Suns @Timberwolves 1-20-18

[Mainstreet]

Rose over Bridges with nice move. Looks like game.

 

[SirStefan32]

Damn, Bridges defended that as well as anyone can play it.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Damn, Bridges defended that as well as anyone can play it.

He needed to pressure the ball and force him to go early. Instead he just sagged off and let him dribble to his spot.

 

[SirStefan32]

Oh well, it was a good game.

 

[1Sun]

I don't know what to make of this one from a coaching standpoint. On one hand, the Suns had no business being in this game missing their only two legitimate inside players. On the other hand, the team, and especially Booker, majorly choked down the stretch, and an obviously hot Oubre and Jackson did not get enough play, especially late in the game.

 

[Mainstreet]

Final:

Wolves 116- Suns 114

Suns lose a very winnable game. Tough loss.

 

[SirStefan32]

They played one hell of a game though. Book lost the game with two bad turnovers, but it was a good game.

 

[1Sun]

Ultimate question:

Has Booker become truly anti-clutch, where he can't be counted on in crunch time, or is it the fact that Booker is being played out of position down the stretch such that Booker will once again be reliable when paired with a point guard?

 

[SirStefan32]

Also, I don't think KAT scored in the second half, and if he did score, it must have been one random bucket. We'll get them on Tuesday!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I’m glad they’re in close games even if their losing. These are learning opportunities in a learning year. Seeing bender play relatively well is encouraging. Maybe he slowly earns some PT. It should also provide further evidence that leaving the ball im books hands as pg to end games is likely not optimal.

 

[BC867]

Ultimate question:

Has Booker become truly anti-clutch, where he can't be counted on in crunch time, or is it the fact that Booker is being played out of position down the stretch such that Booker will once again be reliable when paired with a point guard?

I go with the latter. Book is obviously more skilled as a Shooting Guard than as a long-term fill-in Point Guard.

 

[Mainstreet]

Losing these close games are difficult to take.

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[JCSunsfan]

Seems like in every game lately, a competent pg would have made the difference. Except for that 30 pt loss of course.

Booker with -11. Worst in the team. Would have probably won if he did not play.

Sarcasm of course.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Losing these close games are difficult to take.

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Learning time. With growth these L’s will be W’s next season.

 

[Hoop Head]

This is one of those games where a PG would probably have helped us seal it with the bad turnovers at the end by Booker.

I'd like to see another game like this from Bender before I believe he's started to see the light. Do the Suns have any rights on him at year end? I'll have to look it up but I think they can make him restricted but it would be limited to a certain amount.

 

[1Sun]

This is one of those games where a PG would probably have helped us seal it with the bad turnovers at the end by Booker.

I'd like to see another game like this from Bender before I believe he's started to see the light. Do the Suns have any rights on him at year end? I'll have to look it up but I think they can make him restricted but it would be limited to a certain amount.

No. Because the Suns did not exercise their fourth year option, Bender is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

 

[sunsfan88]

Suns need to consider taking Booker out for the end of games. He's a huge negative on the defensive end and he's a turnover machine if not a ballhog on the other end.

Play him throughout the game till roughly the 2 or 3 min mark and then take him out and go with a lineup of Crawford/Oubre/Jackson/Bender/Ayton (when he's back). If Bender reverts to how he was playing previously then replace him with Acy.

 

[sunsfan88]

Booker is as predictably unreliable at the end of games as Nash was.

Nash had his bad moments but rarely were his mistakes so foolish and predictably bad as Booker's are.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Suns need to consider taking Booker out for the end of games. He's a huge negative on the defensive end and he's a turnover machine if not a ballhog on the other end.

Play him throughout the game till roughly the 2 or 3 min mark and then take him out and go with a lineup of Crawford/Oubre/Jackson/Bender/Ayton (when he's back). If Bender reverts to how he was playing previously then replace him with Acy.

What a ridiculous comment...

Booker has regularly been our best performer in big moments and he has a couple bad moments and he needs to be pulled? Ridiculous.

 

[cwamjn]

What a ridiculous comment...

Booker has regularly been our best performer in big moments and he has a couple bad moments and he needs to be pulled? Ridiculous.

This is what I like most about the internet. Back in the 90s after games while riding home and stuck in traffic, you could tune in to KTAR and listen to people call in. You'd always get overly emotional, knee jerk responses that would make me laugh. I'm assuming those calls navigated to the internet.

 

[95pro]

Are we finally seeing the light about booker on this board?

 

[SirStefan32]

Another thing to note is that the Suns missed ten free throws. They shot 68.8% from the free throw line. That has to stop. Booker and JJ both got hit with technicals, resulting in two free throws for the Wolves. That has to stop as well.

 

[1Sun]

Are we finally seeing the light about booker on this board?

The only light I am seeing for sure with him is the same one I have seen all along - that he has no business playing the point or facilitating the offense, especially in crunch time.

 

[Proximo]

Another thing to note is that the Suns missed ten free throws. They shot 68.8% from the free throw line. That has to stop. Booker and JJ both got hit with technicals, resulting in two free throws for the Wolves. That has to stop as well.

Yes, the free throw shooting has been killing them.

Why could the small guys not work to get rebounds like this when ayton is playing?

It’s amazing to say but benders pick n roll defense was far better than ayton’s.

 

[SirStefan32]

Yes, the free throw shooting has been killing them.

Why could the small guys not work to get rebounds like this when ayton is playing?

It’s amazing to say but benders pick n roll defense was far better than ayton’s.

Ayton's always been a known bad defender. I am honestly shocked that he is not worse than he is. Anybody who watched two Arizona games without the blinders on knew Ayton would be awful defensively. Bender's biggest problem is that he doesn't have a heart. Contrary to what folks like Slin say, he is actually good defensively. He understands how rotations work, he understands how pick and roll works, he understands how to be in a proper defensive position. Part of the Bender hype was his defense. If he could get a heart on offense, he'd be a hell of a player.

As for the rebounding question, it's effort. Just like defense, they can do it, they just tend to not do it, or at least, not consistently.