so they are both delusional. Booker has an unusually high basketball IQ, the likes of which I have never seen in a player who is 19 years old. So, in my opinion, it's not that Booker is a point guard- it's just that he is an extremely smart player. It's not that he is a good point guard- it's that the rest of them are just God-awful.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The difference between Bledsoe and Knight on one side and Booker on the other is simple- basketball IQ. Booker THINKS before he does something, while Bledsoe and Knight do not. Bledsoe thinks he is Russell Westbrook, Knight thinks he is Steph Curry, so they are both delusional. Booker has an unusually high basketball IQ, the likes of which I have never seen in a player who is 19 years old. So, in my opinion, it's not that Booker is a point guard- it's just that he is an extremely smart player. It's not that he is a good point guard- it's that the rest of them are just God-awful.

I don't agree with some of your Bledsoe comments but I do agree, Booker has a far higher basketball IQ than any of our other guards. And if we move forward with just one of these guards, Devin would be the obvious choice. Bledsoe is the better player of our guard group right now but I'd expect Booker to pass them all by in a season or two.

 

[BC867]

I don't agree with some of your Bledsoe comments but I do agree, Booker has a far higher basketball IQ than any of our other guards. And if we move forward with just one of these guards, Devin would be the obvious choice. Bledsoe is the better player of our guard group right now but I'd expect Booker to pass them all by in a season or two.

If he isn't worn down by having to compensate for less than efficient Point Guards from the Shooting Guard position, as he is now.

It would be a damn shame if the powers-that-be don't take that into consideration by the start of camp next season.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If he isn't worn down by having to compensate for less than efficient Point Guards from the Shooting Guard position, as he is now.

It would be a damn shame if the powers-that-be don't take that into consideration by the start of camp next season.

They won't take it into consideration because by every measure Bledsoe was playing great at the start of this season. He tailed off before his injury but the reasons for his decline were obvious. Give him decent players at the 2 through 5 positions and I believe he'll play acceptably for us, if not well. Few players can succeed when surrounded by subpar players as he was. Same is true for Booker right now.

 

[sunsfan88]

If he isn't worn down by having to compensate for less than efficient Point Guards from the Shooting Guard position, as he is now.

It would be a damn shame if the powers-that-be don't take that into consideration by the start of camp next season.

When Bledsoe gets his inevitable injury next season and misses a ton of games, Booker will get his chance again as PG.

 

[BC867]

When Bledsoe gets his inevitable injury next season and misses a ton of games, Booker will get his chance again as PG.

But that is the point. He is a shooting guard. The Suns roster should include a strong backup Point Guard for if/when Bledsoe gets that inevitable injury.

If their plan is to shift Booker over, they are not maximizing his talents.

 

[AzStevenCal]

But that is the point. He is a shooting guard. The Suns roster should include a strong backup Point Guard for if/when Bledsoe gets that inevitable injury.

If their plan is to shift Booker over, they are not maximizing his talents.

I agree. Booker can help run a team but so could Grant Hill, that doesn't make him a point guard. It's great that he has extra skills but everything about him screams shooting guard. Let him play his natural position and find someone else to backup the point guard if/when Bledsoe goes down.

 

[SirStefan32]

When Bledsoe gets his inevitable injury next season and misses a ton of games, Booker will get his chance again as PG.

He should be OK next season. He misses most of every other season due to injury.

 

[BC867]

He (Bledsoe) should be OK next season. He misses most of every other season due to injury.

Here's an idea. Trade him to the San Francisco Giants who win the Championship every other year. He'd fit right in.

 

[SirStefan32]

Here's an idea. Trade him to the San Francisco Giants who win the Championship every other year. He'd fit right in.

You had me at "Trade him."