Suns updates and discussion for the 2020-21 season

[GatorAZ]

I can’t wait to lose money and then end up hating sports because of it lol.

 

[Mainstreet]

I can’t wait to lose money and then end up hating sports because of it lol.

I've never done sports betting even in friendly wagers. I think this would take the fun out of the game especially if you bet against your favorite team.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I can’t wait to lose money and then end up hating sports because of it lol.

i kinda feel like this takes part of the fun away going to Vegas. I haven’t been in eons, but I loved taking at least one weekend and going for either the first round of the tournament or a weekend of NFL football where I’d bet on a ton of games and just get sloggernockered in the sports book with some buddies.

just having it at my disposal whenever I want it takes a little of the “I’m doing something illegal I can only do here” juice out of that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I've never done sports betting even in friendly wagers. I think this would take the fun out of the game especially if you bet against your favorite team.

Although the more you know about the teams involved the better your odds of winning, I decided several decades ago to never bet against my team (and rarely bet for them either). I never wanted to have to root against my team nor feel any extra remorse if they lost.

In my much younger days I loved going to Vegas for March Madness and any week in football season to watch the games and I usually had bets riding on just about every contest. Not a lot of money, just a lot of bets (and a lot of parlays). The excitement goes up several notches when you have money riding on the games even if you're only talking small time bets.

 

[Hoop Head]

I've never done sports betting even in friendly wagers. I think this would take the fun out of the game especially if you bet against your favorite team.

I've made some decent cash in the past betting on football and i've never bet against my team. I would try to avoid betting on my team because my emotions cloud my judgement but I'd usually bet something on my team winning it all before the season started because that's just being a fan and giving yourself an added reason to hope to see your team win it all. Like this year throwing $20 on the Suns winning the championship would probably make you a $1000 or so if they pull it off.

 

[elindholm]

just having it at my disposal whenever I want it takes a little of the “I’m doing something illegal I can only do here” juice out of that.

You could still hire a prostitute.

 

[Mainstreet]

I've made some decent cash in the past betting on football and i've never bet against my team. I would try to avoid betting on my team because my emotions cloud my judgement but I'd usually bet something on my team winning it all before the season started because that's just being a fan and giving yourself an added reason to hope to see your team win it all. Like this year throwing $20 on the Suns winning the championship would probably make you a $1000 or so if they pull it off.

That's the way to do it, bet for your team or another team that you are familiar or neutral about. That way if they win, it's all good.

 

[Mainstreet]

Although the more you know about the teams involved the better your odds of winning, I decided several decades ago to never bet against my team (and rarely bet for them either). I never wanted to have to root against my team nor feel any extra remorse if they lost.

In my much younger days I loved going to Vegas for March Madness and any week in football season to watch the games and I usually had bets riding on just about every contest. Not a lot of money, just a lot of bets (and a lot of parlays). The excitement goes up several notches when you have money riding on the games even if you're only talking small time bets.

It makes sense if a person is going to bet, do it on something you follow everyday like sports. Maybe I will change my mind. It has to be better than the lottery.

March Madness pools seem like a lot of fun.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That's the way to do it, bet for your team or another team that you are familiar or neutral about. That way if they win, it's all good.

nope. Two best bets I ever made were against the Cardinals. They were ATROCIOUS back in 2003. Losing every road game by at least twenty and I wanted that entire staff and team fired and burned to the ground.

I was on my last legs of unemployment at the time and that was all the money I had. The Cards were 15 point road dogs to SF. I convinced my roommate and old friend from college, neither of which had any clue about anything football, to drive to Vegas in the wee late hours of Saturday/early Sunday morning with me where we’d both bet the entirety of our last unemployment checks AGAINST the Cardinals. Basically bet 450 each on SF +15. Which is insane unless you followed the cards that year.

we got there around 11ish, placed our bet, then went back to my car to drink pretty much an entire bottle of vodka before the game. We stumbled back in the sportsbook a little late, about five minutes into the first quarter.

The score was 21-0 already! We were already UP on our +15 SF line and it just got worse from there as the Niners pounded us 50-14. That was glorious. I made 450 bucks and the Cards had another horrific game that would get the team closer to the 1st pick and get rid of the coaching staff.

Two weeks later, I convinced the other roommate who was on unemployment and also had no clue about football to drive out there again early Sunday morning as the Cards were playing at Seattle later that day. Again, Cards were 15 point underdogs and again I bet on the Seahawks. Score after the first quarter? 21-0 again. That game would have been just as easy street as the Niners game but Hasselbeck got injured and then Trent Dilfer dinked and dunked the rest of the way. It became a white knuckler as the Cards closed to 28-10 late in the quarter but were mercifully stopped short of a late cheese TD that would have covered the underdog spread.

I came away with exactly what I wanted. 2 massive losses, 1K and that coaching staff get flushed at the end of the year.

Perfect scenario.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It makes sense if a person is going to bet, do it on something you follow everyday like sports. Maybe I will change my mind. It has to be better than the lottery.

March Madness pools seem like a lot of fun.

Madness pools are fun... and the biggest waste of money of all time. But fun nonetheless.

 

[Mainstreet]

Madness pools are fun... and the biggest waste of money of all time. But fun nonetheless.

