Suns @ Trail Blazers 4-1-17

[Mainstreet]

The Suns play at the Trail Blazers tonight before coming home for four games. Start time for tonight's game is 7 p.m. Arizona time. The Suns will catch a break of sorts as Jusuf Nurkic is sidelined for the rest of the regular season with a reported non-displaced fracture in his right leg.

Here is more from the ESPN Preview:

Portland (37-38) is 13-3 in its last 16 games and holds a two-game lead over the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Nurkic will watch the rest of the regular season from the sidelines after the Trail Blazers announced Friday that he suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right leg that will cost him two weeks.

Nurkic has had a major impact in the 20 games since being obtained before the All-Star break in a trade for Mason Plumlee. Since joining Portland, Nurkic is averaging career highs of 15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds and the Trail Blazers are 14-6 with him in the lineup.

The Suns take a 10-game losing streak into Saturday. It is their 10th double-digit losing streak in team history.

The losing streak began March 12 when Lillard scored 39 in Portland's 110-101 win at Phoenix. Eric Bledsoe scored 19 points in that game, and it was his final game as the Suns have opted to shut him down along with Brandon Knight and Tyson Chandler.

There are six games left in the Suns season including tonight's game.

http://www.espn.com/nba/preview?gameId=400899401

 

[sunsfan88]

I'd like to see the Suns experiment with Alan Williams starting and Len coming off the bench just to see how Williams can hold his own against starters.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'd like to see the Suns experiment with Alan Williams starting and Len coming off the bench just to see how Williams can hold his own against starters.

If the Suns want to keep Len, this might not be the best idea although I agree with you otherwise. I think the Suns know what they have in Williams. IMO, the Suns need to keep looking at Len if they plan to pay him in RFA.

 

[sunsfan88]

If the Suns want to keep Len, this might not be the best idea although I agree with you otherwise. I think the Suns know what they have in Williams. IMO, the Suns need to keep looking at Len if they plan to pay him in RFA.

I feel like we know what we have in Len. An incredibly consistent player who on his best night looks like a solid starting center and on his other nights looks like someone who should be playing overseas.

Only reason I want Williams to start is to see how he does against starters so that we can see if he can be a great backup C who can step up and become the starter in the event of injury in the future.

 

[Mainstreet]

I feel like we know what we have in Len. An incredibly consistent player who on his best night looks like a solid starting center and on his other nights looks like someone who should be playing overseas.

Only reason I want Williams to start is to see how he does against starters so that we can see if he can be a great backup C who can step up and become the starter in the event of injury in the future.

I think starting Williams is a good idea in theory.

I just don't want Len asking the Suns not to re-sign him.

 

[Mainstreet]

Len with 2 PFs early in the 1st quarter causing him to go to the bench.

The Suns down 17-6 at the 7:18 mark.

 

[Mainstreet]

@sunsfan88

Pretend Alan Williams is starting with Len sitting early.

 

[Mainstreet]

Williams with 7 points and 3 rebounds in 6 minutes.

 

[Mainstreet]

Booker is playing PG right now with Ulis on the bench.

 

[Mainstreet]

Suns down 37-21 at the end of the 1st quarter.

 

[Mainstreet]

It looks to me the Suns are auditioning Booker at PG even with Ulis on the court. At least they are taking turns.

 

[Mainstreet]

Chriss with a vicious dunk. The Suns cut the lead to 8 with 42 seconds left in the 2nd quarter.

 

[Mainstreet]

Halftime:

Trail Blazers 63 Suns 53

 

[Mainstreet]

Chriss is having a nice game with 17 points and 5 rebounds so far.

Booker has 19 points 6 assists with 6:37 in the 3rd quarter.

 

[Mainstreet]

What's happening with Len? The lights are twinkling. He looks like a quality center tonight.

I keep this Len.

 

[hsandhu]

Why don't they run more of the booker and len pick and roll, his big body actually holds up the defender for a long time our other pickers don't do that?

 

[Mainstreet]

Trail Blazers with a 10 point lead at the end of 3 quarters, 96-86.

 

[Mainstreet]

Vonleh with the old Cliff Robinson look with the head band.

 

[Mainstreet]

If Jusuf Nurkic were healthy, I don't think anyone would look forward to playing the Trail Blazers in the playoffs.

 

[Mainstreet]

Final:

Trail Blazers 130 - Suns 117

 

[Sunburn]

End of the first quarter, Booker takes the last shot. The confidence with which he takes control and says this is my shot, then the subsequent shot he takes........kid is unreal.

 

[slinslin]

We suck really hard at defending the 3 and also setting up 3s.

Ulis is just like he is not even on the floor defensively. He will be a good backup PG still because other backup PGs wont abuse him as much.