Suns @ Pelicans 11-5-13

[JS22]

Don't look now, but this team might actually be halfway decent. If Bledsoe is going to basically put up 22/7/6 type numbers he could help carry this team out of the lottery. Most of the players around him are below average but stupidly athletic. Which can make up for some deficiencies.

Do I expect them to make the playoffs? Hell no. I still think they'll come back to earth. But they're playing a LOT better than most expected. And Bledsoe might be that "superstar" player the Suns have been missing.

 

[NoelPHX]

The Suns can't do anything right ever. They lose when they need to win and win when they need to lose.

 

[Mainstreet]

Obviously, I was kidding but I really wouldn't be shocked. We aren't a very good team but playing hard can steal you a lot of games. These guys will probably come back down to earth but there is a lot more raw talent on this team than trotted onto the Suns court last season so who knows what can happen.

Steve

The Suns are young, athletic and never take the foot off the pedal. Most teams in the NBA are used to taking some time off during the game. They are not going to have this luxury against the Suns. The Suns have a hungry roster.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Nice win without Dragic!

 

[Mainstreet]

Nice win without Dragic!

Bledsoe is looking more and more like the leader of the Suns. How this works out with Dragic should be interesting.

 

[KloD]

There's plenty to like about this team. They play hard, and most of all they play defense. Although I very much want them to finish at the bottom and get a top draft pick, I can't help rooting for these wins. They are a fun young team with likable characters to cheer for. So far in this early season it seems very likely the Most improved player award will be won by a Sun player. If Plumlee can keep it up, he has to be in the running, but Bledsoe seems the obvious choice this year at the pace he's going.

 

[hsandhu]

I'm excited about the future for the first time in about 4 years.

i am too, if we actually start losing some damn games. i was seriously rooting against us tonight.

this draft is so stacked. we know about wiggin, but early on julius randle looks like a monster

 

[The Commish]

There's plenty to like about this team. They play hard, and most of all they play defense. Although I very much want them to finish at the bottom and get a top draft pick, I can't help rooting for these wins. They are a fun young team with likable characters to cheer for. So far in this early season it seems very likely the Most improved player award will be won by a Sun player. If Plumlee can keep it up, he has to be in the running, but Bledsoe seems the obvious choice this year at the pace he's going.

Exactly how I feel. My other initial takeaway after four games is that Hornacek was a great hire. Overall the coaching staff has done a phenomenal job thus far.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i am too, if we actually start losing some damn games. i was seriously rooting against us tonight.

this draft is so stacked. we know about wiggin, but early on julius randle looks like a monster

i have faith the losing will come. we were 8-9 last year too before the bottom dropped out. the same will happen here.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Obviously, I was kidding but I really wouldn't be shocked. We aren't a very good team but playing hard can steal you a lot of games. These guys will probably come back down to earth but there is a lot more raw talent on this team than trotted onto the Suns court last season so who knows what can happen.

Steve

The coaching is way better. It looks like they are getting too good too fast. Who knew Green would produce like this.

The Scola signing and that Indiana trade are looking brilliant.

And with that performance tonight Bledsoe is now shooting 50% from the field for the year (28 of 56).

 

[Phrazbit]

If, by some miracle, this team actually competed and was a borderline playoff squad, that wouldnt bum me out. Its one thing to be mediocre with the old, declining rosters we had in 2011 and 2012, those teams should have been blown up and their mediocrity hurt the franchise. And last years team... didnt even make it to mediocrity, but still had virtually zero upside and was a veteran heavy squad that played a boring style.

However, if this young, athletic team turned out to have that much upside already, I'd be peachy. Even though it would cost us our lotto prayer of landing one of the guys at the top of the draft, it would be countered by how much this squad could still grow, our plethora of picks we have anyway AND our plentiful of cap space.

So, I'd be fine if this team ended up in the cellar, and I'd be fine if we scrapped and fought and by some miracle managed to be decent.

However... I do still think we will be one of the worst teams in the league. Green is playing way over his head, the majority of our forwards are frighteningly awful, and we've already see the regression to the mean with Plumlee.