From what I've seen, it's really doesn't matter if you win or lose. It's more about the excitement of being a part of a group activity.

I've always loved sports but I could walk away from that part of it. I have a longtime friend that still calls me for advice.

 

[Mainstreet]

Mikal Bridges on Adrian Wojnarowski podcast.

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[Hoop Head]

Is Mikal really having a breakout season? Don't get me wrong, I love what he gives us night in and night out but I wouldn't say he's broken out in any way. I guess his stats are up but not to a level where it turns any heads.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Is Mikal really having a breakout season? Don't get me wrong, I love what he gives us night in and night out but I wouldn't say he's broken out in any way. I guess his stats are up but not to a level where it turns any heads.

He is putting up 13/5 with elite defense and great efficiency on one of the best teams in the league. I would say it has been somewhat of a breakout season for him. Especially in the sense of people getting to know who he is as I suspect a lot of casual basketball fans had little to no idea who he was before this season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Is Mikal really having a breakout season? Don't get me wrong, I love what he gives us night in and night out but I wouldn't say he's broken out in any way. I guess his stats are up but not to a level where it turns any heads.

his numbers have tailed off every single month after that great start the first five weeks of the season.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/6021/splits

For a guy who wasn’t necessarily young compared to most guys when drafted and was considered “NBA ready”, he should be ascending as he gets to the end of his third season, not plateauing or even regressing as he has been since the all-star break where all of his numbers are down across the board even though he’s still playing almost exactly the same minutes and getting the same shot attempts. Scoring, shooting (even FT), assists and rebounds (which has become downright pathetic for a SF) all down across the board.

also, I can’t remember the last time he hit a big three in a close fourth quarter. He can’t miss wide open threes down the stretch of playoff games. Those are killers against good teams.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I’ll be honest, if we end up having to make a choice between Cam and Mikal, I might lean towards Cam at this point. He’s an underrated defender and I think he’s got much more potential to break out on offense than Bridges.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I’ll be honest, if we end up having to make a choice between Cam and Mikal, I might lean towards Cam at this point. He’s an underrated defender and I think he’s got much more potential to break out on offense than Bridges.

Hopefully we don't have to choose, but if we do I would lean towards Mikal. Cam will never be the defender that he is and Mikal has already displayed a better slashing and mid range game than Cam has at this point.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Hopefully we don't have to choose, but if we do I would lean towards Mikal. Cam will never be the defender that he is and Mikal has already displayed a better slashing and mid range game than Cam has at this point.

Bridges shrinks from big moments. And totally disagree about the mid-range game. Cam has already shown the ability to hit the pull up, but also put it on the floor and get to the rack. And he’s the superior three point shooter. Give me the 3 point shooter who actually can create his own shot over the guy who needs to be set up for the most part. Slashers are a dime a dozen. Great 3 point shooters who will go to the hole creates shots for others.

I also think Bridges is overrated on D by some people here. Again, he started the season strong there like he did on O, but I haven’t been impressed the second half of the season. And he’s a flat out bad rebounder for a SF.

but more to the point, I want someone at that spot who’s going to rise to the occasion at crunch time. Even when Cam was struggling post Covid, he still came up with BIG threes down stretches of games where he couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. Bridges is consistently missing those open jumpers and can only shoot from range from the corners. Cam can nail that three ball from anywhere on the court.

Mikal has all the makings of a great role player... who I fear we’ll pay like a star. Cam actually has the makings of 6th man of the year candidate.

 

[SirStefan32]

Oh I am picking Bridges over Cam any day of the week, and it's really not even remotely close. Bridges is easily the best defender on the team, and there are quite a few good defenders on the team. I said it before, but I'll say it again- Bridges is as good (if not better) on defense as Booker is on offense. His shooting has improved, he is being more aggressive going to the hoop, he is not terrified of putting the ball on the floor, he makes plays that don't show up in the stats, and he really doesn't do stupid stuff. Don't get me wrong, I like Cam a lot, but Mikal is a far better player.

I do, however, see the point you are making in the last paragraph. That is a valid concern.

 

[Proximo]

Is Mikal really having a breakout season? Don't get me wrong, I love what he gives us night in and night out but I wouldn't say he's broken out in any way. I guess his stats are up but not to a level where it turns any heads.

I think he has. His offensive game has expanded quite a bit, and he is now very efficient.

With more shots he would easily be a 20 PPG scorer.

 

[Ronin]

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[Mainstreet]

Selfishly I'm hoping Bridges doesn't completely break out because the Suns need to re-sign him.

The Suns have a lot of players they need to keep in Bridges, Ayton, Payne, Cam Johnson and Craig. Nader was also playing well pre-injury.

 

[TJ]

Bridges has way too many games in which he completely disappears. like, 0-3 point games. He’s a solid role player for this team, but the way fans adore him makes him vastly overrated. If I’m JJ, I don’t make much of an effort to re-sign him

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Bridges has way too many games in which he completely disappears. like, 0-3 point games. He’s a solid role player for this team, but the way fans adore him makes him vastly overrated. If I’m JJ, I don’t make much of an effort to re-sign him

Well then I’m glad you’re not JJ.

 

[TJ]

Well then I’m glad you’re not JJ.

So you wanna throw $15-$20mil/year at him?