Suns @ Warriors Tuesday game thread, 10-24-2023 - SEASON OPENER

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Ok - we have to go through Denver to win the title - so I would say that still makes it a concern.

Apparently GS knows how to stop him too.

Or he just had a bad game. It is only one game after all...

If he has a bad stretch or is routinely having poor games against good defenses than I will see it as a problem, but it is way too early in the season to be worried about this.

He is still quite capable of making tough shots, just didn't make them last night.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

I think I agree - but saying there is no question is not an accurate statement.

There is very little difference between Book and SGA, Damion Lillard, Steph, Jayson Tatum

My top 5 is probably
1. Joker
2. Giannis
3. Luka - this pain's me to do but he always outperforms Book head to head
4. Booker
5. Embid

You think Book is better than Steph? I agree Tatum and Booker is a valid argument. I think Tatum is better defensively and more versatile because of his size but Book is a better decision maker and more efficient.

5 would be Joker, Steph, Giannis, Luka, Embiid. I think you can slot Booker 6-10. I think Book is more efficient than Luka and better defensively but Luka is a savant passer and he’s just a big body who draws a lot of contact.

But Book has arrived. He’s in that discussion and it’s safe to say at this point, he’s better than KD

 

[Russ Smith]

I hope Frank Vogel is a bit more flexible with his rotations. Grayson so very clearly didn't have it, why not give KBD or Metu a look. Little came in, knocked down a big 3 and then didn't get back on the floor.
The counterpoint I guess is that Gordon was similarly cold and ended up knocking a couple huge shots down.

That Little shot was one of the biggest plays of the game IMO. The Suns had like 3 of those where a guy off the bench you don't expect much from made a huge play. Goodwin had one and Watanabe hit a huge 3(he is a good shooter).

 

[Russ Smith]

Seemed like the Warriors were playing a anybody but Durant defense at times

I think the Warriors decided to just forget trying to put a big on Durant. most of the game he was guarded by Wiggins, Kuminga or even Payton. Wiggins and Kuminga aren't small but they're both 4-5 inches shorter than he is. He had a bad shooting game but was in part because the 3 best defenders on the Warriors were the guys taking turns guarding him.

 

[Russ Smith]

Spent most of today complaining about what went wrong but aren't really talking about what went right. Consider the play of Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Okogie (along with Book). No win last night without them.

Okogie was huge.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You think Book is better than Steph? I agree Tatum and Booker is a valid argument. I think Tatum is better defensively and more versatile because of his size but Book is a better decision maker and more efficient.

5 would be Joker, Steph, Giannis, Luka, Embiid. I think you can slot Booker 6-10. I think Book is more efficient than Luka and better defensively but Luka is a savant passer and he’s just a big body who draws a lot of contact.

But Book has arrived. He’s in that discussion and it’s safe to say at this point, he’s better than KD

i think this is all fair. Long term Book would be the better bet than Curry, but right now, Curry's still a smidge better. But I wouldn't belabor the point too much if someone wanted to argue otherwise.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think I agree - but saying there is no question is not an accurate statement.

There is very little difference between Book and SGA, Damion Lillard, Steph, Jayson Tatum

My top 5 is probably
1. Joker
2. Giannis
3. Luka - this pain's me to do but he always outperforms Book head to head
4. Booker
5. Embid

The statement made was "Book is probably a top 5 player in the league, ain't no question if he is top 10 or not." and I agree. He might be in the top 5 but there is no question if he's within the top 10. He's closer to 5 than 10, IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

Give me a break. Josh Okogie was fined $2000 for flopping.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

PHX vs GSW 10/24/23 | NBA.com

PHX vs GSW 10/24/23

www.nba.com

 

[AzStevenCal]

Or he just had a bad game. It is only one game after all...

If he has a bad stretch or is routinely having poor games against good defenses than I will see it as a problem, but it is way too early in the season to be worried about this.

He is still quite capable of making tough shots, just didn't make them last night.

He just hasn't seemed like the same player he used to be and I'm not just talking about last night. He's still a huge target for the defense and his presence helps everyone but he's more like a complementary star than the killer threat he used to be. I thought the same about him his last postseason with Brooklyn too so this isn't a new thing.

 

[Proximo]

You think Book is better than Steph? I agree Tatum and Booker is a valid argument. I think Tatum is better defensively and more versatile because of his size but Book is a better decision maker and more efficient.

5 would be Joker, Steph, Giannis, Luka, Embiid. I think you can slot Booker 6-10. I think Book is more efficient than Luka and better defensively but Luka is a savant passer and he’s just a big body who draws a lot of contact.

