Suns @ Trail Blazers 12-6-18

[SirStefan32]

Bob Knight available?

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I watch it with my son. I'll point out good plays and bad to him and why and generally am half a second ahead of EJ. The losing sucks, and I fully expect my son to quit watching at some point soon, but I will always watch them.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Very much disagree with this. The coach has many jobs (gameplanning, working out rotations and looking for the propper adjustments to make throughout the game to name a few) and telling players to "play hard" is not one of them
...
Good teams that play hard everynight don't play that way because the coach is telling them to do it, but because they have multiple players that put it upon themselves to push each other to keep playing that way.

you believe other players can push a player to play harder but a coach can't and it's not his job?
telling a player to play hard is the bare minimum of his job. then his job is to push them with inspiration, motivation, and positive and negative reinforcement

if you don't think that's what a head coach is being paid the big bucks to do
you must be in the minority who support holding onto our passive assistant coach, Igor Kokoskov

 

[AzStevenCal]

With the current chaotic ownership and management, yes, they would be frustrated , just as Ayton must be feeling at this time. I've posted that I wouldn't be surprised if he is seeing it in Booker behind the scenes. Truthfully, Steve, wouldn't you or I if we found ourselves in that situation?

Getting a quality Center as our only #1 pick in forever is closer to the category of a Jordan or Barkley (closer) than another Wing.

I like Ayton and haven't given up on him despite some struggles but I don't think he's destined for greatness, maybe the tier below it though. But I don't really understand your point about another Wing? Are you suggesting that Zion would be a wing in the NBA?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

you believe other players can push a player to play harder but a coach can't and it's not his job?
telling a player to play hard is the bare minimum of his job. then his job is to push them with inspiration, motivation, and positive and negative reinforcement

if you don't think that's what a head coach is being paid the big bucks to do
you must be in the minority who support holding onto our passive assistant coach, Igor Kokoskov

I didn't say that a coach can't do it, but that he shouldn't have to. Also when a coach constantly does it, it eventually falls on deaf ears. The coach has about a hundred other things to be worrying about during a game and just about the last thing he should have to spend time doing is reminding players to play hard. Of course the coach will pull players out of the game if their effort is lacking to send a message, but that is about the extent of it.

 

[BC867]

I like Ayton and haven't given up on him despite some struggles but I don't think he's destined for greatness, maybe the tier below it though. But I don't really understand your point about another Wing? Are you suggesting that Zion would be a wing in the NBA?

No, not at all. I'm referring to his joining an unbalanced team as did Ayton and not being able to avoid the malaise and frustration.

I also don't think that another year of hoping for a high draft pick to land even Zion would have better results in leading us to the promised land than what we see so far with Ayton (even if he brings more aggressiveness to the table).

Our roster right now consists of four rookies; two players with 1 or 2 years experience; and two players with 3 years experience (that's eight with 3 years experience or less); plus 3 players with 4 or 5 years experience; and the rest with 10, 14 and 18 years.

Looking at the mean-median-mode ... mean (average) means nothing (out of balance with the 10, 14, and 18) ... median (the mid-point) doesn't mean much more, because it is only two players ... and mode (the status that occurs the most) is at the rookie position, which highlights the predicament. I wonder if any of the geniuses in our ownership, Front Office or Coaching staff have even looked at that.

To sum it up, THE PHOENIX SUNS ARE IN THE HANDS OF AMATEURS in a professional league.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It certainly couldn't hurt.

I'm of a mind Melton should start after coming off a nice game but Okobo was wearing a starter's practice jersey at shootaround.

I disagree with all the injuries and merry-go-round have to have some continuity. Even if it’s minimal. Can’t switch the lineup every time a player has a good game. Start okobo and give Melton minutes. Insert Melton early if okobo is struggling. Mete out minutes as warranted by play each night.

 

[elindholm]

This team needs a Larry Brown/Doug Collins/even Scotty Brooks type HC who has ACTUAL HC experience/success and is known for developing young guys.

Collins and Brown are obviously too old, but does that guy actually exist in today's game?

Scott Skiles?

 

[AzStevenCal]

No, not at all. I'm referring to his joining an unbalanced team as did Ayton and not being able to avoid the malaise and frustration.

I also don't think that another year of hoping for a high draft pick to land even Zion would have better results in leading us to the promised land than what we see so far with Ayton (even if he brings more aggressiveness to the table).

