Game 2: Portland TrailBlazers (1-0) @ Phoenix Suns (0-1)

Revived · Post #221 » by **Revived** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:58 am

Good win. Needed it badly.

Warren's play is a delight.

I think Tucker needs to be reduced to a role where he comes in as an energy guy off the bench, that's it. I think having Warren in the starting lineup will likely increase Warren's confidence plus allow us to get off to really good starts at the beginning of games.

Plus I think Tucker will benefit quite a bit off the bench.

Revived · Post #222 » by **Revived** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 10:03 am

On another note, looks like Teletovic may be out of the regular rotation. Just 3 mins played today.

I don't think us winning and him hardly playing is a coincidence.

Leur has rightfully earned a spot in the rotation over him. 8 rebounds in 14 minutes of play, that's what I'm talking about!

Revived · Post #223 » by **Revived** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 10:12 am

bwgood77 wrote:Gerald Green with a minus 18 tonight on 1-9 shooting. It's amazing how players that leave here play worse.

Green had a pretty good game their first game and if you go on the Heat board, they love him and think he's their only bench player worth a damn.

As to the second part, not quite true considering Marcus Morris is balling out of his mind for Detroit and Pistons fans are wondering what the hell Suns fans were complaining about him for.

Adding to the second part, Isaiah Thomas is another person defying that theory. I shouldn't have to explain any further how he's played for the Celtics since we gifted him to Boston for a late 1st rd pick...

RunDogGun · Post #224 » by **RunDogGun** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 2:17 pm

batsmasher wrote:PJ without his corner 3 ball looks like 12-13 PJ.

He'll hopefully get his eye in from the corner soon enough. He's not taking bad shots at all, they're just not falling.

I'm not sure why they aren't falling, but I agree, he isn't taking bad shots. I also like how he realized it wasn't going in, and he took it to the basket instead. The hustle is still there, and I'm fine with him starting, and not taking the ball out of other guys hands.

TJ can score off the bench just fine, which is something we need from the bench, just as long as he gets decent minutes.

RunDogGun · Post #225 » by **RunDogGun** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 2:22 pm

letsgosuns wrote:
RunDogGun wrote:Well we lucked out from the line, and fouls called.

Did someone really say Tucker was a black hole on offense? He took 6 shots in 24 minutes. Morris took 17.

A lot of active hands tonight, but we keep turning the ball over on silly mistakes and traveling. Strange, but when I was watching the game, I was thinking how great it was grabbing Chandler, but he has to stop moving on screens, for they call that on us. And within a few seconds, he gets called for one. He is too obvious when doing it. Tyson, just stay set dude!

Tucker is a black hole on offense because he is such a non-threat to score. His offense has regressed dramatically. He averaged 2.5 ppg in preseason and so far is averaging 3 ppg in two regular season games. Obviously it is virtually no sample size but there is no denying that Tucker has become a huge liability offensively. Warren is far superior to him in every facet of the game outside of defense and that might even change one day. Starting Tucker is like having a starting lineup that is going four on five on offense.

No, it's not. His shot just isn't falling. He plays a role on offense, and it's sad that you don't see that. TJ is a different player, who often looks for his own shot, and he does fine coming off the bench.

suns91fan · Post #226 » by **suns91fan** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 2:33 pm

Putting all you firepower in one lineup is not a way to go. You can argue that Warren should get more minutes than Tucker, but Tucker in starting lineup is simply a better fit. As it stands right now, Warren is a number one scoring option in a bench unit, and it fits him perfectly.

RunDogGun · Post #227 » by **RunDogGun** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 2:34 pm

I'm still a bit more worried about Markieff. He seems to be playing with such low energy. He isn't really playing badly, just there is too much of,"well I really don't want to be here, so if I miss, oh well."

I'm a bit surprised to have heard that Len got a three day out of Duncan, but it looks like some of the tutoring has already translated in games. So.....thank you Duncan?

JMac1 · Post #228 » by **JMac1** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 3:15 pm

suns91fan wrote:Putting all you firepower in one lineup is not a way to go. You can argue that Warren should get more minutes than Tucker, but Tucker in starting lineup is simply a better fit. As it stands right now, Warren is a number one scoring option in a bench unit, and it fits him perfectly.