But Book has arrived. He’s in that discussion and it’s safe to say at this point, he’s better than KD

At this point yes I do.

Steph is on the decline and Book is ascending. Book is actually the more efficient player recently and his playmaking is a step above steph's.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

At this point yes I do.

Steph is on the decline and Book is ascending. Book is actually the more efficient player recently and his playmaking is a step above steph's.

That’s fair. I also think Steph’s gravity is still unreal with how he can shoot from anywhere. I’m not seeing him decline, maybe the better word is plateau since it’s hard to get better in your mid 30’s lol. I’m just glad people realize it’s a conversation now.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That’s fair. I also think Steph’s gravity is still unreal with how he can shoot from anywhere. I’m not seeing him decline, maybe the better word is plateau since it’s hard to get better in your mid 30’s lol. I’m just glad people realize it’s a conversation now.

I can’t see Book as better than Steph right now when Steph last year was the same overall shooter, but a much better shooter from 3 (42.5 v 36%), outrebounded Book 6 to 4.5 (despite being smaller) and averaged slightly more assists, while ALSO averaging more PPG.

All while being really the ONLY superstar on the team, shot maker/creator. And before anyone throws out the injury card, those guys have played pretty much the same amount of games over the last three years.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ok - we have to go through Denver to win the title - so I would say that still makes it a concern.

Apparently GS knows how to stop him too.

Well they do when he’s surrounded by the dreck we ran out there next to book and kd last year. I think this years squad makes you pay.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Well they do when he’s surrounded by the dreck we ran out there next to book and kd last year. I think this years squad makes you pay.

That being said, he actually started the playoffs quite well, but with playing too many minutes (kind of had to because the supporting cast could not allow him to rest) and Denver's defense not respecting anyone to do anything outside of Book and KD caused him to fade hard as that series progressed.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Thoughts:

No one is going to stop gordon from shooting. Ever. No matter how cold he is. Wow.

I thought Yuta played very well on both ends of the court.

Nurkic isn’t going to wow us, but if last night was any indication he’s going to give us precisely what we need. Great fit.

Book. Well, book.

Okogie has come outta the gates fired up to retain his spot in the starting lineup and I LIKE IT!!!

I doubt all our shooters are as cold as last night all at the same time often.

This is an almost entirely new squad. It showed - particularly on defense. We gave up a LOT of open layups because our rotations were way off. If we play that same game later in the year I think we blow them out in the first half.

 

[AzStevenCal]

At this point yes I do.

Steph is on the decline and Book is ascending. Book is actually the more efficient player recently and his playmaking is a step above steph's.

I think Curry at this point of his career probably has more off nights than Devin. But even at this point of his career, when both at their best, I'd still give the edge to Steph.

 

[SirStefan32]

It was a solid game for three quarters. Not sure what happened in the third- they just couldn't hit anything. I was pretty happy with defense. It looked good and consistent.

Booker was excellent. I am actually really impressed with him being the primary play maker. Okogie really impressed me. I am not sure if he decided to play differently than last season, or if it is the coach figuring out how to use him, but he did an amazing job- great defense, cutting to the rim, going after offensive rebounds, and he hit one open three he had. Nurkic did a great job- exactly what the Suns need him to do. He got rebounds, set good screens, rolled to the basket properly, and it was refreshing to see the Suns' center know what to do with the basketball.

Yuta and Eubanks did a good job off the bench, and Goodwin looked playable. Allen and Gordon had rough nights, but it happens.

KD had a rough game. It's uncharacteristic for him to be so inefficient, but at the same time, I am a bit worried as he looked kind of like he looked in the last few playoff games. I am not worried just yet, but I am a little concerned.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Wow, that's amazing. Great timing. I grew up in the Arcadia area. Went to Ingleside and Arcadia HS.

Ha! Me too. Orangedale elem and East High. If anyone remembers that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Wow. I would put Book above Luka. Luka seems to be more and more a guy who cannot play with a team.

 

[Muggz]

Give me a break. Josh Okogie was fined $2000 for flopping.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

PHX vs GSW 10/24/23 | NBA.com

PHX vs GSW 10/24/23

www.nba.com

Welp, lets see how this flopping thing turns out.
If they actually implement this in a fair way, Luka will be the first player in NBA history to owe the league money at the end of the year.
He will have to pay to play.

 

[Mainstreet]

Welp, lets see how this flopping thing turns out.
If they actually implement this in a fair way, Luka will be the first player in NBA history to owe the league money at the end of the year.
He will have to pay to play.

My guess is they will probably call everyone Luka runs over for flopping.

 

[zett]

lets see how Adam Silver handles a 2 handed shove in the back! Did he sell it? yes! did he flop? hell no!