Suns @ Pelicans 4-9-14, 5PM Arizona

[Mainstreet]

The Suns play at the Pelicans tonight while Miami visits Memphis tonight. Miami can help the Suns by winning. The Suns have one less loss than Memphis in the loss column. With some help, providing the Suns take care of business, they could be two games ahead of Memphis after tonight. However, Memphis owns the tiebreaker against the Suns if it comes down to that. See more from the Paul Coro article at azcentral dated 4-9-14.

Suns (46-31) at Pelicans (32-45) … 5 p.m. Phoenix tip time

C: Miles Plumlee … Greg Stiemsma

PF: Channing Frye … Anthony Davis

SF: P.J. Tucker … Darius Miller

SG: Goran Dragic … Tyreke Evans

PG: Eric Bledsoe … Brian Roberts

Key Pelicans injuries: Eric Gordon (knee tendinitis) is out. Ryan Anderson (herniated disc) is out. Jrue Holiday (right tibia stress fracture) is out. Jason Smith (right knee surgery) is out. Anthony Davis (back spasms) is probable.

Key Pelicans reserves: Anthony Morrow, Austin Rivers, Al-Farouq Aminu, Alexis Ajinca, Jeff Withey.

What coach does the following sound like besides Jeff Hornacek?

"We're getting into things quicker," Hornacek said. "We need to play with a better pace and get the ball up the court. Get into our offense and swing it from side to side quickly and not wait for shot clocks to run down. That seems to be when we go down, when we're getting into something with 13 seconds left on the shot clock and we have one option to go to with the shot clock running down."

Being the No. 1 fastbreak team is about more than getting a steal and throwing or dribbling ahead for a dunk. It is a mindset that has to be consistent to push the ball up after opponent scores or dead-ball turnovers too.

"It's not walking the ball up the court," Hornacek said. "It's at least jogging it up and pushing the ball up. It's not like they are sprinting up there. As long as you get up there and make the first entry pass or the first pick at 18 or 19, it gives you an extra option. We always want to try to get it out quicker. We don't want to let teams set their defense because most teams are pretty good in half-court defense. Once you get set, they know plays because everyone runs kind of the same stuff."

Hint SSOL.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...-pelicans-game-preview-orange-slices/7513447/

 

[JCSunsfan]

There can be no missteps at this point. Any loss from here out could end hopes for a post-season. This team will have to prove whether they are worthy or not of playing in the post season.

 

[AfroSuns]

The Suns play at the Pelicans tonight while Miami visits Memphis tonight. Miami can help the Suns by winning. The Suns have one less loss than Memphis in the loss column. With some help, providing the Suns take care of business, they could be two games ahead of Memphis after tonight. However, Memphis owns the tiebreaker against the Suns if it comes down to that. See more from the Paul Coro article at azcentral dated 4-9-14.



What coach does the following sound like besides Jeff Hornacek?



Hint SSOL.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...-pelicans-game-preview-orange-slices/7513447/

Yea...Eerily too familiar. The fast tempo style is fun to watch but i hope they don't get carried away. During Mike D days, very few crashes the board for rebounds because they are all dashing to the other end of the court as soon as the ball goes up.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yea...Eerily too familiar. The fast tempo style is fun to watch but i hope they don't get carried away. During Mike D days, very few crashes the board for rebounds because they are all dashing to the other end of the court as soon as the ball goes up.

My thinking is that Hornacek can adapt his coaching to player personnel although I don't think he will ever be a coach that wants to walk the ball up the court. DA was locked into his style regardless of player personnel.

 

[BC867]

Beat LA - - - Louisana, that is.

 

[Mainstreet]

The crowd at the game is so quiet. It's probably louder at a JV game in high school.

 

[Catlover]

My thinking is that Hornacek can adapt his coaching to player personnel although I don't think he will ever be a coach that wants to walk the ball up the court. DA was locked into his style regardless of player personnel.

Yes and he became almost irrational about proving his system worked to the exclusion of all other ideas. So far, I like most everything Jeff has done. When he does something I don't immediately agree with I look for reasons to justify his decisions. It's nice to be able to give that kind of leeway to the Suns coach, we haven't been able to do that in a while.