I disagree with this philosophy. You start your best players and you make sure you have a Warren type coming off of the bench. I wouldn't sit my best/better scorer on the bench just to have a bench, unless Duncan or old Kobe or Durant or Curry were in the starting lineup, then you'd have a point, but I will still start my better player, always.

I'd prefer to start off like gangbusters instead of slowly and then trying to play catch-up. You have Booker on the bench and Leuer and Len. We don't have enough offense with PJ, Markieff, and Tyson all in the starting lineup, IMO.

My rotation would be

Bledsoe/Knight
Knight/Booker
Warren/PJ
Leuer/Morris. (Leuer is better defensivley and a better rebounder, by far, a a better spot shooter. Morris is not an ISO player that you feed in the post like we like to do).
Chandler/Len

You have solid D from all but maybe Warren who is still learning, but rebounds very well. The Second unit has Offense from Booker, Markieff, Knight, and the new look Len (Nice last night down low) and defense from Knight, Len, and PJ.

I don't know why we signed Weems and Price, other than to mess up the rotation minutes, Knight is not a fulltime SG. I think the Suns didn't expect Booker to look so good so early :-?

now they have to bury a good player on the bench for guys not as good, so as far as I can see.

But whatever.

WeekapaugGroove · Post #229 » by **WeekapaugGroove** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 3:40 pm

It's obvious that Warren is a much better player right now than tucker. He's a legit player and looks like hell only get better.

I don't have a problem if they continue to use him off the bench ad long as he gets all the minutes he can handle and plays in crunch time when he's playing well. It's not a bad thing for his development to be featured more in the second unit.

Now I don't mind jmacs idea of starting Warren and luer instead of tucker and keif. Keif is a **** head so I'm sure he'd pout and it would be a disaster but realistically if he embraced that role he might be better off feasting off second units.

NTB · Post #230 » by **NTB** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 3:51 pm

Tyson Chanceler.

RaisingArizona · Post #231 » by **RaisingArizona** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:03 pm

EJ please never miss a broadcast again.

Cutter · Post #232 » by **Cutter** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:14 pm

Hornacek is smart to keep Warren as the main scoring option off the bench. He is getting 11.5 shot attempts per game so far, and he would not get that many attempts on the starting unit. Through a very small 2 game sample size he is shooting 40% from 3 point range, making 1 three per game on 2.5 attempts. i predict he will get expanded minutes coming from the bench and could possibly (though doubtful) become our starting 3 by end of year. Hornacek is a good coach, and will play Warren in a manner that helps to develop him, as well as put him in the best position to help the team.

PackSuns · Post #233 » by **PackSuns** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:14 pm

Tony Buckets should start. Period.

DRK · Post #234 » by **DRK** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:37 pm

In three years, TJ Warren is going to be an all-star calibre player.

Hes not super athletic, hes not a great outside shooter, but his rebounding effort and his offensive arsenal+ knack for off ball movement is going to make him an unique and special player.

Post #235 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:23 pm

SF88 wrote:
bwgood77 wrote:Gerald Green with a minus 18 tonight on 1-9 shooting. It's amazing how players that leave here play worse.

Green had a pretty good game their first game and if you go on the Heat board, they love him and think he's their only bench player worth a damn.

As to the second part, not quite true considering Marcus Morris is balling out of his mind for Detroit and Pistons fans are wondering what the hell Suns fans were complaining about him for.

Adding to the second part, Isaiah Thomas is another person defying that theory. I shouldn't have to explain any further how he's played for the Celtics since we gifted him to Boston for a late 1st rd pick...

I was being sarcastic. People were saying everyone plays better after leaving here after one games. All those guys had some great games for us, and some not so great games for us and I'm guessing they will continue to have great and not so great games going forward. I'd rather have Booker going forward than Green, Warren than Morris and Knight than IT.

bigfoot · Post #236 » by **bigfoot** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:40 pm

JMac1 wrote:
suns91fan wrote:Putting all you firepower in one lineup is not a way to go. You can argue that Warren should get more minutes than Tucker, but Tucker in starting lineup is simply a better fit. As it stands right now, Warren is a number one scoring option in a bench unit, and it fits him perfectly.

