Suns updates and discussion for the 2020-21 season

[BC867]

I know we got off to a hot start last year too, but this feels very different. Last season our success involved guys like Baynes raining 3s, Booker was white hot and a few guys playing at a level that they'd never shown... also the bench was really bad and our defense was highly suspect.

This year... nothing about this seems unsustainable. These guys are doing stuff we've seen them do before... except for maybe Payne, who we were concerned might have been a bubble fluke. While Bridges seems to have found another gear, we've also got Booker, Paul and Ayton putting up somewhat lesser numbers than we're used to. And the team defense... it is damn good. James Jones has done a fantastic job of getting versatile players. Crowder looks like a brilliant signing. The season is young but, for the first time in ages, the Suns look like they might be one of the top defensive teams in the league.

Stay healthy fellas! And get vaccinated Arizona! I want to be able to watch this team in person come spring time. That arena with a playoff atmosphere is something I have sorely missed.

Happy new year everyone, and raise a glass to the end of the worst decade of basketball in franchise history... and hopefully the dawn of it's best.

I would add that the Suns have something they haven't had for a long time.

An all-around good Head Coach. Team balance, in every aspect of the game.

Starters/bench, offense/defense, veterans/developing players.

Right now, our weakest link appears to be our #1 pick Center on offense
who, surprisingly, hasn't dominayted and shies away from contact.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

I LOVE TO WATCH THIS TEAM.

Bridges & Johnson make me so much happier. Easily my favorite guys to root for.
CP3 - ok.
Booker - Baller.
Ayton - Looks like he is trying to defend.

Uh...yea...that’s what DPOY candidates do

 

[Dr. Jones]

Uh...yea...that’s what DPOY candidates do

5 games in bro.... Settle that mess down.

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[WhyAlwaysMe]

Nah, I’m going with the best start in 11 years feeling I got and the #1 SRS ranking backing it up.

 

[Yuma]

To the eye test, we are better defensively. Early on Ayton was leaving Gobert to help on defense. Gobert, offensively makes all his points off these switches, and hustling on the offensive boards. I did see Ayton start trying to stay on Gobert more as the game went on, and it shut him down offensively. Then Saric pulled him off the block defensively with his three point shots. Usually in the past Gobert destroyed us in the paint on both ends. I know it was only one game, but it seems the defense is coming together.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I only watched the highlights on YouTube but they sounded pretty steady.

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They were anything but. They attributed shots to wrong players, they called makes misses and vice versa, they tended not to know the capabilities of various players, offered zero insight and were just generally boring.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Uh...yea...that’s what DPOY candidates do

I think you’re getting carried away with DPOY talk.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I just asked the question. Is he the third best pg on this team since Bledsoe left? I think that is true. The competition is pretty slim though.

i also said VanVleet STORY. As in pg in the gleague makes good. Not at all saying he is as good as VanVleet.

I wasn't disagreeing with you, JC.

 

[Finito]

Ayton and Booker have both stepped up defensively this season. I love it

 

[JCSunsfan]

I wasn't disagreeing with you, JC.

Ok. Sorry for taking you wrong.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

They were anything but. They attributed shots to wrong players, they called makes misses and vice versa, they tended not to know the capabilities of various players, offered zero insight and were just generally boring.

One of their best quotes was something like "We know Bridges can score, but he's really becoming a very good defender" or something like that. Clearly don't know jack about the Suns outside of maybe Paul, Booker and Crowder.

 

[95pro]

One of their best quotes was something like "We know Bridges can score, but he's really becoming a very good defender" or something like that. Clearly don't know jack about the Suns outside of maybe Paul, Booker and Crowder.

Yeah I heard that one and they didn’t hear my screams through the tv on how awful they were

 

[Raze]

Ayton and Booker have both stepped up defensively this season. I love it

So true (including last year). Since Monty and JJ took over the whole team is unrecognizable.

If you had told me before the season started that Book would have a PER of sub 13.00 in the first 6 games, I would have told you that we were sub .500. I would have laughed at you if you told me we had the best record in the NBA.

Monty preaches defense wins championships and this entire team believes it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

One of their best quotes was something like "We know Bridges can score, but he's really becoming a very good defender" or something like that. Clearly don't know jack about the Suns outside of maybe Paul, Booker and Crowder.

Yeah that one made me actually physically slap my forehead.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

5 games in bro.... Settle that mess down.

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[Dr. Jones]

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Maybe it's just me....... But I have seen 2 things that need to be addressed.

