Suns @ Trail Blazers 4-4-14

[Mainstreet]

The Suns play at the Trail Blazers tonight with an Arizona start time of 7 PM. It's either the Suns stand tall or accept the reality they are not a playoff team. See more from the Paul Coro article at azcentral dated 4-4-14 at the link below.

Suns (44-31) at Trail Blazers (49-27) … 7 p.m. Phoenix tip time

C: Miles Plumlee … Robin Lopez

PF: Channing Frye … LaMarcus Aldridge

SF: P.J. Tucker … Nicolas Batum

SG: Goran Dragic … Wesley Matthews

PG: Eric Bledsoe … Damian Lillard

Key Blazers injuries: Joel Freeland (right knee sprain) is out.

Key Blazers reserves: Mo Williams, Thomas Robinson, Will Barton, Dorell Wright.

* This is not the night for the Suns to look elsewhere for help.

If the Suns are going to make the playoffs, they are going to have to make their own magic and pull off some victories in undesirable circumstances, like playing on the road tonight against a Portland team that has turned hot since LaMarcus Aldridge returned.

The ninth-place Suns are giving chase against teams that should all win tonight – Memphis at home against Denver, Dallas at the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State at home against Sacramento.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/coro-blog/2014/04/04/suns-blazers-game-preview-orange-slices/7314827/

 

[mjb21aztd]

Come on suns play a good game tonight and maybe a miracle will happen. Be nice to see Plumlee and Bledose play well tonight. Watching the memphis game now hoping they fall to the nuggets. Glad the suns didn't trade for Gasol btw just saw he is out for the season

 

[Mainstreet]

Come on suns play a good game tonight and maybe a miracle will happen. Be nice to see Plumlee and Bledose play well tonight. Watching the memphis game now hoping they fall to the nuggets. Glad the suns didn't trade for Gasol btw just saw he is out for the season

As I think I mentioned before on another thread, I like your optimism.

 

[Mainstreet]

In regard to Gasol, I just don't think he likes the way D'Antoni coaches.

 

[Catlover]

Come on suns play a good game tonight and maybe a miracle will happen. Be nice to see Plumlee and Bledose play well tonight. Watching the memphis game now hoping they fall to the nuggets. Glad the suns didn't trade for Gasol btw just saw he is out for the season

We really didn't play all that poorly against the Clippers, they're just a better team than us. I doubt we take the Blazers lightly like we did the Lakers but the Blazers will be out for blood too.

 

[Mainstreet]

There are a lot of crazy games lost at the end of the season by good teams when they are contending for a playoff spot... games that are lost to an inferior opponent that should have been won. Sometimes I wonder if it is because the season is too long and the players are worn down. Only teams that are methodically good like San Antonio seem immune.

 

[AzStevenCal]

There are a lot of crazy games lost at the end of the season by good teams when they are contending for a playoff spot... games that are lost to an inferior opponent that should have been won. Sometimes I wonder if it is because the season is too long and the players are worn down. Only teams that are methodically good like San Antonio seem immune.

Try this experiment. Watch ten games with the Spurs broadcasting team and then watch ten games with the Suns group. Count how many times Eddie Johnson says something like "heat check" and then compare it to how many times Sean Elliot says it about the Spurs.

I don't know how he does it but Pop gets his players to treasure almost every possession. I love the Morris brothers but how many times this season have we seen them throw away a possession with an ill-advised shot (or lazy pass, it's the same point). Pop gets his players to play almost every possession as if it were the deciding possession. You win a lot more games doing that and you rarely lose to an inferior team when you come out focused almost all the time.

 

[Mainstreet]

[/B]
Try this experiment. Watch ten games with the Spurs broadcasting team and then watch ten games with the Suns group. Count how many times Eddie Johnson says something like "heat check" and then compare it to how many times Sean Elliot says it about the Spurs.

I don't know how he does it but Pop gets his players to treasure almost every possession. I love the Morris brothers but how many times this season have we seen them throw away a possession with an ill-advised shot (or lazy pass, it's the same point). Pop gets his players to play almost every possession as if it were the deciding possession. You win a lot more games doing that and you rarely lose to an inferior team when you come out focused almost all the time.