I disagree with this philosophy. You start your best players and you make sure you have a Warren type coming off of the bench.

Good thing Popovich disagrees with you. Ginobli came off the bench so many times for the Spurs over the past 10 years.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html

Post #237 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:44 pm

bigfoot wrote:
JMac1 wrote:
suns91fan wrote:Putting all you firepower in one lineup is not a way to go. You can argue that Warren should get more minutes than Tucker, but Tucker in starting lineup is simply a better fit. As it stands right now, Warren is a number one scoring option in a bench unit, and it fits him perfectly.

I disagree with this philosophy. You start your best players and you make sure you have a Warren type coming off of the bench.

Good thing Popovich disagrees with you. Ginobli came off the bench so many times for the Spurs over the past 10 years.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html

Harden too with OKC. Especially since Warren is such a good ballhandler. I definitely want him out there when both of our starting guards are sitting and preferably every time one of the starting guards is sitting, giving us two good ball handlers who can score out there at all times.

Saberestar · Post #238 » by **Saberestar** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 6:11 pm

Great game, hopefully the game against Dallas was only a bad night.

Chandler and Knight were special yesterday, playing like we had envisioned.

Bledsoe and Warren are our best players, and I am not worried about them at all. I know that they are prepared to play well every single game...something that I don't see with Markieff at this point of the season. At least he played a decent game and hopefully he dominates Leonard / Vonleh tonight.

Regarding Tucker I have to say that he has regressed one big step offensively this year. IDK if he will play better in the next few games, but the other teams are making adjusments because they don't see Tucker like a weapon. They have put Nowitzki (Dallas) and Leonard (Portland) guarding him for a good minutes because they are the worst defenders on their starting lineups...and Tucker could not making pay for that.

If he continues playing that way, I can see Hornacek putting Warren on the starting unit in less than a month.

Post #239 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 6:46 pm

Saberestar wrote:Great game, hopefully the game against Dallas was only a bad night.

Chandler and Knight were special yesterday, playing like we had envisioned.

Bledsoe and Warren are our best players, and I am not worried about them at all. I know that they are prepared to play well every single game...something that I don't see with Markieff at this point of the season. At least he played a decent game and hopefully he dominates Leonard / Vonleh tonight.

Regarding Tucker I have to say that he has regressed one big step offensively this year. IDK if he will play better in the next few games, but the other teams are making adjusments because they don't see Tucker like a weapon. They have put Nowitzki (Dallas) and Leonard (Portland) guarding him for a good minutes because they are the worst defenders on their starting lineups...and Tucker could not making pay for that.

If he continues playing that way, I can see Hornacek putting Warren on the starting unit in less than a month.

Warren deserves to start, but the problem is that I think it's good right now to have 2 of Bledsoe/Knight/Warren out there at all times for offense and ball handling. So it works out well if he comes in about the time one of our guards rests along with Tucker. Then you can bring in TJ and Weems (along with Len and Leuer) or probably eventually Booker instead of Weems.

Revived · Post #240 » by **Revived** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:11 pm

bwgood77 wrote:
SF88 wrote:
bwgood77 wrote:Gerald Green with a minus 18 tonight on 1-9 shooting. It's amazing how players that leave here play worse.

Green had a pretty good game their first game and if you go on the Heat board, they love him and think he's their only bench player worth a damn.

As to the second part, not quite true considering Marcus Morris is balling out of his mind for Detroit and Pistons fans are wondering what the hell Suns fans were complaining about him for.

Adding to the second part, Isaiah Thomas is another person defying that theory. I shouldn't have to explain any further how he's played for the Celtics since we gifted him to Boston for a late 1st rd pick...

I was being sarcastic. People were saying everyone plays better after leaving here after one games. All those guys had some great games for us, and some not so great games for us and I'm guessing they will continue to have great and not so great games going forward. I'd rather have Booker going forward than Green, Warren than Morris and Knight than IT.

Idk right now if I'd rather have Knight than IT but we'll see.