Suns @ Timberwolves Saturday game thread 11-23-19

[thirty-two]

Book was a gamer today and pushed us just enough to get this win. Props to Oubre, too.

Really liked Monty’s call to go zone in the 1st half when we were getting murdered inside and they had the lead. That stopped the tide for a bit, allowing them to miss some shots and for us to get back in it, until halftime adjustments could be made.

Good semi ugly win.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The game ball should go to Towns for taking an unnecessarily long 3 point shot with several seconds still on the clock.

 

[Mainstreet]

A look at some final game stats.


Gina Mizell‏Verified account @ginamizell

FINAL: #Suns 100, Wolves 98 Phoenix snaps its three-game losing streak and improves to 8-7 on the season Booker baaaaarely misses a triple-double with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists KAT: 31 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists Oubre: 25 points, 10 rebounds

4:18 PM - 23 Nov 2019

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The game ball should go to Towns for taking an unnecessarily long 3 point shot with several seconds still on the clock.

Right?!? WTH was that?!?

good ugly win. Happy book took over. Can’t believe no one other than oubre could hit the broadside of a barn.

oh and I’m pretty sure by his retirement kaminsky will hold the record for most shots blocked from a 7-footer

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Cam, TJ, Bridges, oh-no!bo

5-30

 

[BC867]

It sounds like Tom Leander will be flying to Denver tomorrow to join Annie in
calling the game.

Well, whatever the outcome, it will be comfortable listening to the play-by-play.

I wonder why Kevin Ray might be missing another game. He's missed a few.
Maybe he's out searching for the end of each sentence.

 

[hcsilla]

I never was a big fan of Saric and after watching him closely in 10+ games, he seems much more of a good backup than a solid starter.

He is a professional, knows the basics of rebounding and positional defense, can score on smaller players in the paint if there is a mismatch, can hit the open 3 but that's it. His lack of footspeed and especially elevation makes him a liability as a starter.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns did a relative good of blocking out tonight. This helped them out a lot.

Luckily Towns was content to shoot 3s.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The Suns did a relative good of blocking out tonight. This helped them out a lot.

Luckily Towns was content to shoot 3s.

And luckily the Wolves often chose to not capitalize on Kat's advantage down low when Kaminsky was sort of guarding him.

 

[Mainstreet]

And luckily the Wolves often chose to not capitalize on Kat's advantage down low when Kaminsky was sort of guarding him.

So true. The Wolves hurt the Suns inside when they chose to do so.

 

[Hoop Head]

I never was a big fan of Saric and after watching him closely in 10+ games, he seems much more of a good backup than a solid starter.

He is a professional, knows the basics of rebounding and positional defense, can score on smaller players in the paint if there is a mismatch, can hit the open 3 but that's it. His lack of footspeed and especially elevation makes him a liability as a starter.

I expect Saric to be better when Ayton returns. He'll be fine as our worst starter but right now he's asked to be too much on offense. For all that Baynes does, he's not a good rebounder, and that highlights how Saric is just a situational rebounder similar to Markieff or Frye. He'll get it when it's in his area but he can't go get it.

Team rebounding should be excellent when Ayton is back since 4 of 5 positions feature a player who is above average rebounding for their position with Rubio, Booker, Oubre, and Ayton. Saric is just there. He'll have more looks when Ayton returns as welll. Baynes was in his spots and so is Kaminsky.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So true. The Wolves hurt the Suns inside when they chose to do so.

We had no answer for them down low so it was nice of Wiggins and company to ignore that advantage often enough for us to squeak out a win. Towns was clearly getting frustrated by all the 3's when he was in perfect position with the perfect patsy guarding him. I suspect his idiotic decision to put up that long 3 inside of 10 seconds was borne out of that frustration. Still, no excuse, if you want to win you don't do those kind of things.

 

[hcsilla]

I expect Saric to be better when Ayton returns. He'll be fine as our worst starter but right now he's asked to be too much on offense. For all that Baynes does, he's not a good rebounder, and that highlights how Saric is just a situational rebounder similar to Markieff or Frye. He'll get it when it's in his area but he can't go get it.

Team rebounding should be excellent when Ayton is back since 4 of 5 positions feature a player who is above average rebounding for their position with Rubio, Booker, Oubre, and Ayton. Saric is just there. He'll have more looks when Ayton returns as welll. Baynes was in his spots and so is Kaminsky.

If Ayton comes back, I see no reason to start Saric over Baynes.

 

[Bert]

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[Hoop Head]

If Ayton comes back, I see no reason to start Saric over Baynes.

One big reason is that Baynes can't hold up to playing starter minutes. Having him back up Ayton and sharing some minutes would gives us a good center for 48 minutes. Starting them together would mean that Kaminsky would need to see some time at backup center and that is not where he should be used.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't care how ugly of a win that was, any win right now is pretty good to me. nice to Book really step up in every area of the game tonight. if you would have told me at the beginning of the season we were going to lose Ayton for the first 25 games of the year and be 8-7 through 15, I'd have been elated... and I still am.

as long as we can hover around .500 for the next couple weeks, let Rubio and Baynes really get their rest so that when Ayton comes back, we can hopefully have all the pieces of our puzzle together so we can see what's really what this season!

 

[Finito]

T-Wolves get:Tyler Johnson, Ayton and 2 #1s

Phoenix gets: KAT

 

[Proximo]

T-Wolves get:Tyler Johnson, Ayton and 2 #1s

Phoenix gets: KAT

i would prefer we keep ayton.

 

[elindholm]

T-Wolves get:Tyler Johnson, Ayton and 2 #1s

Phoenix gets: KAT

That's ridiculous. Ayton should be better than Towns by the end of his first contract.

 

[Raze]

Okobo guarding Townes in the post and the wolves don’t give him the ball...

I came out of my seat for this play. This completely sums up why I love Monty so much.

Okobo, a 4th string PG, with a history of poor D, is ALONE with
KAT, a 2x All Star, an unstoppable force in the post
Okobo works his butt off denying post entry and somehow fights off the behemoth
And it results in a TO as the team CAN'T even get him the ball.

Great visual example of this scrappy team fighting against the odds for wins. Man I love watching them play D.

BTW, two games back I expressed my frustration over players passing on open shots. Monty must have hit on that hard as I haven't even noticed it anymore. (Even Carter in his limited time vs NO).

 

[Mainstreet]

That's ridiculous. Ayton should be better than Towns by the end of his first contract.

I'd take the bird in hand. Also Booker and Towns have always wanted to play together.

 

[GatorAZ]

It sounds like Tom Leander will be flying to Denver tomorrow to join Annie in
calling the game.

Well, whatever the outcome, it will be comfortable listening to the play-by-play.

I wonder why Kevin Ray might be missing another game. He's missed a few.
Maybe he's out searching for the end of each sentence.

Kevin Ray does NFL games for Westwood One.

 

[Bufalay]

That's ridiculous. Ayton should be better than Towns by the end of his first contract.

Should be, but he won’t be

 

[GoldGloveschmidt]

T-Wolves get:Tyler Johnson, Ayton and 2 #1s

Phoenix gets: KAT

Hell no

 

[TJ]

T-Wolves get:Tyler Johnson, Ayton and 2 #1s

Phoenix gets: KAT

Bad trade proposals are bad.