I don't know how Popovich does it because even when the Spurs go their bench the same effort is there. When watching the Spurs play they are maddeningly consistent. I want to say it is a system thing but if it is, only Popovich can run it.

 

[Errntknght]

I remember remarking to myself when I watched a Phil Jackson team how every player that took the floor appeared to know what he was supposed to do out there and set about doing it. Pops teams are much the same. Both coaches also have the knack of seeing how some lightly regarded or seemingly over the hill player can contribute something his team needs. Pops continually amazes me with the players he can wring something good out of. Red Auerbach wasn't so adept at that, as far as I recall, but he sure knew how to put a team together.

 

[BC867]

Try this experiment. Watch ten games with the Spurs broadcasting team and then watch ten games with the Suns group. Count how many times Eddie Johnson says something like "heat check" and then compare it to how many times Sean Elliot says it about the Spurs.

I don't know how he does it but Pop gets his players to treasure almost every possession. I love the Morris brothers but how many times this season have we seen them throw away a possession with an ill-advised shot (or lazy pass, it's the same point). Pop gets his players to play almost every possession as if it were the deciding possession. You win a lot more games doing that and you rarely lose to an inferior team when you come out focused almost all the time.

Good to see you back, Steve. Except for having to rely on small ball, Jeff is showing signs of becoming an excellent Coach, as all Suns fans know.

In is first year of coaching the Spurs, Popovich went 17-47. Since then -- 947-393. His second season was 56-26).

Regardless of whether the Suns make the playoffs this year, Jeff's first season has been spectacular. To meet Pop's 56-26 next season is quite a challenge.

 

[AfroSuns]

Where is this game playing? FSA got the Coyotes on

 

[Mainstreet]

Where is this game playing? FSA got the Coyotes on

On Direct TV it is channel 686-1, FSAZ.

 

[AfroSuns]

Dragic still shooting like crap

 

[AfroSuns]

On Direct TV it is channel 686-1, FSAZ.

Thanks...its on 1073 on Cox

 

[SirStefan32]

Man, Dragic is stinking it up today.

 

[AfroSuns]

Plumlee with 3 fumbles

 

[Mainstreet]

Sometimes I wonder, both Bledsoe and Dragic drive the ball to the hoop hard but Bledsoe has the knack for drawing fouls, which of course is huge.

 

[Catlover]

Sometimes I wonder, both Bledsoe and Dragic drive the ball to the hoop hard but Bledsoe has the knack for drawing fouls, which of course is huge.

What do you wonder?

 

[AfroSuns]

Bledsoe stroking it really good though...hope he can keep it up. Him and Green

 

[Mainstreet]

Gerald Green looking good early.

 

[Mainstreet]

What do you wonder?

They both both draw a lot of contact by the defender although Bledsoe seems to get the calls. I guess he takes the ball into the defender more.

 

[SirStefan32]

They both both draw a lot of contact by the defender although Bledsoe seems to get the calls. I guess he takes the ball into the defender more.

Bledsoe is much stronger and a bit quicker.
I think if Dragic can keep up his level of play, he'll start getting more calls next year, but he'll never have Bledsoe's strength or quickness.

 

[Catlover]

They both both draw a lot of contact by the defender although Bledsoe seems to get the calls. I guess he takes the ball into the defender more.

Oh. So you're wondering why he doesn't get fouls called? He avoids the contact and Eric doesn't, for the most part. Goran has that incredible step back (fall back) move he makes when he tries to avoid contact. I didn't know that there was a huge difference in free throw attempts though, I'd never really given it much thought.

 

[Mainstreet]

Dragic took it into Wright that time for a basket and one. He looks peeved after that technical.

 

[Catlover]

Another thing I'll say about Goran when he drives, he's just so clever with all of his moves. Bledsoe is all quickness and strength, Dragic is agility and guile. I like it when each of them drives but I'd guess that even if there's a free throw difference that Dragic is more efficient going to the hoop than Eric is.