GAME 59: Phoenix SUNS (19-39) @ San Antonio STERNS (Whateva)

[MathiasPW]

Couple members added to ignore list after this thread.

This win was awesome, in the way it happened. That missed FT, with JO's rebound and amazing long pass to an incredible 3pt-shot by Wes was insane.

And then OT was all about mindstrenght. And we won. That is such a good statement and teambuilder. I am sure Hunter will leverage on that to strenghten his envisioned team mentality on current roster.

[TheXgasm]

I turned the game on in the early 2nd quarter. Ok, Suns are competitive but end the half down.

I think to myself, "Well...I want to see them beat the Spurs because F the Spurs. But if they lose I'll console myself by telling myself it's one step closer to a better draft pick, right?"

Then I go make some food or something, come back in the 4th. Ok what the hell is going on? Beasley, the Morrii, Gortat and O'Neal on the court? O'Neal powering down on Duncan? Marcus Morris and Wesley Johnson somewhat impressing? WHAT IS GOING ON?

Look, I'm all for seeing the beautiful silver lining in losing this year. I get it...there's not a ton of top flight talent in this draft but we could use the best choice possible. And since we're not making the playoffs, might as well lose all of them, right?

Not exactly.

This isn't a video game. Players aren't random collections of stats, they're humans. They're humans that think and feel and REMEMBER. Jared Dudley and Goran Dragic remember how much the city of Phoenix hates the Spurs. Wesley Johnson remembers what it's like to ride the pine and read the papers calling you a bust every day. PJ Tucker remembers not getting love from the NBA and having to go to Europe to play. Jermaine O'Neal remembers the media telling him his knees were shot, remembers Bill Simmons referring to him as "Jermaine O'Neal's corpse," remembers everyone saying he was done, washed up and should quit.

There is no magic formula to it all. You don't become a winner just by winning and you don't become a loser just by losing, there's a process and an evolution to it and it can make or break players and teams. If the Suns lose the next 10 games, fine, whatever, they know they're bad. But they're going to remember going into San Antonio to play maybe the best in the West and taking one from them by working hard, rising up and fighting back. They're going to remember that O'Neal, broken and battered, didn't quit, kept his mouth shut, and quietly proved that he could still do it. The young guys, Marshall and the Morrii and maybe even Beasley will look and say "If he's willing to do all that, and play that hard, and not seek a buyout in this season where we have no chance...maybe I should be working hard for every meaningless game too."

Maybe it translates into making them winners down the road. Maybe it doesn't. But it certainly won't translate into making them better at losing, so there's no way this could be construed as a negative, no matter which side of the Tank-scenario you're on.

[RunDogGun]

Couple members added to ignore list after this thread.

This win was awesome, in the way it happened. That missed FT, with JO's rebound and amazing long pass to an incredible 3pt-shot by Wes was insane.

And then OT was all about mindstrenght. And we won. That is such a good statement and teambuilder. I am sure Hunter will leverage on that to strenghten his envisioned team mentality on current roster.

They were already there for me. The problem is people keep quoting them, so I still have to see their crap. Is it ironic that one is named after a turd and the other a prick?

[SunsRback4Good]

im gonna be the grinch.

Totally meaningless and worthless win. Only thing this game proved O'Neal is our best big man who may retire next year. Nothing good about the young players was done in this game other then W Johnson hitting a clutch shot. I mean I guess so much for developing the young players. Shaking my head.

Another example there is no plan in place for this team.

Good night.

Don't forget your baby bottle

You win post of the year.

[jcsunsfan]

This win will do more for this team than dropping a half game in the standings. It will make little difference in how the ping pong balls fall in May.

[garrick]

Amazing how winning games these days is the exception rather than the norm. Anyway I don't think blatantly losing games is really the way to go even if you're going to miss the playoffs.
It sets the wrong precedent for the players you're trying to develop and some of these players will still be with us a few years down the line when we could potentially be in the playoffs though with the current state of the FO we will be at least 5 years or so in the cellar of the western conferance....