 

[sunsfan88]

We have an easy schedule to start the year. Expect us to start falling in December and absolutely suck come January and February.

 

[82CardsGrad]

i have faith the losing will come. we were 8-9 last year too before the bottom dropped out. the same will happen here.

Unless we see an injury to Bledsoe or Plumlee, or perhaps Green, I don't see a dramatic drop off... Don't get me wrong, this team will hit some bumps (which team doesn't?), but if healthy, they are way too athletically gifted and far better coached than last year.
Will they make the post season? Time will tell... However, if healthy, I like their chances...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AzStevenCal]

Unless we see an injury to Bledsoe or Plumlee, or perhaps Green, I don't see a dramatic drop off... Don't get me wrong, this team will hit some bumps (which team doesn't?), but if healthy, they are way too athletically gifted and far better coached than last year.
Will they make the post season? Time will tell... However, if healthy, I like their chances...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree. If they stay healthy they should win close to 40 games which should keep them close enough to be part of the playoff chase. We haven't faced a killer schedule but it wasn't a cakewalk either. Two home, two road - one championship contender, two playoff hopefuls and one tank job. That's a little easier than average but not by much.

I think we will tend to struggle in close games all season and I'm not all that confident in our ability to pull out those type of games but we should be competitive against much of our schedule. I see no reason to think that Green and Plumlee will disappear and Bledsoe is looking more and more like a star every day. There's at least as much reason to expect growth from this gang as there is to expect them to return to earth.

Steve

 

[JS22]

i am too, if we actually start losing some damn games. i was seriously rooting against us tonight.

this draft is so stacked. we know about wiggin, but early on julius randle looks like a monster

I just can't bring myself to do that. Do I hope they're terrible and get a great pick? Of course. But I cannot actively root for them to lose. Just doesn't feel right.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Tanking is a curious thing.

I do want a high draft pick of course, but I'll never root against the Suns.

Instead, all it does is make me feel slightly less angry when they lose.

 

[JS22]

Tanking is a curious thing.

I do want a high draft pick of course, but I'll never root against the Suns.

Instead, all it does is make me feel slightly less angry when they lose.

Pretty much this.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I just can't bring myself to do that. Do I hope they're terrible and get a great pick? Of course. But I cannot actively root for them to lose. Just doesn't feel right.

I don't even want to. I think you stop being a fan when you actively root for them to lose during the game. It's one thing to recognize on an intellectual level that the organization might be best served by a loss but actually cheering for them to lose while the game is played is the exact opposite of being a fan from my perspective. Maybe this is a generational thing and others can cheer against them while still considering themselves fans but it wouldn't work for me.

Knowing that we could well benefit this season by losing games certainly takes some of the edge off of a loss but that is after the game is over. I wonder how the other side handles this? Those of you that want us to lose as often as possible, do you still watch the games? I love watching the Suns play but I can't imagine taking any joy in the game if I'm actually hoping they miss their shots, get fouls called on them, fall asleep on defense etc. Again, that feels like being against my team rather than for them. What's it feel like to watch them and cheer for them to fail? Can you still look forward to the next game? Just curious.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't even want to. I think you stop being a fan when you actively root for them to lose during the game. It's one thing to recognize on an intellectual level that the organization might be best served by a loss but actually cheering for them to lose while the game is played is the exact opposite of being a fan from my perspective. Maybe this is a generational thing and others can cheer against them while still considering themselves fans but it wouldn't work for me.

Knowing that we could well benefit this season by losing games certainly takes some of the edge off of a loss but that is after the game is over. I wonder how the other side handles this? Those of you that want us to lose as often as possible, do you still watch the games? I love watching the Suns play but I can't imagine taking any joy in the game if I'm actually hoping they miss their shots, get fouls called on them, fall asleep on defense etc. Again, that feels like being against my team rather than for them. What's it feel like to watch them and cheer for them to fail? Can you still look forward to the next game? Just curious.

Steve

sure. I look forward to all the games this year because I'm interested in seeing the progression of youth, not wins. maybe you don't believe in phyrric victories, but the other side seeing Ws as such in the longrun doesn't make us less as fans.

