Suns @ Spurs 11-6-13

[Mainstreet]

Playing the Spurs tonight will be a real challenge for the young Suns, perhaps even more so than the Thunder. It's the way the Spurs beat you... methodically and with intelligence. They are so well coached. If the Suns throw the ball all over the place it could get ugly. Anyway, this game will be a good barometer for the Suns. Dragic will still be out. The game starts at 6:30 PM Arizona. I am anxious to see where the Suns are as a team.

Per a Paul Coro article at azcentral dated 11-6-13, the following are the starting lineups.

Suns (3-1) at Spurs (3-1) … 6:30 p.m. Phoenix tip

C: Miles Plumlee … Tiago Splitter

PF: Channing Frye … Tim Duncan

SF: P.J. Tucker … Kawhi Leonard

SG: Gerald Green … Danny Green

PG: Eric Bledsoe … Tony Parker

Key Spurs injuries: Matt Bonner (tight calf) sat out the second half of Tuesday’s game.

Key Spurs reserves: Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli, Jeff Ayres, .

http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/p...ge-slices-for-suns-road-trip-finish-at-spurs/

 

[AzStevenCal]

Playing the Spurs tonight will be a real challenge for the young Suns, perhaps even more so than the Thunder. It's the way the Spurs beat you... methodically and with intelligence. They are so well coached. If the Suns throw the ball all over the place it could get ugly. Anyway, this game will be a good barometer for the Suns. Dragic will still be out. The game starts at 6:30 PM Arizona. I am anxious to see where the Suns are as a team.

Per a Paul Coro article at azcentral dated 11-6-13, the following are the starting lineups.



http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/p...ge-slices-for-suns-road-trip-finish-at-spurs/

I would suggest for your peace of mind that you never consider an upcoming Suns/Spurs matchup to be a "barometer". Maybe after the fact but not before. Too painful, too often.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

An extremely rare Back to Back game for both teams... typically it's one team dealing with a back to back situation.
It's so early in the season that a back to back game might not mean much however.

Should be interesting to see how the Suns match up against a team like the Spurs. My hunch is that the Suns will prove to be the more athletic team. However, the Spurs should be able to using their experience to carve out the W.

 

[Superbone]

I'd be really surprised if we hung in this one.

 

[JCSunsfan]

An extremely rare Back to Back game for both teams... typically it's one team dealing with a back to back situation.
It's so early in the season that a back to back game might not mean much however.

Should be interesting to see how the Suns match up against a team like the Spurs. My hunch is that the Suns will prove to be the more athletic team. However, the Spurs should be able to using their experience to carve out the W.

The back to back has to work to the Suns advantage because youth and athleticism. Everything else favors the Spurs.

 

[Phrazbit]

I expect our first beat down of the year to take place tonight. Our offense relies a ton on transition to create looks, in the half court we've looked pretty bad. Disciplined defensive teams are likely tear us apart.

 

[Mainstreet]

I would suggest for your peace of mind that you never consider an upcoming Suns/Spurs matchup to be a "barometer". Maybe after the fact but not before. Too painful, too often.

Steve

No pain, no gain.

 

[JustWinBaby]

I am anxious to see this game. It will be the 5th game I have watched thus far. I have watched all 5 from beginning to end including the post game 4 times.

Tonight will put me 5 games ahead of last year. I could not watch a complete game and was not interested at all in what Lindsay Hunter had to say.

A lot of folks are trying to compare Bledsoe to someone that has played before. The comparisons to Kevin Johnson could be warranted.

I suggest that Tony Parker is a good one. They both can get to the bucket at will and Tony really struggled with his jump shot early on. I think Bledsoe may be the better defender but they are pretty close. I also expect Hornacek will help make that jump shot money.

The Parker Bledsoe match up should be a good one tonight.

I also have read Bledsoe being called the mini-Lebron. I can also see that comparison. They both play both ends of the court and Lebron early on stuggled with his jump shot. That is not to say Bledsoe is in the same league as Lebron by any means, no one is. No one is as big or strong as Lebron with his skill level.

