Preseason: Phoenix@Denver

[JohnVancouver]

I saw Gallinari playing the EuroLeague with Milano while he was here and he sucks. But he really sucks. No desire, no shooting, no rebounding, no passes, no defense. Depression maker.

I saw Gallo play a lot last year and he never played like that before - sick? Some other reason? I like the guy a lot

I saw some parts of games and the two games against Real Madrid with Rudy playing mostly the three. I do not know whether it was lack of effort, lack of interest (more or less it is the same), but he did not do a correct thing during the time he was out there.
Probably not wanting to risk an injury already.

Anyway, I do not like the guy very much. Too cocky, plays with not too much energy, too unidimensional, poor desire to push, shove... just likes shooting.

He used to ask D'antoni for hte toughest defensive assignment - wonder what hapened?

[JohnVancouver]

There's not even links to it on the popular streaming sites, guessing the Nuggets aren't televising either.

Radio it is, I'll go gather the young uns, have the wife bake a pie, and smoke a corncob pipe while reading the written print news in my recliner chair

(sorry for lame 1930s period joke)

No worries - hell, I'm so old me and Lincoln and Ben Franklin used to have to build the printing press, squeeze ink from berries and make up the news stories before we could print it and read it. Kids today got it too easy

[JohnVancouver]

Well, so we lost - phfffffffft

I wouldn't worry about Markieff looking slow - 10.8/2. Rookies get called for everything so the fouls is no big worry. Most rooks play like their pants are on fire and form everything I've seen of the guy, intensity and desire is not a concern.

Frye is always hot/cold. Did he D-up, rebound?

We knew Bassy would suck, question is - can we cut him?

If we're going to lose The Gortat for a few weeks, at least RoLo is showing signs of life. Last year was brutal when our centre went down. This si why it would be wise to have two. How did Mt. Siler do? I like the kid but I think he's already who he is

Warrick looked useful at the 3? Good news







and RDG/Sundamental - hey, don't fight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftQLgODoLFE

[RunDogGun]

Well I spent some time researching it, but from last preseason to this preseason, Violet Palmer reffed seven of our games, and of those seven games we won one of them. The next two that were almost as bad (just reg season games from last year) Greg Willard 1-5, and Rodney Mott with a 1-4 record. I thought Scott Foster would be as bad, but I guess it was just 2-3. But he has the most overturned calls, where he overturned calls made by other refs.

John, he would have to actually argue a point or argue against mine for me to consider it a fight. As for now, it is nothing. The dude can't answer simple questions.

[Cutter]

Player analysis of Denver game by Paul Coro.

Phoenix Suns update:

A quick review of how each Suns looked in the 127-100 preseason opener loss at Denver on Tuesday night:

Steve Nash: Nash was sharp and looked to score more than usual in preseason. It might be a product of this team's lack of scorers. Nash made 5 of 7 shots and had five assists without a turnover in 20 minutes. The game would not have got out of hand if he was at the point more.

Jared Dudley: Dudley started at off-guard but only played 16 minutes. He made the most of it with 11 points and six rebounds, almost strictly off his hustle.

Josh Childress: Childress was starting at small forward in place of Grant Hill and had a quiet first half but made all three of his shots in the second half, including a 3-pointer. He did not have a rebound in 23 minutes.

Channing Frye: His 3-point shooting woes during training camp carried over to game time. Frye missed all six of his 3-point tries, helping Denver's strategy to run out off 3-point misses for easy buckets. He was also responsible for some of Nene's five-for-five, eight-minute appearance. On the upside, he pump-faked once on a 3 and drew a shooting foul on a dribble drive.

Marcin Gortat: Gortat's game was defined by suffering a hairline fracture to his right thumb when Rudy Fernandez slapped at the ball when Gortat was posting up. Gortat started the game efficiently, scoring on the first two possessions and getting an offensive rebound and kickout assist on the next. He had some trouble defensively, as did all the Suns big men in pick-and-roll coverage. Gortat did draw fouls for 10 free throws in 25 minutes. Gortat insists he won't miss time, perhaps worried about the messages Alvin Gentry has sent about his starting job not being a lock.

Markieff Morris: The rookie fouled out in 27 minutes but still had a good debut. He had 10 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes but continues to take 3-point shots. Morris has been a proven mid-range shooter but it seems early for him to stretch his range to 23 feet. He missed twice from there Tuesday night. He had rookie moments where he got lost in coverage. But he plays hard and battles. One time, Morris got no credit but he took on two Nuggets on the boards so that Hakim Warrick could grab it easily.