[rsavaj]

I turned the game on in the early 2nd quarter. Ok, Suns are competitive but end the half down.

I think to myself, "Well...I want to see them beat the Spurs because F the Spurs. But if they lose I'll console myself by telling myself it's one step closer to a better draft pick, right?"

Then I go make some food or something, come back in the 4th. Ok what the hell is going on? Beasley, the Morrii, Gortat and O'Neal on the court? O'Neal powering down on Duncan? Marcus Morris and Wesley Johnson somewhat impressing? WHAT IS GOING ON?

Look, I'm all for seeing the beautiful silver lining in losing this year. I get it...there's not a ton of top flight talent in this draft but we could use the best choice possible. And since we're not making the playoffs, might as well lose all of them, right?

Not exactly.

This isn't a video game. Players aren't random collections of stats, they're humans. They're humans that think and feel and REMEMBER. Jared Dudley and Goran Dragic remember how much the city of Phoenix hates the Spurs. Wesley Johnson remembers what it's like to ride the pine and read the papers calling you a bust every day. PJ Tucker remembers not getting love from the NBA and having to go to Europe to play. Jermaine O'Neal remembers the media telling him his knees were shot, remembers Bill Simmons referring to him as "Jermaine O'Neal's corpse," remembers everyone saying he was done, washed up and should quit.

There is no magic formula to it all. You don't become a winner just by winning and you don't become a loser just by losing, there's a process and an evolution to it and it can make or break players and teams. If the Suns lose the next 10 games, fine, whatever, they know they're bad. But they're going to remember going into San Antonio to play maybe the best in the West and taking one from them by working hard, rising up and fighting back. They're going to remember that O'Neal, broken and battered, didn't quit, kept his mouth shut, and quietly proved that he could still do it. The young guys, Marshall and the Morrii and maybe even Beasley will look and say "If he's willing to do all that, and play that hard, and not seek a buyout in this season where we have no chance...maybe I should be working hard for every meaningless game too."

Maybe it translates into making them winners down the road. Maybe it doesn't. But it certainly won't translate into making them better at losing, so there's no way this could be construed as a negative, no matter which side of the Tank-scenario you're on.

BRAVO

[Frank Lee]

.......... Is it ironic that one is named after a turd and the other a prick?

hehehe

Excellent posts by X btw.
Good to see sensibility mixed in with the bile of the parade rainers


Valid b!tching can begin draft day and free agency week.

[JMac1]

Too many good posts to acknowldege. I like the attitude of everyone who says winning is a culture thing and how it is more important than moving down the lottery a pick or two... Good posts fellas; I am fricking encouraged......

[thamadkant]

It's always good to win against a rival (past rival).

This win is not as bad to the "draft" pick position... Not yet.


And it does boost confidence to some players... I'm just hoping its the young ones.


But it irks me to see people say draft position doesn't matter.

Lets see you guys celebrate when Suns miss out on a wanted player again by 1-2 spots and pick up scraps.... It's not a good feeling. It's like a wasted draft pick like last year... Missing out in a SG that the suns needed badly by 1 slot is a massive downer.

[DirtyDez]

We'll get Oladipo'd by 1 pick just like we got Lamb'd by 1 pick last year. Get ready for the Tyler Zeller era in Phoenix.

[Fo-Real]

I tackled my 16 yr old son when Wes hit that three!!!!

[King4Day]

Amazing with how bad we are, we still found a way to beat our rivals at least once this year.
Our 3 best games of the year were this one, Dragic at the buzzer over Memphis, and LA. Chances are, we'll finish 3-6th. That still gives us decent odds to get into the top 3.

[ShawnBronald]

I turned the game on in the early 2nd quarter. Ok, Suns are competitive but end the half down.

I think to myself, "Well...I want to see them beat the Spurs because F the Spurs. But if they lose I'll console myself by telling myself it's one step closer to a better draft pick, right?"

