Suns @ Trail Blazers 12-6-18

[sdscard4]

That game ended and Arizona already won.

since we're talking about Igor, you want to see an example of good coaching? Watch how Sean Miller adjusted after getting punched in the face in the first half by Utah Valley. Punched right back and much harder.

Can't say I have the same confidence in Igor.

The night just gets worse lol

 

[Superbone]

Ugh... just tuned into the telecast.. tell me Ayton, at least has a foul. The few possessions I've seen .. looks to be more of the same passive player.

Ayton has 0 fouls in the last 2 games combined.

 

[Superbone]

My son kept saying he expects Igor to be fired any day now. I keep saying, but they've already fired the GM, Most of the scouts, the D League boss, and front office people. You can't fire a head coach for the second season in a row early! Who in the NBA would ever come to work for the Suns at that point?

Do we really want Joe Prunty coaching the team for the rest of the season?

 

[sunsfan88]

Do we really want Joe Prunty coaching the team for the rest of the season?

This is the most overlooked aspect of the “Fire Kokoskov” group.

 

[Mainstreet]

There was more friction in the game beyond Igor and Bridges.

Booker and Ayton reportedly had words after the game.


This is from Duane Rankin at azcentral:

After the game. Phoenix’s top two players, Booker and Ayton, exchanged words after the 10-minute cooling off period as members of the media entered the visiting locker room for the tail end of that conversation.

These two have had words before on the court, with Booker correcting Ayton on what to do on certain plays. Both have agreed to hold players accountable, but this felt different.

“I’m an emotional guy, too,” Ayton said. “I start to feel stuff. When I don’t sense it and the energy is not there, that’s when you start to hear my mouth. I don’t care who it is. Nineteen-year vet or 15 years, it don’t matter. We all have a job to do and I have to step it up a little more, too.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-suns-portland-trailblazers-score/2234658002/


The article linked above is a very good read as the frustration grows.

 

[taz02]

Don't bother firing Igor until we know he can be replaced with an experienced coach. At this stage we are better off losing until we identify a real coach.

I didn't pay much attention to the game. Did Holmes and Ayton see any court time together?

 

[Mainstreet]

damn, he does look bigger
and moves well

our other big man -- Chandler, also regressed here
but is doing better with the Lakers

our rookie big man, the #1 pick in the draft,
has also regressed on this team

hmmm
is Bender really a bust?
or another casualty of a bad organization

A good question.

It appears Bender is starting to fill out his frame. I can see Bender playing center for a team willing to give him a chance. Too bad he will likely move on this summer as the Suns did not pick up his option.

With the Suns in disarray, it's hard to evaluate players.

 

[Mainstreet]

Don't bother firing Igor until we know he can be replaced with an experienced coach. At this stage we are better off losing until we identify a real coach.

I didn't pay much attention to the game. Did Holmes and Ayton see any court time together?

I do not recall Holmes and Ayton getting playing time together last night.

If the Suns replace Igor it would be with an interim head coach such as Joe Prunty. He has served as an interim head coach for the Bucks and has assistant coaching experience.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Prunty

 

[taz02]

Thank you, Mainstreet. Are there even any experienced coaches in need of a job?

 

[Mainstreet]

Thank you, Mainstreet. Are there even any experienced coaches in need of a job?

There may be some but I'm not on top of the situation. Maybe some other posters can offer suggestions.

If Houston keeps losing D'Antoni might become available.

 

[Proximo]

My son and I were discussing a write in campaign to Elon Musk to buy the Suns, ala Cuban. Maybe a group of rappers?

Musk is not the right guy. I don't think he is interested in sports, and he has almost no liquid assets.

Bezos would be a better target, although I doubt he would be interested either.

 

[Proximo]

Even if the offense comes around with the addition of a point guard I don't see any system for the defense. The Suns defense is horrendous. I don't have much hope there.

The defense is not as bad as it looks when we are being blown out. At times this year the defense has even looked good.

That's why our defensive rating jumped significantly when we were competitive with point book.

We are dealing with humans, and when they go into a game feeling like they have no chance of winning they will not play with max effort on defense. You can be pissed at them, but it is just human nature. If you are in a job for a failing company and you know you will be getting a job elsewhere soon, 90% of peoples effort drops. This is just the way it is.

I am not worried about the defense, that will be acceptable if the offense becomes acceptable - just looking back to previous games this season proves it.

 

[Proximo]

Seriously, I will have to look up how much a half page and full page ad in the Arizona Republic costs. Then maybe we crowd source an ASFN advertisement asking for new ownership for the Suns? LOL!

Who exactly would even see that? Nobody buys newspapers anymore.

Would be far more effective to start a campaign of letter writing to ESPN to hope to get them to air it to humiliate the Suns or the NBA offices.

Or buying a commercial during a fox sports game, or better yet a local one during the superbowl.

