Suns Summer League Games

[Griffin]

First game tonight. NBA.com has it starting at 8:30pm ET which is 5:30pm Phoenix time (two hours earlier than what Suns.com posted). Here's the entire schedule again:

Suns vs. Cavs - Monday, July 9, 5:30pm AZ (8:30pm ET) - webcast
Suns vs. 76ers - Wednesday, July 11, 5:00pm AZ (8:00pm ET) - NBATV / webcast
Suns vs. Hornets - Friday, July 13, 1:00pm AZ (4:00pm ET) - webcast
Suns vs. Blazers - Saturday, July 14, 7:30pm AZ (10:30pm ET) - webcast
Suns vs. TWolves - Sunday, July 15, 5:00pm AZ (8:00pm ET) - NBATV / webcast

I guess I'm mostly interested in seeing Tucker and Strawberry for the first time. Of the other players, I want to see Bradley, Sow and Everett, but I doubt any of those players have much of a chance to make the roster, regardless of how well they play.

As for Banks, he needs to prove that he can run the offense, any offense, and get the other players involved. I don't need to see him score. If he starts hogging the ball again and shooting all the time, I'm afraid we won't see much of what our rookies can do.

 

[azirish]

As for Banks, he needs to prove that he can run the offense, any offense, and get the other players involved. I don't need to see him score. If he starts hogging the ball again and shooting all the time, I'm afraid we won't see much of what our rookies can do.

If he wants to play rather than just get paid, this coming week is going to be huge. The fact that he's prepared to play summer league despite not having to suggests he realizes it. I hope that translates into solid play.

 

[carey]

Does anyone know how we watch the webcast?

 

[carey]

Mmm, think I found it... http://www.nba.com/summerleague2007/scoreboard.jsp

 

[Joe Mama]

I had no problem getting the first two days's games over webcast. Yesterday they wanted me to sign up for league Pass. Try it out though.

Joe

 

[mr_sunshine]

Mmm, think I found it... http://www.nba.com/summerleague2007/scoreboard.jsp

If you search around on the RealGM forums people have been posting streaming links for the games.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

If he wants to play rather than just get paid, this coming week is going to be huge. The fact that he's prepared to play summer league despite not having to suggests he realizes it. I hope that translates into solid play.

If that means Marcus volunteered...that is unlikely as it was reported a week ago or so he and Steve.....KERR had a sit down pow wow. I imagine the discussion went like this...

SK...'If you want to play...and that means for anyone...you need to play in Vegas and work on your PG skills so we can use you or trade you...otherwise you will be a highly paid spectator........'

MB...'mmmm OkieDokie Mr. Steve....I've got to go now to stew in my bedroom for a few days, Viva LasVegas'

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

anyone have any thoughts on the first game?

 

[AsUdUdE]

i will be there for the last three games, 13-15...

I suspect tucker will do well, and banks should play well and get us all excited thinking he has turned the corner, only to know he probably won't get pt anyway....

anyway, very excited, who else is going this weekend??

 

[azirish]

Weber said he's going to focus on a pressing, trapping defense as reflected by who he has playing there.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Weber said he's going to focus on a pressing, trapping defense as reflected by who he has playing there.

Good. I actually love to see the Suns do this about 5 times per game. (not just summer league) Marion, Banks, and Barbosa should be able to thrive doing it, as they are great at playing passing lanes.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

i will be there for the last three games, 13-15...

I suspect tucker will do well, and banks should play well and get us all excited thinking he has turned the corner, only to know he probably won't get pt anyway....

anyway, very excited, who else is going this weekend??

I have some faith, I don't think anyone on these forums is stupid enough to get pumped up on what Banks a 4 year pro does in a league filled with scrubs and rooks.

 

[azirish]

I have some faith, I don't think anyone on these forums is stupid enough to get pumped up on what Banks a 4 year pro does in a league filled with scrubs and rooks.

What matters is whether he plays like a point guard or just reverts to his one on one stuff that got him benched.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

What matters is whether he plays like a point guard or just reverts to his one on one stuff that got him benched.

Huh, he played exactly how D'Antoni wanted him to play. He shot wide open 3's and bricked almost every one of them.

Bank is not a great fit at PG for the Suns system. You need a pass first PG to thrive in it. It is the same reason that Barbosa couldn't cut it at PG either.