The thing that really bugs me about Bledsoe's critics are the complaints about his turnovers. Surely he needs to improve in this area and I expect he will. This is a brand new team and coach. This is the 1st time he is the MAN in the NBA. I expect he has other holes in his armour somewhere. Who cares?

Enjoy the ride. It has been fun up until this point and I expect it to continue.

 

[BC867]

The thing that really bugs me about Bledsoe's critics are the complaints about his turnovers. Surely he needs to improve in this area and I expect he will. This is a brand new team and coach. This is the 1st time he is the MAN in the NBA. I expect he has other holes in his armour somewhere. Who cares?

And Horny has successfully gone 12 deep, even at crucial moments of games, to test his players and develop the best 9-man rotation. The by-product is turnovers and it is worth it early on. It is certainly not a fair assessment of Bledsoe's start as our Point Guard.

 

[Superbone]

An example was last night when Bledsoe lead a pass to Gerald Green toward the basket. If Green had cut to the hoop he would have had an easy dunk instead of the turnover that occurred. Those are the types of plays, getting to know your teammates, that will improve over time.

 

[SirStefan32]

Loved that bank shot Plumlee just had. Duncan looked confused. "HEY! That's MY move! WTF?"

 

[Mainstreet]

The way Duncan plays, so under control, it seems like he can play forever.

 

[Mainstreet]

When Markieff drove in the lane and dunked the ball, there was this glimmer of hope for better things to come.

 

[Mainstreet]

Markieff is playing like a monster at the moment with 12 points and 4 rebounds. I didn't think he had it in him.

 

[Michael]

What am I watching? This is meant to be the worst Suns team in history, and I simply love these guys without even checking the score.

Felt happy for Archie to get a free dunk! Must be good for his confidence.

 

[Michael]

Markieff is playing like a monster at the moment with 12 points and 4 rebounds. I didn't think he had it in him.

Likewise. I used to cringe whenever one of the Morris twins took a shot. Credit where it's due!

 

[Michael]

I am anxious to see this game. It will be the 5th game I have watched thus far. I have watched all 5 from beginning to end including the post game 4 times.

Tonight will put me 5 games ahead of last year.

Exactly the same for me!

I hate your avatar, by the way. Reminds me of wasted championship potential by missing JJ in the WCF, selling JJ and the Horry bull****.

I also love your avatar, by the way. Reminds me of the most exciting Suns team (or even basketball team) I've ever watched.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's just so exciting to watch these Suns, win or lose.

 

[Michael]

It's just so exciting to watch these Suns, win or lose.

And I can't exactly figure out why this is the case. I wonder if it just reflects novelty with a new team, the way they play or the lack of expectations, which can only be exceeded.

I suppose it's a mix of all of them, along with some very likeable players, a connection to the beloved 2010 team (Channing & Goran) and the relief not to see Beasley disgracing a Suns uniform.

 

[BC867]

Interesting 1st half stats for the Suns. 7 players each led with 1 assist.

Markieff not only led all scorers with 18 points off the bench. He also led with 7 rebounds. All in a team-leading 15 minutes. And while being the closest thing we had for a Center for most of those minutes. Interesting!

Edit: He shared time at Center with Frye, also the closest thing we had for a Center when Plumlee was on the bench.

 

[Mainstreet]

Do the Spurs ever commit a foul or get called for palming?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Do the Spurs ever commit a foul or get called for palming?

Yes but 'tis the stuff of legend. I've seen them called for fouls and traveling but only when they are playing in international ball. Of course, you'll never again see Timmy play without the support of his paid assistants (in stripes).

Steve

 

[Michael]

I've seen them called for fouls and traveling but only when they are playing in international ball.

Steve

Or when playing the Lakers.

 

[Mainstreet]

Plumlee has a nice bank shot and hook shot which bodes well for his future.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Or when playing the Lakers.

Well, they've certainly been screwed by the refs while playing the Lakers. That shot by Fisher was no more than a day late but what the heck, let's count it anyway. I don't like injustices, even when they occur to the Spurs although I'd have probably been bothered less by that one if it had been anyone other than LA benefitting from it.

Steve