 

[BC867]

The crowd at the game is so quiet. It's probably louder at a JV game in high school.

As is the New Orleans tradition, the fans were on their feet until the Pelicans scored a point.

I guess they got tired.

 

[Mainstreet]

As is the New Orleans tradition, the fans were on their feet until the Pelicans scored a point.

I guess they got tired.

The ones that were standing had to wait 4+ minutes.

 

[AfroSuns]

This game worries me

 

[Mainstreet]

Yes and he became almost irrational about proving his system worked to the exclusion of all other ideas. So far, I like most everything Jeff has done. When he does something I don't immediately agree with I look for reasons to justify his decisions. It's nice to be able to give that kind of leeway to the Suns coach, we haven't been able to do that in a while.

Also DA would get locked into playing 7 or maybe 8 players and that is about it.

 

[Mainstreet]

This game worries me

The Suns are letting a bad team hang around. If the Pelicans had made their missed layups they would have the lead.

 

[Catlover]

Leander threw out a stat earlier tonight that I found interesting. You always hear this kind of stat about other players but the threshold is usually higher. Phoenix is 22 - 2 when Bledsoe scores 15 or more points. That's incredible when you consider he is a scoring point guard whose job you'd expect to include scoring 15 or more points most nights.

 

[Catlover]

This game worries me

Every game worries me. And I don't just sort of mean that. Is there an opponent on our schedule that we couldn't lose to? After losing in LA, I'd have to say no.

 

[Mainstreet]

Leander threw out a stat earlier tonight that I found interesting. You always hear this kind of stat about other players but the threshold is usually higher. Phoenix is 22 - 2 when Bledsoe scores 15 or more points. That's incredible when you consider he is a scoring point guard whose job you'd expect to include scoring 15 or more points most nights.

I didn't hear that. The Suns need more from Bledsoe if he is considered to be a max type player.

 

[AfroSuns]

Never rooted for the Heat to win a game before....i hope it wont happen again for a while

 

[Mainstreet]

Channing Frye is the Suns big man on the court right now.

 

[AfroSuns]

Every game worries me. And I don't just sort of mean that. Is there an opponent on our schedule that we couldn't lose to? After losing in LA, I'd have to say no.

yep, the Suns never fails to keep it entertaining....

 

[Catlover]

I didn't hear that. The Suns need more from Bledsoe if he is considered to be a max type player.

That's what you took from that stat? I think it points to how much he impacts the game in other ways so that when he does have a minimally decent night scoring the ball we're virtually unbeatable. I'm confident that if that stat enters into the conversation during the negotiation process it will further his cause as a max player, not hinder. Seriously, 22-2? That's unheard of. Sure, if a player scores 25 points a game or something like that you expect a great record but just 15 points?

 

[Mainstreet]

That's what you took from that stat? I think it points to how much he impacts the game in other ways so that when he does have a minimally decent night scoring the ball we're virtually unbeatable. I'm confident that if that stat enters into the conversation during the negotiation process it will further his cause as a max player, not hinder. Seriously, 22-2? That's unheard of. Sure, if a player scores 25 points a game or something like that you expect a great record but just 15 points?

Is it too much to ask him to score 15 points a game at the guard position when he is not a pure PG?

 

[AfroSuns]

where is Tucker...someone needs to bring the fire

 

[Mainstreet]

where is Tucker...someone needs to bring the fire

I do not like Hornacek's substitution pattern tonight.

 

[Catlover]

where is Tucker...someone needs to bring the fire

This is the kind of game where Goran more than earns his money. He gets up for every opponent, too many of these other guys ride emotional highs that aren't there when we face the lesser teams.

 

[Mainstreet]

The announcers are sort of joking about Jeff Withey but I think he will become a quality NBA center... not a star but a sound center. I liked his pro potential when he was in college.

 

[AfroSuns]

I do not like Hornacek's substitution pattern tonight.

I think he is trying to get some guys rest...but it may backfire. A bird in hand.........