Then I go make some food or something, come back in the 4th. Ok what the hell is going on? Beasley, the Morrii, Gortat and O'Neal on the court? O'Neal powering down on Duncan? Marcus Morris and Wesley Johnson somewhat impressing? WHAT IS GOING ON?

Look, I'm all for seeing the beautiful silver lining in losing this year. I get it...there's not a ton of top flight talent in this draft but we could use the best choice possible. And since we're not making the playoffs, might as well lose all of them, right?

Not exactly.

This isn't a video game. Players aren't random collections of stats, they're humans. They're humans that think and feel and REMEMBER. Jared Dudley and Goran Dragic remember how much the city of Phoenix hates the Spurs. Wesley Johnson remembers what it's like to ride the pine and read the papers calling you a bust every day. PJ Tucker remembers not getting love from the NBA and having to go to Europe to play. Jermaine O'Neal remembers the media telling him his knees were shot, remembers Bill Simmons referring to him as "Jermaine O'Neal's corpse," remembers everyone saying he was done, washed up and should quit.

There is no magic formula to it all. You don't become a winner just by winning and you don't become a loser just by losing, there's a process and an evolution to it and it can make or break players and teams. If the Suns lose the next 10 games, fine, whatever, they know they're bad. But they're going to remember going into San Antonio to play maybe the best in the West and taking one from them by working hard, rising up and fighting back. They're going to remember that O'Neal, broken and battered, didn't quit, kept his mouth shut, and quietly proved that he could still do it. The young guys, Marshall and the Morrii and maybe even Beasley will look and say "If he's willing to do all that, and play that hard, and not seek a buyout in this season where we have no chance...maybe I should be working hard for every meaningless game too."

Maybe it translates into making them winners down the road. Maybe it doesn't. But it certainly won't translate into making them better at losing, so there's no way this could be construed as a negative, no matter which side of the Tank-scenario you're on.

Well said.

[Kyler Murray]

I turned the game on in the early 2nd quarter. Ok, Suns are competitive but end the half down.

I think to myself, "Well...I want to see them beat the Spurs because F the Spurs. But if they lose I'll console myself by telling myself it's one step closer to a better draft pick, right?"

Then I go make some food or something, come back in the 4th. Ok what the hell is going on? Beasley, the Morrii, Gortat and O'Neal on the court? O'Neal powering down on Duncan? Marcus Morris and Wesley Johnson somewhat impressing? WHAT IS GOING ON?

Look, I'm all for seeing the beautiful silver lining in losing this year. I get it...there's not a ton of top flight talent in this draft but we could use the best choice possible. And since we're not making the playoffs, might as well lose all of them, right?

Not exactly.

This isn't a video game. Players aren't random collections of stats, they're humans. They're humans that think and feel and REMEMBER. Jared Dudley and Goran Dragic remember how much the city of Phoenix hates the Spurs. Wesley Johnson remembers what it's like to ride the pine and read the papers calling you a bust every day. PJ Tucker remembers not getting love from the NBA and having to go to Europe to play. Jermaine O'Neal remembers the media telling him his knees were shot, remembers Bill Simmons referring to him as "Jermaine O'Neal's corpse," remembers everyone saying he was done, washed up and should quit.

There is no magic formula to it all. You don't become a winner just by winning and you don't become a loser just by losing, there's a process and an evolution to it and it can make or break players and teams. If the Suns lose the next 10 games, fine, whatever, they know they're bad. But they're going to remember going into San Antonio to play maybe the best in the West and taking one from them by working hard, rising up and fighting back. They're going to remember that O'Neal, broken and battered, didn't quit, kept his mouth shut, and quietly proved that he could still do it. The young guys, Marshall and the Morrii and maybe even Beasley will look and say "If he's willing to do all that, and play that hard, and not seek a buyout in this season where we have no chance...maybe I should be working hard for every meaningless game too."

Maybe it translates into making them winners down the road. Maybe it doesn't. But it certainly won't translate into making them better at losing, so there's no way this could be construed as a negative, no matter which side of the Tank-scenario you're on.

Well said.

Double that!