 

[AzStevenCal]

sure. I look forward to all the games this year because I'm interested in seeing the progression of youth, not wins. maybe you don't believe in phyrric victories, but the other side seeing Ws as such in the longrun doesn't make us less as fans.

No, it doesn't and I did my best to make sure I wasn't challenging someone's fanhood. However, the simplest definition of fan is at stake here if you can watch 82 games straight and effectively cheer for the other team. As I said, I can understand being happy about the loss after the game but despite what you said I really doubt a fan can watch 82 straight games and cheer against his own team while the action is going on. I've been wrong before but I just don't see how that's possible. I'd be willing to bet that those of you that are rooting against us in each game start drifting away (not actually watching each game) or you find yourself slipping back into Suns fan mode during the action.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

Tanking is a curious thing.

I do want a high draft pick of course, but I'll never root against the Suns.

Instead, all it does is make me feel slightly less angry when they lose.

I also don't fret injuries. Dragic goes down for a few games and its just more minutes to see what Archie can do.

I want them to win when I am watching the games, but I am not worrying about league standings and tie breakers and such between the games. Instead, I am looking at the individual numbers of the younger players.

 

[Cheesebeef]

No, it doesn't and I did my best to make sure I wasn't challenging someone's fanhood. However, the simplest definition of fan is at stake here if you can watch 82 games straight and effectively cheer for the other team. As I said, I can understand being happy about the loss after the game but despite what you said I really doubt a fan can watch 82 straight games and cheer against his own team while the action is going on. I've been wrong before but I just don't see how that's possible. I'd be willing to bet that those of you that are rooting against us in each game start drifting away (not actually watching each game) or you find yourself slipping back into Suns fan mode during the action.

Steve

don't worry...I didn't feel my fandom was attacked or anything by what you said. And I don't sit there and literally root for them to lose at the end of games. Honestly, I watch these games, especially at the end of games without much rooting interest at all. Ws and Ls just ain't what this season is about for me. When the game is over and I've seen what I've wanted to see from the youngins, win or lose I don't really care all that much, but a L at the end of the day does make me feel a little better that we'll be able to improve in the draft in the future.

 

[AzStevenCal]

don't worry...I didn't feel my fandom was attacked or anything by what you said. And I don't sit there and literally root for them to lose at the end of games. Honestly, I watch these games, especially at the end of games without much rooting interest at all. Ws and Ls just ain't what this season is about for me. When the game is over and I've seen what I've wanted to see from the youngins, win or lose I don't really care all that much, but a L at the end of the day does make me feel a little better that we'll be able to improve in the draft in the future.

That's not too far from where I am. I "cheer" for the individual plays without concerning myself too much with the score. A part of me still wants the W but the moment the game is over I'm fine with the L. I'll be content with a 22 win season and the number 4 draft pick but I'll also be content with a 40 win season and the 12th pick as long as we are making decisions strategically.

I doubt they'd do it but about the only thing that would disappoint me is if we were to package some of our picks to bring in an aging player to help us make a run at a playoff spot. Develop the young players and treat draft picks like gold and I'll be comfortable with whatever happens.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

That's not too far from where I am. I "cheer" for the individual plays without concerning myself too much with the score. A part of me still wants the W but the moment the game is over I'm fine with the L. I'll be content with a 22 win season and the number 4 draft pick but I'll also be content with a 40 win season and the 12th pick as long as we are making decisions strategically.

I doubt they'd do it but about the only thing that would disappoint me is if we were to package some of our picks to bring in an aging player to help us make a run at a playoff spot.

That would infuriate me. Sarver and Babby dug a HUGE hole for themselves with me with a lot of the decisions they made the last couple years, to the point that I literally didn't bother to watch a single game outside of hoping to see us beat the Lakers last year because we had their pick. They've done considerable climbing to get out of that hole by handing the keys to the castle over to McD, but if they did the above, they'd fall right back down to the bottom again. I think (HOPE) they've learned their lesson and that won't be the case.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I am exactly where both of you are.

But this last summer seems to be pretty good indication that there will be no trades to make a run at a playoff spot. In fact, I think it is much more likely that Dragic and/or Frye is moved for younger players or picks.