Sebastian Telfair: The game began to get away once Telfair entered. It is an age-old Suns problem with the drop-off after Nash. It was exaggerated in this one because Telfair had a four-turnover, three-foul back of the first quarter. Three of those turnovers were just bad passes, including a backcourt one. Defensively, he could not handle Ty Lawson.

Robin Lopez: Lopez has not been getting any camp time with Nash but that time might come soon, either because of Gortat's injury or because Lopez looks aggressive. Lopez had 10 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. He was confident offensively, making five of eight shots with deep jumpers, a turnaround jumper and a dunk follow. It followed the good reports about Lopez regaining his athleticism during camp.

Shannon Brown: Brown is feeling his way around still but, as Gentry said during camp, he is not shy about shooting. He was only 4 of 13 from the field but his athleticism and energy gave Phoenix a little bit of everything -- five rebounds, four assists, three steals and five turnovers in 26 minutes. The noted dunker had missed some in scrimmages but stole a pass at the top of Denver's offense and dunked. It was a string of good and bad moments for Brown, who was at least active. He said afterward that he appreciated his teammates' encouragement and that "it'll come."

Hakim Warrick: Warrick might not be in the rotation once Grant Hill is back but he played 25 minutes on Tuesday because he was the backup small forward. Warrick wound up tying Gortat for the scoring lead (14) with a baseline jam off a Lopez feed and a couple jumpers highlighting his work. He was efficient but mostly in mop-up time.

Ronnie Price: It seemed like Price had been outplaying Telfair during camp but Telfair was the first point guard off the bench Tuesday. Price played the end of the second and fourth quarters and stood out, especially defensively with a help steal on an Al Harrington drive and a dive to the floor for another steal. His offense was up and down but his mistakes even were attempts to make the right play. He had nine points, four assists and three turnovers in 15 minutes.

Marcus Landry and Garret Siler: Too little time to judge.

[Years90Suns]

He used to ask D'antoni for hte toughest defensive assignment - wonder what hapened?

That D'Antoni had no fu****g idea who the toughest defensive assingment was, as he does not care a bit about defense? Ha, ha...

Well, I saw the highlights of the game, the boxscore, the comments, the newspaper reports.
I more or less have an idea how it was like.

Clearly we need to be faster coming back. Nash is not the one to run back, but Childress, Brown, Warrick, Telfair, Price and even Hill and Dudley should solve that problem. Frye throwing a stone and no backcourt player around to create the defense balance can be a real problem. Also they run off Andersen's blocks, off steals...

Warrick at the three seems to be ok, as he can cut to the basket, where he usually will reach higher than most players at the three position.

López has improved, but I cannot stand a play in which he is at the FT line, watching how some teammates ar fighting for a rebound and he stands there until the play ends with a Nuggets basket. He could have walked two steps and get the rebound, or have blocked the shot.

If I already hated Rudy Fernandez, now even more. He is always "special". We cannot survive out there without Gortat. We need him both for all he brings and because he pushes Robin to work harder. If Robin knows he is the only serviceable center available, he will go down with pressure, over-relaxation...

[JohnVancouver]

He used to ask D'antoni for hte toughest defensive assignment - wonder what hapened?

That D'Antoni had no fu****g idea who the toughest defensive assingment was, as he does not care a bit about defense? Ha, ha...

Actually, I saw one where he guarded melo and gave him fits - just stayed glued to him. Impressive. If he's sucking now I can't explain what happened. And how did I miss the Muggs getting Rudy - wha' hoppen?Andre miller deal?

[Sundamental]

Well, so we lost - phfffffffft

I wouldn't worry about Markieff looking slow - 10.8/2. Rookies get called for everything so the fouls is no big worry. Most rooks play like their pants are on fire and form everything I've seen of the guy, intensity and desire is not a concern.

Frye is always hot/cold. Did he D-up, rebound?

We knew Bassy would suck, question is - can we cut him?

If we're going to lose The Gortat for a few weeks, at least RoLo is showing signs of life. Last year was brutal when our centre went down. This si why it would be wise to have two. How did Mt. Siler do? I like the kid but I think he's already who he is

Warrick looked useful at the 3? Good news







and RDG/Sundamental - hey, don't fight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftQLgODoLFE

John,

I have no interest in fighting with RDG. While my track record here has been far from perfect, for the sake of others, I will try my best to avoid similar situations.

[RunDogGun]

Rudy came to Denver through Dallas, along with Brewer.

"Wha hoppen?". Is that a Mighty Wind quote?

[JohnVancouver]

Rudy came to Denver through Dallas, along with Brewer.

"Wha hoppen?". Is that a Mighty Wind quote?

Yes - Fred Willard