I like Ayton but he is no Zion, not even close. You should watch the guy play, you might change your mind about what he could do for us. And yes, we are an unbalanced team because we have our shooting guard playing point and a small forward playing the 4. But Zion would at least solve the power forward position and he'd also improve our defense and especially our rebounding. He's the best college player I've seen in more than a decade, I'd have to think a while to come up with the last time I saw a freshman with this much promise.

 

[Western Font]

If he close to the bottom three in the last few weeks, then sure, tank away. But the 5th seed in the lottery has a 10.5% shot at the top pick compared to 14% for seeds 1-3. It’s not night and day.

 

[Yuma]

So my point at the beginning on Zion is that he isn't a 3D guy. Most guys, including me, would want Zion anyways. However, maybe Igor, James, etc., are still looking at guys that spread the floor and rate Zion lower than us. If so the possibility is there that Zion could be on the board at our pick and the Suns select someone else! How do we know WHO the Suns would pick? We just HOPE it's Zion.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So my point at the beginning on Zion is that he isn't a 3D guy. Most guys, including me, would want Zion anyways. However, maybe Igor, James, etc., are still looking at guys that spread the floor and rate Zion lower than us. If so the possibility is there that Zion could be on the board at our pick and the Suns select someone else! How do we know WHO the Suns would pick? We just HOPE it's Zion.

You get a 3 and D guy to fill out your roster, you get a Zion to build a roster around. Taking a 3 and D guy over him is like refusing the free million dollar car because you're fine with your 8 year old Toyota Corolla. I don't see anyone taking a specialist over Zion right now. Maybe he'll be exposed sometime during the season but right now, he looks like a legend in the making.

 

[Mainstreet]

I disagree with all the injuries and merry-go-round have to have some continuity. Even if it’s minimal. Can’t switch the lineup every time a player has a good game. Start okobo and give Melton minutes. Insert Melton early if okobo is struggling. Mete out minutes as warranted by play each night.

I can understand the continuity argument but I don't think the Sun have found a legitimate starter yet.

The word is Okobo will start tonight.

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[Cheesebeef]

So my point at the beginning on Zion is that he isn't a 3D guy. Most guys, including me, would want Zion anyways. However, maybe Igor, James, etc., are still looking at guys that spread the floor and rate Zion lower than us. If so the possibility is there that Zion could be on the board at our pick and the Suns select someone else! How do we know WHO the Suns would pick? We just HOPE it's Zion.

Jeebus... we JUST blew TWO first round picks on a 3 and D guy and if we got that high again and those morons took ANOTHER guy like that AGAIN... I'D... I'D... i'd... rant and rage powerless to do anything about it and still be here because i'm sadly addicted to this train wreck of a franchise.

 

[Yuma]

I'm just saying WE see a potentially great player in Zion. This is a new regime. James Jones today says the draft is no longer their priority. They are in no hurry to get scouts. James Jones say veterans win you games, and they are ready to make the team better December 15th. So I am thinking, if you trade your picks away to get veteran players, what's the hurry to get scouts if you have no picks anyway? Maybe there is an idea to use our picks to get Veterans?

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm just saying WE see a potentially great player in Zion. This is a new regime. James Jones today says the draft is no longer their priority. They are in no hurry to get scouts. James Jones say veterans win you games, and they are ready to make the team better December 15th. So I am thinking, if you trade your picks away to get veteran players, what's the hurry to get scouts if you have no picks anyway? Maybe there is an idea to use our picks to get Veterans?

It sounds like James Jones is the "we."

“We shifted focus,” Jones said. “I think in the past our primary focus — a great amount of our time was spent turning over every stone as it relates to players and college players, but college players don’t win NBA games. NBA players do, so that’s where our focus is now.”

http://arizonasports.com/story/1761...ing-less-on-nba-draft/?show=comments#comments

 

[Mainstreet]

Holmes will start instead of Ayton.

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[Mainstreet]

Booker will not start but through went through pregame warmup.

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[Mainstreet]

McCollum will be out tonight for Blazers.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

McCollum will be out tonight for Blazers.

That should even it out...

 

[Mainstreet]

That should even it out...

I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ayton is reportedly not starting because he is not feeling well.

 

[1Sun]

Holmes will start instead of Ayton.

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Suns might have to get rid of Kokoskov before there isn't anyone left who is willing to play for him...

 

[Mainstreet]

Jackson scores the first basket.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

Holmes will start instead of Ayton.

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ABOUT TIME!