Suns @ Trail Blazers 10-31-15

[sunsfan88]

This is the first time our backcourt has had a dominant game since the 2013 season with Dragic and Bledsoe.

Knight with his best game easily as a Sun.

 

[Chaz]

This is like the Mavs game all over again, pathetic 3rd qtr.

I don't think so. The effort was there unlike the Mavs game.
They didn't shoot the ball well but the defense kept them in it.

 

[Mainstreet]

I really liked how the Suns controlled the game in the final minutes. The Suns played with poise. That closing lineup was clutch.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

Bledsoe with 33 points, 4 steals, 6 assists, kind of exciting, eh 82?

 

[GatorAZ]

Bledsoe with 33 points, 4 steals, 6 assists, kind of exciting, eh 82?

Until we saw Curry's statline.

 

[elindholm]

I know as far as the end of the home court advantage that some people also point to the fact that the refs are held more accountable today plus the importance of the 3 point shot has made it less possible for them to influence the outcome. Also, more and more fans either watch the game from home or they are fans of players rather than teams so the crowd advantage is much less today than it used to be. And then there's the fact that travel issues can be more easily mitigated by technology and knowledge.

Good memory! If anyone else is curious, the article is:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12241619/home-court-advantage-decline

 

[sunsfan88]

Until we saw Curry's statline.

Best player in the league.

 

[Catlover]

Good memory! If anyone else is curious, the article is:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12241619/home-court-advantage-decline

Yeah that has to be the article I read, or at least, read a summary of. I was thinking it was Grantland but couldn't find it. After I posted earlier I started searching online and was suprised to discover that it was not as revealing as I had thought it was.

Apparently there was a big dropoff years ago because of improved travel issues (charter planes especially) but the insane dropoff of last season was just a moment in time blip. It corrected itself before season end. Now it has me wondering, does this happen often during the season? Does home court advantage increase during the year especially for the better teams? It would make sense as you'd probably have more rabid fans as a successful season progressed?

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

Until we saw Curry's statline.

Still exciting that Bledsoe is off to a strong start. Not sure what he did this off-season, but he looks really good. And teams can't focus too much on him, because Knight is playing well too and can make defenses pay

 

[SirStefan32]

Still exciting that Bledsoe is off to a strong start. Not sure what he did this off-season, but he looks really good. And teams can't focus too much on him, because Knight is playing well too and can make defenses pay

It's not just his numbers. He didn't do anything stupid (jump and then look to pass, try to score on three defenders in the paint, etc), he taunted the crowd a little bit, and he just looked like a leader of a basketball team out there.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It's not just his numbers. He didn't do anything stupid (jump and then look to pass, try to score on three defenders in the paint, etc), he taunted the crowd a little bit, and he just looked like a leader of a basketball team out there.

So, now if he can just look like this every night instead of 1 out of 3 or so. Don't get me wrong. He is present and competing every night, but it seems that some teams can really knock him off of his game.

 

[Chaz]

We will see but I think Bledsoe is on a mission this year.

I love the potential of these two guards with their defense in the open court. Add to that the defense and rebounding up front with Chandler and Len and they will have a chance to hang in a lot of games.

 

[sunsfan88]

Bledsoe has had six 30+pt games in his career and apparently three of those six 30+pt games have come against the Blazers.

He's building a nice rivalry against Portland.

 

[sunsfan88]

Is anyone concerned that Kieff is dogging it? He's picking up some of the worst fouls ever and been a mess defensively as well. He had a really good +/- stat yesterday but if you watched the game, he was invisible til the very end.

 

[Phrazbit]

Is anyone concerned that Kieff is dogging it? He's picking up some of the worst fouls ever and been a mess defensively as well. He had a really good +/- stat yesterday but if you watched the game, he was invisible til the very end.

Kieff's not a stranger to picking up dumb fouls.

 

[Chaz]

Is anyone concerned that Kieff is dogging it? He's picking up some of the worst fouls ever and been a mess defensively as well. He had a really good +/- stat yesterday but if you watched the game, he was invisible til the very end.

Need a bigger sample size. It could just be a bad start.
If all he does is score to close games on offense I am ok with that for now. At least they have decent sized backups now.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Is anyone concerned that Kieff is dogging it? He's picking up some of the worst fouls ever and been a mess defensively as well. He had a really good +/- stat yesterday but if you watched the game, he was invisible til the very end.

We can afford to sit him. You cannot let the inmates run the asylum.

 

[Catlover]

I'd say Markieff is picking up some of the worst foul calls I've ever seen. I swear at least one ref was just trying to set him off. The problem is he's trying to play without emotion and that won't work for him. It's his fuel.

And I don't buy the "dogging it" accusation. If you watch him you'll see he's talking on defense and I doubt he'd be doing that if he were dogging it. But I also think it's clear he's not really changed his feelings about the Suns. His heart isn't in this, he's being a good soldier only on the surface. He's gone by midseason.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

In all fairness, he did have a decent game last night with 15 & 9. That wasnt the case in prior games.

 

[Catlover]

In all fairness, he did have a decent game last night with 15 & 9. That wasnt the case in prior games.

Yeah I think the effort is there. But watch his interaction with his teammates and compare it to prior years. There just isn't the closeness, either way. So I think everyone knows he's not really a part of the group, just a short term rental.

 

[Chaz]

Yeah I think the effort is there. But watch his interaction with his teammates and compare it to prior years. There just isn't the closeness, either way. So I think everyone knows he's not really a part of the group, just a short term rental.

That is true but there are a lot of new players and new leaders. Chandler, Knight and Bledsoe is stepping up from his work this summer. I haven't seen Morris get testy with his teammates or any sign his teammates haven't accepted him. He is frustrated for sure. What he does with that is up to him.
If he can give them low post scoring and play hard in his minutes I think they will all get along just fine.

If not he will have to learn to get along better from the bench.

His three also looked good last game.
If he plays well enough teams will be calling about him.

Here's hoping. :glasshalffull:

 

[sunsfan88]

We can afford to sit him. You cannot let the inmates run the asylum.

Not quite. If we move Leuer to the starting 4 spot, then Teletovic is the backup and that would be a disaster.

Or the other option would be to start Weems over Tucker at the 3 and have Tucker as the backup PF spot since he can probably somewhat handle his weight against other back up PFs.

 

[Errntknght]

Markieff loses trade value if he sits so we don't want to do that unless its necessary. I could see Detroit being interested since Marcus is doing great for them - we may think its bad to have both brothers but they may well not. The way Houston is struggling they might be looking to make a change. Terrence Jones isn't helping matters and his salary is not a match but if both sides really wanted the trade they could probably work something out.

 

[leclerc]

I don't appreciate the way Chandler throws his elbows around. It's a difference between being dirty and playing tough. I don't see PJ as a dirty player. Kieff perhaps, but not PJ. Hope Chandler continues playing well but cools it with the elbows.

 

[leclerc]

If Kieff was out (of the rotation) then I would start Chandler, Leuer, TJ, Knight and Bledsoe. Len, PJ, Booker, Goodwin and Price would sub. Not seen anything from Weems to put him before Booker and Goodwin, but I guess they would have to earn it in practice.