Suns @ Knicks Thursday game thread 1-16-20

[devilalum]

The best part of the 3/4 court lob to Ayton was the crowd reaction.


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[Mainstreet]

Suns started the game shooting 20% from 3 point range but finished shooting 40%.

Hitting the 3 pointer is important to the team.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Ayton lived up to expectations tonight and delivered with 26 points, 21 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists and 4 free throws.

Also tied with Booker for the highest PER with a +31.

This was a #1 pick worthy game

Hats off Ayton

 

[WildBB]

Hopefully this quiets the Townes noise for a good while.

 

[TJ]

I doubt Ayton duplicates this Saturday, but this is a glimpse into what he’s going to contribute in the future. If anything, we can at least put the “Ayton has no heart” talk to rest.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I doubt Ayton duplicates this Saturday, but this is a glimpse into what he’s going to contribute in the future. If anything, we can at least put the “Ayton has no heart” talk to rest.

It a great game. No doubt. But it’s one game. Let’s see him continue to build off it.

 

[1Sun]

Suns started the game shooting 20% from 3 point range but finished shooting 40%.

Hitting the 3 pointer is important to the team.

Overly dependent on it...just the way James Jones wants, as it's just the way James Jones was as a player...

 

[82CardsGrad]

The Knicks suck...I think we all would agree with that fact. However, we blew them out in a game where we were missing the heart & soul of our team, who's averaging 18.3 points a game (Oubre).
For those who believe James Jones sucks and did squat to improve this roster this season, I'm pretty sure that last year, this game would not have looked this way.
The Knicks are an awful team and we have serious holes to be filled. But Jones made strides, even if there remains a good deal of ugliness throughout this roster...

 

[95pro]

Ayton finally made a difference tonight instead of going for the bare minimum pieces of flare.

if he can string some games like this together boy does the game plan change against the suns.

does anyone wonder if Oubre being out had anything to do with any of this? Or was Rubio just playing great tonight?

 

[1Sun]

The Knicks suck...I think we all would agree with that fact. However, we blew them out in a game where we were missing the heart & soul of our team, who's averaging 18.3 points a game (Oubre).
For those who believe James Jones sucks and did squat to improve this roster this season, I'm pretty sure that last year, this game would not have looked this way.
The Knicks are an awful team and we have serious holes to be filled. But Jones made strides, even if there remains a good deal of ugliness throughout this roster...

We beat the Knicks 128-110 in New York last year:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201812170NYK.html

 

[Folster]

I know there were rumors of the Suns pursuing Randle this past offseason. We could use his toughness and scoring next to Ayton.

I wonder if there is any chance NY would trade him. Considering our draft history, I'd give up a lightly protected pick for him.

 

[82CardsGrad]

We beat the Knicks 128-110 in New York last year:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201812170NYK.html

Right... now take TJ Warren out of that game... The outcome would've looked much different...

 

[1Sun]

Right... now take TJ Warren out of that game... The outcome would've looked much different...

Josh Jackson was still a +13 that game.

Again, outside of signing Rubio as a stop gap as a Plan B to what would have been a disastrous Plan A in Terry Rozier, James Jones did nothing, zilch, nada, bupkis to improve the roster this past offseason.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Josh Jackson was still a +13 that game.

Again, outside of signing Rubio as a stop gap as a Plan B to what would have been a disastrous Plan A in Terry Rozier, James Jones did nothing, zilch, nada, bupkis to improve the roster this past offseason.

You're a one-trick pony dude... The team won 19 games last season. They just won their 17th this season on January 16th. Bupkis... LMAO...

 

[TJ]

I know there were rumors of the Suns pursuing Randle this past offseason. We could use his toughness and scoring next to Ayton.

I wonder if there is any chance NY would trade him. Considering our draft history, I'd give up a lightly protected pick for him.

