Suns @ Jazz 3/27/13 The tank is on thread

[Superbone]

What stats are we counting here?

How's this? Only four NBA players average more assists, rebounds, points and steals than Goran Dragic this season.

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2...most-of-frustrating-season-reaching?ref=yahoo

Mediocre? I think not.

 

[Neo]

I was wondering if this season's pessimism has made me too hard on Dragic. I looked around at 7-8 top ten point guards lists. Nobody considers Dragic a top 10 point guard. Parker, Paul, Westbrook, Rose, Irving, Rondo, Curry, Williams, Nash, Holiday, Lawson, Rubio, Conley, Hill, all got mentioned.

If virtually nobody considers you to be in the top third, you are probably mediocre.

Then I though, how about PER. Surely he has got to be up there, right? Nope he is 17th among point guards.

Estimated wins added? He is number 12.

Our best player is an average quality starter.

 

[Phrazbit]

How's this? Only four NBA players average more assists, rebounds, points and steals than Goran Dragic this season.

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2...most-of-frustrating-season-reaching?ref=yahoo

Mediocre? I think not.

Whatever, his stats are mediocre, showing me that he is in that group even though he puts up significantly less across the board than those guys does not bowl me over. Dragic is a fine player, but if you're going to rank him against the league's starters he is in the middle of the pack.

 

[SirStefan32]

Whatever, his stats are mediocre, showing me that he is in that group even though he puts up significantly less across the board than those guys does not bowl me over. Dragic is a fine player, but if you're going to rank him against the league's starters he is in the middle of the pack.

I think he is doing a wonderful job in a very difficult situation. He is, at the very least, competent on defense, and very good on offense which is difficult for a PG without a true scorer on the roster. You can call him mediocre, I'll call him very good. I think once we have a real wing scorer on the roster, he will explode.

 

[95pro]

Lets face it, all these top pgs have people who can finish. Goran doesn't really have anyone he can just lob it up to at almost any given time. He doesn't have a deadly shooter waiting for him in the corner as well.

 

[Superbone]

Anybody who actually watches the games knows Dragic is far from mediocre.

 

[sunsfan88]

Lets face it, all these top pgs have people who can finish. Goran doesn't really have anyone he can just lob it up to at almost any given time. He doesn't have a deadly shooter waiting for him in the corner as well.

Uh did you forget that Dragic has Beasley and Shannon Brown?

 

[slinslin]

I think he is doing a wonderful job in a very difficult situation. He is, at the very least, competent on defense, and very good on offense which is difficult for a PG without a true scorer on the roster. You can call him mediocre, I'll call him very good. I think once we have a real wing scorer on the roster, he will explode.

His stats will drop if we have more talent and he doesn't have the ball in his hands as much.

And yes he is mediocre. There are probably 15-20 PGs in the NBA better than him. He is a bit below average for a starting PG.

 

[SirStefan32]

I disagree. He is a point guard, so he will have the ball in his hands quite a bit anyway. He will also have other options, and the defense will not be able to focus on him as much. I guess we'll see how it plays out, but I am very happy with Dragic (This coming from a guy who thought Dragic would never make it in the NBA) and I am confident he'll get much better once he has a couple of decent players around him.

 

[Folster]

I have no problems with Dragic's skill level and him being our starting point guard. Our franchise tried to build a championship contender around a point guard for decades to no avail. I'm ready to try something different. Point guards rarely lead their teams to championships. Isiah Thomas and Tony Parker (for the last Spurs championship) are the only recent examples. I'd rather build around a dynamic wing or a big man.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have no problems with Dragic's skill level and him being our starting point guard. Our franchise tried to build a championship contender around a point guard for decades to no avail. I'm ready to try something different. Point guards rarely lead their teams to championships. Isiah Thomas and Tony Parker (for the last Spurs championship) are the only recent examples. I'd rather build around a dynamic wing or a big man.

More than anything I want to build around a dominant player that is effective on both ends of the court. Nash wasn't as bad on defense as some make him out to be but you can't really be a top 3 player if you're only there on one side of the ball (MVP awards notwithstanding). Nash was the best in the game at his position offensively and he was close to the bottom when it came to defense. Give me a top 3 offensive weapon and a top 10 defender and I'll be happy. Although it wouldn't be my first choice, if he plays the point - so be it.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

More than anything I want to build around a dominant player that is effective on both ends of the court. Nash wasn't as bad on defense as some make him out to be but you can't really be a top 3 player if you're only there on one side of the ball (MVP awards notwithstanding). Nash was the best in the game at his position offensively and he was close to the bottom when it came to defense. Give me a top 3 offensive weapon and a top 10 defender and I'll be happy. Although it wouldn't be my first choice, if he plays the point - so be it.

