Suns @ Spurs Monday game thread 11-22-2021

[TJ]

Ha oh ok

He gonna hold on to that till the day he dies.

Damn skippy. If we were to ever sign Sam Dekker, I may burn every Suns memorabilia I own.

 

[TJ]

TJ is a big Arizona fan. Ayton went to Arizona, Frank went to Wisconsin. Wisconsin edged Arizona (led by Frank) by the skin of their **** out of a trip to the final 4. It was a brutal defeat, probably the cruelest of the Miller era at Arizona.

This man gets it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Some people haven’t caught on yet

I realized it was an Arizona thing right after writing it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

This man gets it.

Most of us get it. Here's how I see it. College Frank Kaminsky helped knock us out of the tournament two years in a row but pro Frank Kaminsky didn't exist then so I'm okay cheering for pro Frank. Most of us got over Wisconsin Kaminsky just like we got over Santa Clara Nash.

 

[Mainstreet]

Most of us get it. Here's how I see it. College Frank Kaminsky helped knock us out of the tournament two years in a row but pro Frank Kaminsky didn't exist then so I'm okay cheering for pro Frank. Most of us got over Wisconsin Kaminsky just like we got over Santa Clara Nash.

Once a player enters the pros I don't care where they played as long as they have talent.

I liked Deandre Ayton in the draft and I wanted the Suns to trade for Aaron Gordon for the longest time.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Once a player enters the pros I don't care where they played as long as they have talent.

I liked Deandre Ayton in the draft and I wanted the Suns to trade for Aaron Gordon for the longest time.

I'm mostly the same way but if I liked or disliked a player in college, I tend to feel the same way about them in the pros (for awhile anyway).

And I've also noticed that I tend to sour on a formerly liked college player quicker than I tend to move past issues I had against a former college player. So I can understand a few years of "I can't stand that guy" but I think Frank has spent enough time in UA's doghouse.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm mostly the same way but if I liked or disliked a player in college, I tend to feel the same way about them in the pros (for awhile anyway).

And I've also noticed that I tend to sour on a formerly liked college player quicker than I tend to move past issues I had against a former college player. So I can understand a few years of "I can't stand that guy" but I think Frank has spent enough time in UA's doghouse.

Yeah, Frank seems like a genuinely good guy. This is the first time I realized you were a UofA fan.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah, Frank seems like a genuinely good guy. This is the first time I realized you were a UofA fan.

I have ties to both schools and support both of them although I have my favorites. I'm a diehard Sun Devil football and baseball fan and a diehard Wildcat basketball fan. In each case, the other school is my second favorite college team.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Some people haven’t caught on yet

Lol. I hadn’t until this post. Your consistency is to be lauded.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Most of us get it. Here's how I see it. College Frank Kaminsky helped knock us out of the tournament two years in a row but pro Frank Kaminsky didn't exist then so I'm okay cheering for pro Frank. Most of us got over Wisconsin Kaminsky just like we got over Santa Clara Nash.

I am an ASU fan, so Frank's a bonus in my book. But I am not so much of an ASU fan that it translates to being a Harden fan. There are other factors than just alma mater that matter to me.

 

[Cheesebeef]

starting to see things from Ayton on offense that I’ve been waiting for for a couple years. He’s starting to seal smaller guys with more regularity. He is that one play on the elbow where he started to drive, got stopped, did a fake one way and rise for an open hook for a bucket and FINALLY made himself an option on the play at the FT line with the fake handoff to Book and take to the basket.

If he can keep making strides there this offense becomes unstoppable... able to play multiple styles and go to something when 3s aren’t falling.

 

[Suns_fan69]

The offensive skill separating DA from someone like Giannis or AD is his ballhandling (well, that and the mental drive/focus). If he can continue to build on that and become more comfortable handling the ball for more than a single dribble without turning it over it would open up his game so much more.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am an ASU fan, so Frank's a bonus in my book. But I am not so much of an ASU fan that it translates to being a Harden fan. There are other factors than just alma mater that matter to me.