But really if you expect anything to shame Sarver, you have not been paying attention.

 

[Proximo]

A good question.

It appears Bender is starting to fill out his frame. I can see Bender playing center for a team willing to give him a chance. Too bad he will likely move on this summer as the Suns did not pick up his option.

With the Suns in disarray, it's hard to evaluate players.

I actually have a feeling Bender will become a decent player. Too bad it won't be with the Suns.

I think we will see enough of him after Ariza is gone we may want to resign him, but he will go somewhere else because we dissed him by not picking up the option.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I actually have a feeling Bender will become a decent player. Too bad it won't be with the Suns.

I think we will see enough of him after Ariza is gone we may want to resign him, but he will go somewhere else because we dissed him by not picking up the option.

You can't pay him the money owed picking up the option. Is he worth $5-6M? They can still offer him a contract if they desire.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

How many times have we seen Paopovich rest the top three OR FOUR guys and still have his team whip our butts? A well coached team is a well coached team.

First-year Popovich? Probably never. Probably not even second-year.

 

[Mainstreet]

I actually have a feeling Bender will become a decent player. Too bad it won't be with the Suns.

I think we will see enough of him after Ariza is gone we may want to resign him, but he will go somewhere else because we dissed him by not picking up the option.

I was hoping Igor's European background might be good for Bender but the situation with the team is a mess. Also I'm guessing Igor referring to him as a G-League player didn't help.

 

[Mainstreet]

The defense is not as bad as it looks when we are being blown out. At times this year the defense has even looked good.

That's why our defensive rating jumped significantly when we were competitive with point book.

We are dealing with humans, and when they go into a game feeling like they have no chance of winning they will not play with max effort on defense. You can be pissed at them, but it is just human nature. If you are in a job for a failing company and you know you will be getting a job elsewhere soon, 90% of peoples effort drops. This is just the way it is.

I am not worried about the defense, that will be acceptable if the offense becomes acceptable - just looking back to previous games this season proves it.

The Suns defense is bad. There is no sugar coating it. Players should play hard because they are getting paid for it and personal pride. I'm not sure what happened to the work ethic.

I suspect Igor has a strong work ethic. I have found most Europeans do. Perhaps he is at a loss on why he has to cajole players to put out the effort. Maybe the Suns have the wrong type players on their team.

 

[Hoop Head]

Seriously, I will have to look up how much a half page and full page ad in the Arizona Republic costs. Then maybe we crowd source an ASFN advertisement asking for new ownership for the Suns? LOL!

Last year the Suns reddit raised money for billboards and they had trouble actually buying the billboards once they had the cash together. Sarver's rich enough that he made it difficult to buy with a few companies near the arena so they ended up settling for ones a little farther away. There were pieces on that whole situation on a few local news channels but it did nothing.

We have a national TV game coming up against Dallas. That's where a message needs to be sent to Sarver but the odds of pulling something off that actually makes a difference is low, IMO. Maybe someone can pony up for shirts for all in attendance displaying some message but that would be costly and it's unlikely 50% would even wear them. Plus you can bet Sarver would have security working in full force to get people off of the property that are distributing shirts and then more taking them from people at the game. No quick fix.

I guess they are doing shirts now. I like how Fox10 misspelled Sarver as "Saver".
http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/ar...campaign-for-sarver-out-t-shirts-now-underway

 

[95pro]

Musk is not the right guy. I don't think he is interested in sports, and he has almost no liquid assets.

Bezos would be a better target, although I doubt he would be interested either.

Musk is in no shape or form going to buy the suns. Lol

 

[Bufalay]

I was hoping Igor's European background might be good for Bender .

Except for this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_War_of_Independence

 

[SirStefan32]

Except for this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_War_of_Independence

Actually, as someone who lived through that, I can assure you that neither Bender nor Igor give a crap about any of that. That hasn't been an issue since the Divac/ Petrovic/ Kukoc days.

 

[1Sun]

Can we just bench Ariza until the 15th.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1083/trevor-ariza

Listed as questionable with a "sore left knee". Either the Suns are contemplating this approach, or else the Suns are in danger of losing him as a trade chip next week.

 

[BC867]

The defense is not as bad as it looks when we are being blown out. At times this year the defense has even looked good.

That's why our defensive rating jumped significantly when we were competitive with point book.

We are dealing with humans, and when they go into a game feeling like they have no chance of winning they will not play with max effort on defense. You can be pissed at them, but it is just human nature. If you are in a job for a failing company and you know you will be getting a job elsewhere soon, 90% of peoples effort drops. This is just the way it is.

I am not worried about the defense, that will be acceptable if the offense becomes acceptable - just looking back to previous games this season proves it.

That is an excellent point. I went through it a few times during my management career.

 

[Mainstreet]

Except for this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_War_of_Independence

I'm not going to wade into this subject.