Thunder @ Suns 11-17-18

[Finito]

I have no problem with JJ calling out TJ there. TJ played that lazy and as a result almost allowed the opposition to get some easy cheap points. It’s the aggregation if those type of plays each game by the entire team that leads to 20 point blowouts.

Agree 100%

 

[Finito]

I'll bet TJ has a problem with it. JJ isn't in a position to criticise TJ, or anyone else for that matter, especially on television. He is the biggest disappointment on the team this season.

Wrong say what you want about JJ but he plays hard every second.

TJ will look great then disappear it's what he does. There have been games where you can see him being laz and that play was a perfect example.

We need more of guys holding eachother accountable

 

[GatorAZ]

Booker shouldn’t be playing. When injury prone players play hurt it only makes them more unreliable.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Booker shouldn’t be playing. When injury prone players play hurt it only makes them more unreliable.

And for whatever reason, his game is really compromised when he is at less than 100%. Even injured he's one of our best but that's not enough. We need the real Booker to have any chance at all most nights.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'll bet TJ has a problem with it. JJ isn't in a position to criticise TJ, or anyone else for that matter, especially on television. He is the biggest disappointment on the team this season.

Just because he's been playing like crap doesn't mean he can't point out blatant errors others are making. You don't need to be our best player to point out errors. Why are fans allowed to do so but teammates aren't? It's part of being a team. It would be one thing if JJ blasted TJ in the press but he said something to his face after it happened, which is exactly what should happen.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Why’s booker instructing Bridges, Bookers guy blew right by him for the layup. Bridges picks up the foul.

Just rewatched this, it looked like Booker was expecting everyone to switch everything and on this play Bridges did not switch which left Booker out of position and scrambling to recover. Generally speaking the switches have been much better over the last couple games.

 

[95pro]

Just rewatched this, it looked like Booker was expecting everyone to switch everything and on this play Bridges did not switch which left Booker out of position and scrambling to recover. Generally speaking the switches have been much better over the last couple games.

I thought it was a straight drive. There wasn’t a screen or pick and roll. Iirc he just blew by booker. That’s what I remember

 

[1tinsoldier]

game notes:

1. good Suns 1st quarter, continued from last game. the Thunder countered with the old-school "no layup" rule resulting in a lot of hard fouls -- a little too hard, imo, but Suns players and coach could learn from it.
2. JJ and others should review tape on Nash, Magic, Stockton, and Parker on how and when to execute the underhanded finger role without it getting blocked.
3. for a few consecutive minutes Ayton was showing the unstoppable offense we know he's capable of
4. 2 identical games from Booker in high assists and low shooting percentage
5. Bridges' increased play and influence may have made the difference between this being just a loss instead of another blowout loss.

i don't know why Okobo did not play

 

[Suns_fan69]

Booker keeps “picking up his dri


I thought it was a straight drive. There wasn’t a screen or pick and roll. Iirc he just blew by booker. That’s what I remember

It was a slipped screen, which is definitely the primary cause of the confusion.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'll bet TJ has a problem with it. JJ isn't in a position to criticise TJ, or anyone else for that matter, especially on television. He is the biggest disappointment on the team this season.

JJ hasn’t played well, but his motor is always running. I have no problem with a hustler telling someone who just caused a turnover by lazy play to get with it.

 

[Western Font]

I guess it’s fine with me if JJ is calling out a lazy play, but I hope his reckless plays are getting called out, and that he’s listening. JJ needs to make the kind of improvement to his game that TJ actually has this season.

 

[BC867]

Oh Jesus, not this crap again. He hurt his hamstring, just like a bunch of players who barely play and are not point guards. His injury has nothing to do with him playing PG. His shooting doesn't have anything with him playing PG, and his scoring doesn't have anything to do with him playing PG. His leg is bothering him and he can't jump right and he can barely drive. That has nothing with him handling the ball.

