Suns @ Lakers Thursday game thread, 10-26-2023

[Superbone]

Totally agree, just posted the exact same thing right after you did.

Vogel agrees with your assessment.

 

[Chaplin]

I thought he was washed?

I said the prevaling opinion of this board during preseason was that he was washed. That is true.

I wasn't necessarily one of those that joined in those opinions.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Nice to see KD have a vintage game.
That being said, it's clear his playmaking ability is not at Book's level. There were many opportunities in the 4th to hit screeners in the middle for short-roll 4 on 3 situations but KD was either unable or unwilling to dump it down. The one time he did try, Lebron was playing off JO and KD's pass was intercepted.

That's ok though, the calculus of all this changes if even 1 of Book/Beal are on the court, either because they'd be initiating or they'd be able to drag out defenders a lot further to space the floor.

 

[Superbone]

I said the prevaling opinion of this board during preseason was that he was washed. That is true.

I wasn't necessarily one of those that joined in those opinions.

I know. Many said it after game 1. I know you were not one of them. I'm basically agreeing with you sarcastically.

 

[Superbone]

Nice to see KD have a vintage game.
That being said, it's clear his playmaking ability is not at Book's level. There were many opportunities in the 4th to hit screeners in the middle for short-roll 4 on 3 situations but KD was either unable or unwilling to dump it down. The one time he did try, Lebron was playing off JO and KD's pass was intercepted.

That's ok though, the calculus of all this changes if even 1 of Book/Beal are on the court, either because they'd be initiating or they'd be able to drag out defenders a lot further to space the floor.

Plus, it was a good learning opportunity on how to space the floor better and how the others could contribute better when we only have one of our stars available or none for that matter.

 

[Chaplin]

I know. Many said it after game 1. I know you were not one of them. I'm basically agreeing with you sarcastically.

Aaaah, Sarcasm and the internet....

 

[AzStevenCal]

I thought he was washed?

He's not washed, far from it. He can still have a great quarter or half now and then but he's not the elite player he used to be. JMO.

 

[Germz249]

Maybe time to have a meeting at the waffle house.

Waffle house made my stomach turn probably..

 

[Cheesebeef]

He's not washed, far from it. He can still have a great quarter or half now and then but he's not the elite player he used to be. JMO.

This. He can be a great second banana if Book’s healthy. Total reversal of what I expected.

But he’s no longer a number 1 alpha like he was when he almost singlehandedly carried the Kyrie/Harden-less Nets over the Bucks.

 

[BirdGangThing]

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[GatorAZ]

This. He can be a great second banana if Book’s healthy. Total reversal of what I expected.

But he’s no longer a number 1 alpha like he was when he almost singlehandedly carried the Kyrie/Harden-less Nets over the Bucks.

In the 39 games last year before the knee injury he was 1st or 2nd in the MVP race. His stats and efficiency were pretty nuts but it seems like that guy is gone. I wonder if that injury just zapped his explosiveness and the Nets knew it.

Best case scenario is Beal being a slightly lesser Book and KD the third guy but I think you look around at the #2’s for the contenders and both KD/Beal are lesser players.

 

[Suns_fan69]

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Eh, that's a bit disingenuous to arbitrarily count some of his on court minutes and not others. KD was +18 in his 39 minutes, which is still impressive.

 

[Hoop Head]

What I didn’t like was the Lakers were allowed to play illegal defense most of the game. AD dropped back guarding no one, and imo I felt like it wasn’t a true zone.

Illegal defense isn't a thing anymore since they've allowed zone. A defender can't camp in the paint but that's all.

 

[Hoop Head]

In the 39 games last year before the knee injury he was 1st or 2nd in the MVP race. His stats and efficiency were pretty nuts but it seems like that guy is gone. I wonder if that injury just zapped his explosiveness and the Nets knew it.

Best case scenario is Beal being a slightly lesser Book and KD the third guy but I think you look around at the #2’s for the contenders and both KD/Beal are lesser players.

MVP race 30 games into the season? Come on. There's no real MVP race until the end of the year when you look back. KD was an All-Star and deserves credit for earning that spot but lets not talk about his place in a fictional MVP race when no votes were cast and tracking the likely MVP early on means as much power rankings sports sites put out.

 

[GatorAZ]

MVP race 30 games into the season? Come on. There's no real MVP race until the end of the year when you look back. KD was an All-Star and deserves credit for earning that spot but lets not talk about his place in a fictional MVP race when no votes were cast and tracking the likely MVP early on means as much power rankings sports sites put out.

It had nothing to do with the actual MVP just how great he was playing. He looked like the best player in the league and was carrying the Nets.

 

[Cheesebeef]

In the 39 games last year before the knee injury he was 1st or 2nd in the MVP race. His stats and efficiency were pretty nuts but it seems like that guy is gone. I wonder if that injury just zapped his explosiveness and the Nets knew it.

Best case scenario is Beal being a slightly lesser Book and KD the third guy but I think you look around at the #2’s for the contenders and both KD/Beal are lesser players.

the explosiveness is really what I've noticed has been missing. He's just not getting clean looks at the bucket and rising above everyone, which he was doing the last couple years with ease... when playing.

 

[Superbone]

He's not washed, far from it. He can still have a great quarter or half now and then but he's not the elite player he used to be. JMO.

He's 35 years old. Of course he's not. He's on the other side of his peak years.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He's 35 years old. Of course he's not. He's on the other side of his peak years.

Sure, I get it, and it's why I've not complained about his up and down performances since joining us. But some seem to expect him to be arguably the best player in the game and I just don't think he can be that guy for more than a few minutes now and then. But like I said, he still draws heavy attention from the defense and his presence makes the game easier for the other guys.

 

[Superbone]

Sure, I get it, and it's why I've not complained about his up and down performances since joining us. But some seem to expect him to be arguably the best player in the game and I just don't think he can be that guy for more than a few minutes now and then. But like I said, he still draws heavy attention from the defense and his presence makes the game easier for the other guys.

It's why giving up as much as we did was so controversial. It may have been appropriate at his peak but was definitely an overpay now. Either we were horrible negotiators or that's what it took to get him and Mat wanted that shiny prize splash come hell or high water.

 

[clyde2tw]

It's early season with completely new team. Players need to get used to each other within whole new sets of game plans, as those many TOs indicate. Eubanks particularly appears awkard with poor timing of his handouts on the perimeter. KD has across field long passes either too high or too low. On such a new team without Book/Beal, we see the need for a vet PG to organize the offense. So, no blaming Gordon and Goodwin for their failure there.
Our D seems good except for occational miscommunication on rotations. We were in both of our first games mainly because the D, despite so many TOs. Our rebounding is excellent so far. IMO, Allen is the weakest link on D, whose O seems a slightly better version of Damion. It'd be nice to swap him with Pacers' McConnell.