1. Within 6 feet of the rim is a super weak stat when he gets pulled away from the rim on Pick and rolls constantly. Apparently he isn't good at these since they got so slim with their metric? He certainly isn't passing the eye test on them.
2. What I have seen is that he is great at putting his arms up and, while that makes you an ok rim protector, it doesn't even come close to making you a dominant defender.

Look, I am slowly coming around on the kids defense. He's not a total sham like the guy I saw in DC give Thomas Bryant the game of his life. But to say he's a DPOY candidate is not only premature...... It's also flagrantly dishonest with how he has actually been playing. Gobert continued to eat his lunch in their only meeting so far, but he has made a small, yet noticeable, improvement in multiple areas so far.

I really like that he is at 11 boards per game (8th) but he is still is not averaging a block and a half per game. He has much work to do. But again, it's still early.

 

[Finito]

Ayton hasn’t been bad at all what’s kept him down is early foul trouble. He gets that under control and it’s all good.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Maybe it's just me....... But I have seen 2 things that need to be addressed.

1. Within 6 feet of the rim is a super weak stat when he gets pulled away from the rim on Pick and rolls constantly. Apparently he isn't good at these since they got so slim with their metric? He certainly isn't passing the eye test on them.
2. What I have seen is that he is great at putting his arms up and, while that makes you an ok rim protector, it doesn't even come close to making you a dominant defender.

Look, I am slowly coming around on the kids defense. He's not a total sham like the guy I saw in DC give Thomas Bryant the game of his life. But to say he's a DPOY candidate is not only premature...... It's also flagrantly dishonest with how he has actually been playing. Gobert continued to eat his lunch in their only meeting so far, but he has made a small, yet noticeable, improvement in multiple areas so far.

I really like that he is at 11 boards per game (8th) but he is still is not averaging a block and a half per game. He has much work to do. But again, it's still early.

Players are shooting 43.5% from any distance when defended by Ayton this year. That is 4% below their average.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Ayton hasn’t been bad at all what’s kept him down is early foul trouble. He gets that under control and it’s all good.

This is kind of what I am saying.

Ugly
Bad
Below Average
Mediocre - replacement level
Above Average
Adequate
Slightly Impressive
Outstanding
DPOY level
Transcendant

That's my rankings from bottom to top. Ayton has varied from Adequate to Slightly Impressive for the first 6 games of the year.

But still,

He's not in the top 5 low post defenders in the game: AD, Giannis, Gobert, Adebayo, Embiid. Drummond & Whiteside are also up there. And that's before you get to the wings.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Players are shooting 43.5% from any distance when defended by Ayton this year. That is 4% below their average.

I have been saying all along that I am liking what I have seen. What I continue to say though...... is that he is not a DPOY candidate. Not now, Not yet, and so far in his career, never been close.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Maybe it's just me....... But I have seen 2 things that need to be addressed.

1. Within 6 feet of the rim is a super weak stat when he gets pulled away from the rim on Pick and rolls constantly. Apparently he isn't good at these since they got so slim with their metric? He certainly isn't passing the eye test on them.
2. What I have seen is that he is great at putting his arms up and, while that makes you an ok rim protector, it doesn't even come close to making you a dominant defender.

Look, I am slowly coming around on the kids defense. He's not a total sham like the guy I saw in DC give Thomas Bryant the game of his life. But to say he's a DPOY candidate is not only premature...... It's also flagrantly dishonest with how he has actually been playing. Gobert continued to eat his lunch in their only meeting so far, but he has made a small, yet noticeable, improvement in multiple areas so far.

I really like that he is at 11 boards per game (8th) but he is still is not averaging a block and a half per game. He has much work to do. But again, it's still early.

stopped right there

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get your eyes checked lmao

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

The only player that has a chance of putting that three play reel together in one game is Giannis.

hence DPOY level

on your bike clown

 

[Dr. Jones]

stopped right there

get your eyes checked lmao

I talk about pick and rolls and you show me three iso plays. You need to read what I wrote before you (again) talk all that mess.

Adequate to slightly impressive. I remain confident in this.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Seriously, if you want to be arrogant or arrogant-adjacent you simply must watch the games with a modicum of BBIQ otherwise just scram and let adults discuss things like adults

 

[Dr. Jones]

The only player that has a chance of putting that three play reel together in one game is Giannis.

hence DPOY level

on your bike clown

Clown? Name calling?

I'm stating a very valid opinion.