All true! Which is why this is a bad time for DBook to have to be our best player at two positions. The Suns need both Warren and him to excel at their shooting positions (even though Warren is doing it as the "4").

If Booker's problem is his hamstring, shouldn't this be the time to take some pressure off him, rather than add to it? This could lead to a season long hamstring problem.

And, here's something that hasn't been mentioned. Is there any doubt that Book's hope for this season was to become an All Star Shooting Guard? There will be a lot of competition. Between dividing his time and the hamstring, it probably won't happen. He is not going to be a happy camper.

 

[SirStefan32]

Again, nobody disagrees. We would all like a true point guard. You are arguing a point that literally every person here supports. Seriously, there is no need to argue- everyone agrees with you.

 

[Hoop Head]

All true! Which is why this is a bad time for DBook to have to be our best player at two positions. The Suns need both Warren and him to excel at their shooting positions (even though Warren is doing it as the "4").

Did you miss the part where Stef said he didn't injure himself because he's playing PG? You're saying his comment is all true and since he said that I'm assuming you have finally seen the light and realize Booker playing PG doesn't have anything to do with his injury.

And, here's something that hasn't been mentioned. Is there any doubt that Book's hope for this season was to become an All Star Shooting Guard? There will be a lot of competition. Between dividing his time and the hamstring, it probably won't happen. He is not going to be a happy camper.

They don't name All-Star shooting guards or point guards anymore. It's All-Star Frontcourt and Backcourt. Frontcourt covers SF, PF, and C while backcourt covers PG and SG. So Booker may have envisioned himself an All-Star but if he said he was going to be an All-Star Shooting Guard then he hasn't been paying attention to the changes that have been in place longer than he's been in the league.

 

[BC867]

They don't name All-Star shooting guards or point guards anymore. It's All-Star Frontcourt and Backcourt. Frontcourt covers SF, PF, and C while backcourt covers PG and SG. So Booker may have envisioned himself an All-Star but if he said he was going to be an All-Star Shooting Guard then he hasn't been paying attention to the changes that have been in place longer than he's been in the league.

I think you missed the point. Of course, that's the way it is. But Booker's strong point, his shooting efficiency, has taken a step back since playmaking has become his priority. He's caught in the middle. He is not an All Star playing Point Guard and Warren is our most dependable Shooting Guard.

Just as Ayton's potential scoring efficiency is not developing since he is now stationed at such a high post. Igor is violating a primary consideration of coaching offense.

Gear your coaching style to the skills of your ballplayers. With Booker, it is not totally his fault. As we all know, with the upheaval at the GM position, he has not been given a balanced roster.

Such is not the recipe for All Star selection. Or a winning record.

 

[leclerc]

Good points, BC. The offence is not clicking yet and I'm not sure if that's because of learning and experience or if it just doesn't fit the roster. I am patient with Igor and his system as long as he gets the guys on the floor to play hard. If they are just jogging and throwing bricks then put in the next geezer and award effort with consistent and increased playing time. He has pulled Anderson and started giving Dragan a chance (okay that's a toss up), and Bridges and Holmes are seeing increased time, so I think we can dare to be positive here. No, seriously.

 

[Errntknght]

If you looked at the clip of Igor's Nat'l team you'll see that the C rarely came out to set picks for the guys in the weave action, typically he came to top half of the key and received a pass there. One or more of the weavers sould cut by him, rather like a pinch post maneuver. I don't know why he doesn't have Ayton doing that - perhaps because Ayton isn't proficient enough to make it work yet. So we'll see it in good time.

Not many C's can work the pinch post because he has to have a deadly jumper from the elbow, and it does require good footwork and mobility. Ayton would be an ace at it once he had it all polished. The other four players have to have their roles down, too. To get the most out of it the players have to read and react, but it isn't that complicated. Done right all five offensive players have the potential for a lay up, depending on what the defense does at various stages. It's not the blender action Igor talks about, it's a sequence where one defender after another is put on the hot seat.