If they want Banks to be like Nash, they are going to be disappointed for the rest of his contract.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

What matters is whether he plays like a point guard or just reverts to his one on one stuff that got him benched.

sure, but even if he does have success playing like a point guard inthe summer league it won't be any indication to me on the real season. It's just a small first step at most. Banks is a pro despite his issues here, he should tear up the summer league anything less would be a huge step back.

 

[Bufalay]

if dantoni can't adjust his style to make banks (a talented player) successful, then I'd say his career as a coach is over the day nash retires.

 

[Rab]

Banks is a horrible decision maker. He doesn't know when/where to pass, or when to shoot. The only time he is effective is when he takes the ball to the basket, but even then he's bad. If he'd take the ball to the hoop and just accept contact, he'd be alright. He likes to avoid it however, and makes his layups much harder than they are could be, and by moving around so much, he doesn't get calls. For a player with his size he should be more willing to accept contact and draw fouls.

 

[Errntknght]

I tried the link Carey posted and it didn't ask me about signing up for League Pass. I did have to register as an NBA.com member and then download a new version of Windows Media player. After all that the 'summer league scoreboard' is now blank - no scores even.

 

[JCSunsfan]

if dantoni can't adjust his style to make banks (a talented player) successful, then I'd say his career as a coach is over the day nash retires.

I totally disagree. Banks plays a position that demands intelligence, quality instincts and an acute awareness of the players around him. At this level, he has that or he doesn't.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

if dantoni can't adjust his style to make banks (a talented player) successful enough so the Suns can ship his ass before the trade deadline without giving the Atlanta pick away, then I'd say his career as a coach is over the day nash retires.

fixed

 

[azirish]

if dantoni can't adjust his style to make banks (a talented player) successful, then I'd say his career as a coach is over the day nash retires.

I think the issue of finding the heir to Nash is different than whether Banks can be turned into a useful player. Banks was signed as a backup type player who could play defense. His problem is that he made too many mistakes to stay on the court, but he was never going to be Nash's heir.

What will it take to find another Nash? I don't know, but next summer's draft is likely to be the time for the search. The problem is that the Suns need a special kind of player:

-- Great decision maker at high speed

-- Great vision

-- Accurate passer

-- Accurate outside shooter

-- Ability to get to the basket and finish

Ideally, you'd like to see some defense as well.

Too often people think that every flashy ball handler could be the next Steve Nash. There is a lot more to it.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

There are a lot of potential uber point guards in next years draft, if banks tanks yet again, we have to keep the ATL pick, for nash's sake

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

ok I just watched the warriors/76ers game, and they said coming up next is knicks sonics.

nba.com says the warriors/76ers starts at 5:30 ET, knicks/sonics 10 ET, suns 8:30 ET

however the warriors/76ers was on at 5:30 pacific and just ended (7ish pacific)

When the heck is the suns game?!? Were the announcers wrong and knicks sonics is 10pacific, and suns are in an hour and a half?

will it even be televised?

me so confused


Edit:
OK looks like nba.com doesnt even know what time the game starts, they have conflicting schedules on different pages

SUNS - CAVS Mon 07/09/2007 10:30 PM ET (7:30 arizona time)

 

[Griffin]

OK looks like nba.com doesnt even know what time the game starts, they have conflicting schedules on different pages

SUNS - CAVS Mon 07/09/2007 10:30 PM ET (7:30 arizona time)

Yeah, they kept changing the time from 10:30 to 8:30 back to 10:30 ET. I guess it will start at 10:30 ET. It won't be on NBATV though, just the webcast. Not sure why all the confusion.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

webcast means no score graphics and no commentary

heck i just want to see these guys in action.

banks : will he suck it up yet again
strawberry: how is his ball handling, does his defense live up to the hype
pape sow: is he aggressive enough on the boards
tucker: im pretty content with my expectations with his so far, if he can step it up and show another level of nba readiness i will be stoked.


Update:
suns game ready online
http://www.nba.com/summerleague2007/scoreboard.jsp

edit:

haha ok the suns/cavs link takes you to the hornets/twolves game

LOVE IT

the suns curse hits yet again...


edit2:
twolves/hornets link brings you to sonics/knicks game

edit 3:
sonics/knicks link brings you to twolves/hornets game