Thunder At Suns Game Thread

[cly2tw]

Defensively they need a lot of work.
Offensively, they need finetuning when playing other sets than Nash. In the last feed to Amare on the post, JRich and Dudley should've stayed away to clear the path for Amare, yet they each rotated down to basket once and got their defenders with them. Amare got by the first but couldn't convert this time.

 

[AfroSuns]

Defensively they need a lot of work.
Offensively, they need finetuning when playing other sets than Nash. In the last feed to Amare on the post, JRich and Dudley should've stayed away to clear the path for Amare, yet they each rotated down to basket once and got their defenders with them. Amare got by the first but couldn't convert this time.

I think some coaching flaw are beginning to show down the stretch. I know we are missing Barbosa but pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee......

 

[Griffin]

We are officially struggling. No more excuses. We were just beaten by a team with a losing record playing second game in two nights on the road. And that's with Nash, Amare and Frye having big games. Our bench is no longer a factor on either end of the floor.

 

[Ninjafish]

Can we please get rid of JRich or at the very least ban him from taking 3 point shots?

 

[joshstmarie]

We are officially struggling. No more excuses. We were just beaten by a team with a losing record playing second game in two nights on the road. And that's with Nash, Amare and Frye having big games. Our bench is no longer a factor on either end of the floor.

The thunder are a VERY good team. I didnt expect the suns to win this game at all. OKC will be a top 4 playoff seed next year once they find a serviceable big man and get another year under hardens belt.

 

[Griffin]

The thunder are a VERY good team. I didnt expect the suns to win this game at all.

I would agree that OKC is better than their reputation or record would suggest, but not to expect the Suns to beat them at home after rest when the Thunder were playing second game of a back-to-back? The Suns should easily be the favorite to win such a game if they see themselves as a playoff caliber team.

 

[Covert Rain]

The defense has completely disappeared from the start of the season. This team simply is not playing any defense any longer. That has been the big difference. This team is 4-8 in the last 12 games and looking alot like last years team.

The other thing that is happening is when the outside shot is not falling, the Suns are not getting any easy buckets around the rim. This team no longer has an inside game to fallback on. We rely on shooting much more then ever. When the shots don't fall during stretches this team also struggles.

If the Suns don't turn things around quickly, we will be looking up at the 8th seed or worse in a hurry. Maybe getting Barbs back will help.

 

[joshstmarie]

I would agree that OKC is better than their reputation or record would suggest, but not to expect the Suns to beat them at home after rest when the Thunder were playing second game of a back-to-back? The Suns should easily be the favorite to win such a game if they see themselves as a playoff caliber team.

Honestly being as young as they are and as old as us...I dont think the back to back rule applies to this game. I dunno. I think this team is specifically put together to ease the loss of our 2010 pick to OKC. If we had that I think karver would be more inclined to blow it up.

 

[mojorizen7]

Honestly being as young as they are and as old as us...I dont think the back to back rule applies to this game. I dunno. I think this team is specifically put together to ease the loss of our 2010 pick to OKC. If we had that I think karver would be more inclined to blow it up.

If thats true, and Sarver/Kerr plan to remain owner/GM, then this franchise will continue to have no future in terms of winning anything important.....until they are gone.
Why?...because the decision to prolong the inevitable rebuild by one year sounds simple, but by doing so,we have been set back even further IMO.

Personally, i think the decision was made more so to keep the fan base interested>thus it was done for financial reasons(thus far it has worked brilliantly).
Pride in terms of possibly giving OKC a lottery pick probably played a small part also....but hopefully not that much.

 

[joshstmarie]

If thats true, and Sarver/Kerr plan to remain owner/GM, then this franchise will continue to have no future in terms of winning anything important.....until they are gone.
Why?...because the decision to prolong the inevitable rebuild by one year sounds simple, but by doing so,we have been set back even further IMO.

Personally, i think the decision was made more so to keep the fan base interested>thus it was done for financial reasons(thus far it has worked brilliantly).
Pride in terms of possibly giving OKC a lottery pick probably played a small part also....but hopefully not that much.

Very true. And I guess I shouldnt have used the word "specifically" to describe what I was trying to say. We all know there are many many variables as to why the team was slapped together. I definitely feel the same way you do in that the current suns are made to win games but with no real goals beyond the 1st round, (and positive revenue) If it happens, good. If not... hey they tried to put a "competitive" team out there so we, the fans cant get mad.

Keeping steve nash, grant hill and making sure the OKC pick isnt in the lottery are just a couple ingredients that make sarvers stew a little bit better.

 

[AfroSuns]

There were a lot of dumb moves in that game, lousy passing by JRich and there was this particular pass from Nash to Amare, ugh that was annoying.
I do gree that the defense from early on in the season has disappeared but the biggest impact is Barbosa out of the lineup, Amare is the only one trying to make things happen down low and that is not going to hold up when we play bigs that are good. What is up with JRich scoring? He plays like he is bored (maybe from not being option 1) or he is just hurting.