I was a Harden fan his first couple years but I really soured on him, especially when he became Loophole Harden.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The offensive skill separating DA from someone like Giannis or AD is his ballhandling (well, that and the mental drive/focus). If he can continue to build on that and become more comfortable handling the ball for more than a single dribble without turning it over it would open up his game so much more.

The aggression is miles apart also tho. Giannis wants to CRUSH people on his drives, throwing the ball down with authority or at least going up to which is why he draws the fouls Ayton doesnt.

Even in the nice fake handoff to Book at the FT, he still went up so soft before getting fouled. Ended up missing 1 of the FTs when if he was really aggressive, he would have flushed that ball on the defenders head.

 

[Suns_fan69]

The aggression is miles apart also tho. Giannis wants to CRUSH people on his drives, throwing the ball down with authority or at least going up to which is why he draws the fouls Ayton doesnt.

Even in the nice fake handoff to Book at the FT, he still went up so soft before getting fouled. Ended up missing 1 of the FTs when if he was really aggressive, he would have flushed that ball on the defenders head.

Yeah, I definitely undersold the gulf of difference between the two. Feels like the team is trying to push him there, and while that isn't new, it feels like a more concerted effort. Seeing more entry passes when he's switched on to smaller defenders since he's been back.

 

[Mainstreet]

James Harden has had an outstanding NBA career. ASU even retired his number. While I may not be a fan of his style of play, I'm proud of his accomplishments as an alumnus.

 

[Yuma]

No, then you trade your surplus for another’s surplus. Best example ever was the 80s cavs. Already had nice deep backcourt but at #7 the best player available was kj. They traded him for the PF they had been seeking, Larry nance.

Except we all went through who was available and we know that wasn't really happening without trading away a piece we did not want to trade.

 

[Yuma]

It was easy BEFORE the draft as many here had those two guys above stix.

Except like I said, we were never going to pick either guy. We needed size.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

starting to see things from Ayton on offense that I’ve been waiting for for a couple years. He’s starting to seal smaller guys with more regularity. He is that one play on the elbow where he started to drive, got stopped, did a fake one way and rise for an open hook for a bucket and FINALLY made himself an option on the play at the FT line with the fake handoff to Book and take to the basket.

If he can keep making strides there this offense becomes unstoppable... able to play multiple styles and go to something when 3s aren’t falling.

Yup that’s been the most exciting development for me this season (mcgee being the second).

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The offensive skill separating DA from someone like Giannis or AD is his ballhandling (well, that and the mental drive/focus). If he can continue to build on that and become more comfortable handling the ball for more than a single dribble without turning it over it would open up his game so much more.

It would also result in more trips to the charity stripe and likely foul trouble for those guarding him instead of just him getting in foul trouble. Can’t understate how important that is. Giannis neutralized Ayton by sending him the bench with fouls - imagine if Ayton could level that playing field by drawing fouls in giannis?!?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The aggression is miles apart also tho. Giannis wants to CRUSH people on his drives, throwing the ball down with authority or at least going up to which is why he draws the fouls Ayton doesnt.

Even in the nice fake handoff to Book at the FT, he still went up so soft before getting fouled. Ended up missing 1 of the FTs when if he was really aggressive, he would have flushed that ball on the defenders head.

Yup the announcers made that comment that either book or Paul (think it was book) was in his ear likely saying dunk that). Difference between a 3 point play and a 1 pt play.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yeah, I definitely undersold the gulf of difference between the two. Feels like the team is trying to push him there, and while that isn't new, it feels like a more concerted effort. Seeing more entry passes when he's switched on to smaller defenders since he's been back.

But he’s effectively sealing defenders and actually catching passes and doing both much deeper in the paint. It’s fantastic.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Except we all went through who was available and we know that wasn't really happening without trading away a piece we did not want to trade.

First, we don’t really know who is “available.” Back then I think the nance trade came outta left field. It’s not like he was a disgruntled guy. In the internet age we all think we know all there is to know, but truth is we likely only know a smallish percentage.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Except like I said, we were never going to pick either guy. We needed size.

Only to a gm with limited thinking.