Steve

That type of player is so rare. Charles was a top offensive player, but would not (not could not) play defense consistently. When you look at this draft, players with the combo of offense and defense still are rare. Oladipo is a tenacious defender and has a developing offense, but I cannot see him ever being a top 3 offensive weapon.

McLemore has everyone enamored with his beautiful jump shot an athleticism, but his defense is only potential at this moment. Wes Johnson has a beautiful jumper and is athletic. That doesn't make him something special.

Anthony Bennett has the potential to be a top 10 offensive threat, but seems lost on D.

Nerlens Noel can be a great defender, but his offensive game has almost no development whatsoever.

Where is this player that can be top 3 on offense and a top 10 defender? I agree with you. That's what I want. But where do you get him?

 

[AzStevenCal]

That type of player is so rare. Charles was a top offensive player, but would not (not could not) play defense consistently. When you look at this draft, players with the combo of offense and defense still are rare. Oladipo is a tenacious defender and has a developing offense, but I cannot see him ever being a top 3 offensive weapon.

McLemore has everyone enamored with his beautiful jump shot an athleticism, but his defense is only potential at this moment. Wes Johnson has a beautiful jumper and is athletic. That doesn't make him something special.

Anthony Bennett has the potential to be a top 10 offensive threat, but seems lost on D.

Nerlens Noel can be a great defender, but his offensive game has almost no development whatsoever.

Where is this player that can be top 3 on offense and a top 10 defender? I agree with you. That's what I want. But where do you get him?

I didn't say he was there, just described the kind of player we need to build around to become a true contender. There is a reason that the teams drafting early rarely turn it around quickly. There just aren't that many players that fit this description. You're much more likely to find a Carmelo or an Amare or a Nash. I want a Kobe, Lebron, Duncan, Jordan, Garnett, Pierce kind of player. A player that dominates his position on one side of the ball but is still effective on the other side. Those are the kind of players that lead their teams to championships.

Steve

 

[wagon mound 464]

Anybody who actually watches the games knows Dragic is far from mediocre.

I'd have to say, he's slightly better than mediocre,,,,and I'd rate Dragic at C+ at this point in his career. I thought his 'pick-n-roll' play with Gortat would be similar to Nash-Gortat in the past,,,,but hasn't developed to the same level 'yet'. Maybe the fault lies with Gortat's butter-fingers at times,,,or the forwards not spreading out far enough to give room for Gortat to slant towards the hoop? I don't have the answers,,,,,thats why they pay the coaches to figure out what's not working...

As it looks now,,,its time to book your reservations for the Suns team fishing adventure in Cabo, starting April 19th**


** Give 'em an extra day to clean out their lockers.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Dragic is the only reason worth watching. Also like that Marshall had double digit assists last two games. I didnt watch did it look as good as it sounds?

Oladipo - Shabazz - Noel

Give me any of em. Hopefully we get the Lakers pick too. Can we fire Blanks (pun intended) before the draft???

Agree with Cheese. Glad the Tank is on. Should have happened 20 games ago. Where we at in lotto as of today?

 

[sunsfan88]

Dragic isn't bad, its just that there are too many good PGs in this league now.

CP3, Parker, Westbrook, Rondo, Rose, D-Will, Lawson, Rubio, Lillard, Irving, Curry and Conley. I love Dragic and I think he's pretty good but I don't think he's better than any of the PGs I just mentioned.

I would put Dragic in the same tier of guys like Jeremy Lin, Brandon Jennings, Isaih Thomas etc.

Biggest thing for me with Dragic is that he never plays well in the first half of seasons. That's always been the case with him ever since he came into the NBA and probably in Slovenia too. I want a PG that's going to consistently play well a whole season, not just half.

 

[Phrazbit]

I agree that Dragic is in the middle of the pack of the leagues starting point guards right now, but he is a lot better than Ricky Rubio. Rubio's NBA career is off to a horrible start.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Dragic is the only reason worth watching. Also like that Marshall had double digit assists last two games. I didnt watch did it look as good as it sounds?

Oladipo - Shabazz - Noel

Give me any of em. Hopefully we get the Lakers pick too. Can we fire Blanks (pun intended) before the draft???

Agree with Cheese. Glad the Tank is on. Should have happened 20 games ago. Where we at in lotto as of today?

If I've counted correctly (and that's never a lock), we've tied for the second worst record in basketball since January 26th. We (and Charlotte) have gone 7 - 22 over that stretch which trails all but Orlando for worst record. Although it's disputed by a few here, I think the tank has been on for quite awhile now.

Steve