Same, but the Knicks are dumb and will never be sellers even though they should

 

[Phrazbit]

I will blab more about it later, but best rotations Monty has used all year. Guys played their roles, dudes kept shooting threes, even if they were not going in, and it kept the Knicks D honest.

And, most importantly, Ayton was an absolute monster. He makes it look so easy too. I hope he enjoyed being that dominant, because he should be able to play at that level 2 out of 3 games.

 

[1Sun]

You're a one-trick pony dude... The team won 19 games last season. They just won their 17th this season on January 16th. Bupkis... LMAO...

That's 100% attributable to a competent coach (again a no-brainer hire) and the fact we actually have an NBA level point guard (which we still wouldn't if Jones got his top choice).

 

[82CardsGrad]

That's 100% attributable to a competent coach (again a no-brainer hire) and the fact we actually have an NBA level point guard (which we still wouldn't if Jones got his top choice).

LOL...

 

[Mainstreet]

Monty says this was the complete game they have been looking for.

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[Cheesebeef]

That's 100% attributable to a competent coach (again a no-brainer hire) and the fact we actually have an NBA level point guard (which we still wouldn't if Jones got his top choice).

it might have been a no-brainer hire on Jones' part but it was in no way a no-brainer decision to become coach for a team as pathetic as ours. I'm a Jones skeptic as much as anyone, but someone had to talk Monty into coming to the worst franchise in the league and it sure as hell wasn't Sarver. And arguing otherwise is just a pathological inability to give an inch about anything you've said previously... where you actually DID give Jones credit earlier in the off-season.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

We beat the Knicks 128-110 in New York last year:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201812170NYK.html

Maybe if you let people have some happiness once in awhile you wouldn't piss people off so much

Just saying

 

[82CardsGrad]

Maybe if you let people have some happiness once in awhile you wouldn't piss people off so much

Just saying

He was wrong to boot... Merely bringing up that game entirely missed the point I made about Oubre being out this game.
But, when your sole purpose is to slam Jones, you can easily become blinded by your bias...

 

[1Sun]

it might have been a no-brainer hire on Jones' part but it was in no way a no-brainer decision to become coach for a team as pathetic as ours. I'm a Jones skeptic as much as anyone, but someone had to talk Monty into coming to the worst franchise in the league and it sure as hell wasn't Sarver. And arguing otherwise is just a pathological inability to give an inch about anything you've said previously... where you actually DID give Jones credit earlier in the off-season.

And I still DO give James Jones credit as a good relations guy. And yes he does deserve our appreciation for convincing Monty to come here.

Unfortunately, what he accomplished with Monty has been largely undone by one awful roster move after another, and it would have been entirely undone had Jones gotten his way and signed Rozier instead of Rubio. In fact, with Rozier instead of Rubio, the other night's debacle in Atlanta would be the norm this year.

It won't happen, but I maintain that in order to become respectable and relevant again, this franchise needs to reassign James Jones to a player and staff relations role, bring in a competent GM to put together a viable NBA roster, and keep Robert Sarver out of the basketball decision making process altogether.

 

[Rab]

Nice to see the Ayton bashing cool down a bit. Funny how perspective changes so quickly from one game to another. At the end of the day he’s gonna have more games that are frustrating. He’s going to be inconsistent, but you can see the talent is there. He can put up these numbers easily but he’s still raw and he’s still learning. It’s easy to see. I know we like to compare him to Luka all the time but that dude’s been a pro for a long, long time. Once Ayton’s able to put it together he’s going to be special.


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[SirStefan32]

Just finished watching the game, and I am so happy right now! I just knew that Ayton's breakout game was coming. 26 points on 11/15 shooting, 21 rebounds, and a couple of blocks and assists. He flat-out dominated the paint tonight on both ends of the floor. I am telling you guys, this kid is going to be good. Tonight was a huge step for him- he needed this game just to see how good he can be. I honestly don't think he realizes how big, strong, quick, long, and athletic he is. I hope Monty makes him watch this game on tape over and over and over again.