Game 13: Phoenix Suns (7-5) @ New Orleans Pelicans (3-11)

[lilfishi22]

It's happening to me too Cutter

[bwgood77]

All I am gonna say is this game is exactly the reason why Suns fans do not go to games and stopped caring because this team is nothing more than a .500 team.

Pretty much what most of us were expecting. About a 500 team. What exactly are you complaining about? The difference is that 3-4 years ago we were a 500 or worse than and old. Now we are an up n coming 500 team with first and second year guys finally getting good minutes and our best players are 23 and 25 instead of late 30s.

Lots of good stuff here now even if you make just a tiny effort to look for it.

The Morris situation is really taking away from an otherwise pretty fun season IMO.

Anyone who has been following basketball and the Suns for a decent amount of time knows that we are about a .500 ball club. I tell you what though, if we can somehow get a star within the next couple years to compliment Bled and Knight I think we can make a deep playoffs push.

Definitely. Plus, other than GS and OKC, I think everyone else will decline in talent (CP3 getting older, Harden making bad career decisions), and who knows about SA? SA will always be there, but I do feel like the league is getting more balanced overall to some extent like the NFL...any team can get hot and make a run, but you can also get beat any night no matter who you are. I love where we are from a roster standpoint right now, outside of Markieff. I think he has decent talent but I'm ready to move on when we can find value.

If we had LMA right now, I think we'd be VERY tough to beat.

One guy's decision changes quite a bit, but it also has allowed us to see some good things in Telly and Leuer. I just hope now that if Telly and Leuer play really well, and fit in well, that they don't get overpriced in the market. I think we should go all out for Ryan Anderson though in FA. I'm unsure why some people don't like Anderson around here, but he fits in perfectly with our squad.

[bwgood77]

What is wrong with the And1 feature on this board?

I've tried to give out 6-8 And1's tonight and This feature isn't working. I keep getting this error message:

{"togle_action":"add","togle_post":"45150323","post_id":"45150323","topic_id":"1414781","forum_id":"27","poster_id":"99872","user_id":"122317","session_id":"914be27e5f8525cda1acaa5bac3c1fe3

Is anyone else getting this error message? Mods said it is happening to others. There were some great posts tonight that deserved recognition.

I mentioned it to Howard and the admins are looking into it. I'm still getting the same thing. I also have some weird problems with my notifications too...like the number sometimes goes to zero before it shows me what they are and I can't see them. Kind of inconsistent.

[Cutter]

My notifications also seem inconsistent and quirky. I really like giving And1's so that's what I'm missing most right now.

Thanks for the update.

[DRK]

My notifications also seem inconsistent and quirky. I really like giving And1's so that's what I'm missing most right now.

Thanks for the update.

Aww you lil and1 whore.

[Cutter]

My concern about Telly is his defense. I think this board is going to have a love-hate relationship with him all season. When he is hitting 3's we look the other way on his defense. When he isn't hitting shots his poor defense will be hard to overlook.

[Cutter]

My notifications also seem inconsistent and quirky. I really like giving And1's so that's what I'm missing most right now.

Thanks for the update.

Aww you lil and1 whore.

Haha. I tried to and1 this post, but got an error.

[Calvin Klein]

Why did Len play only 2 minutes while Chandler was in foul trouble?

What's the point of going small when neither Kieff nor Telly are good defenders? It was painful to watch.

[bwgood77]

All I am gonna say is this game is exactly the reason why Suns fans do not go to games and stopped caring because this team is nothing more than a .500 team.

Pretty much what most of us were expecting. About a 500 team. What exactly are you complaining about? The difference is that 3-4 years ago we were a 500 or worse than and old. Now we are an up n coming 500 team with first and second year guys finally getting good minutes and our best players are 23 and 25 instead of late 30s.

Lots of good stuff here now even if you make just a tiny effort to look for it.

The Morris situation is really taking away from an otherwise pretty fun season IMO.

I am not complaining about anything. Why is everyone taking this comment out of context? So many fans on here lately have been complaining about the Suns fan base and how bad the crowd is. And I am pointing out that this game is just like last year and that is the reason. Cannot close out a team down the stretch. Played bad defense. Had bad turnovers. It was a winnable game against a playoff team from last year and the Suns failed once again. 7-6 against a cakewalk schedule so far. That is why fans in Phoenix do not believe in this team.

And wasn't Chandler signed for defense and rebounding? He did not even play in the fourth quarter. Suns could barely get a stop in the fourth quarter against Davis and Hornacek never brought Chandler in. He had 10 rebounds in 16 minutes and Idk why Hornacek thought a Markieff and Teletovich frontcourt could get stops.

I think there are many reasons local fans are not into it the team like they used to be.

1. Colangelo brought the team to the valley, always tried VERY hard to have a great team no matter what. He NEVER would have embraced a full rebuild, so many longer fans don't resonate with rebuild...

2. Sarver just generally isn't as likable as Colangelo. Colangelo came across as loyal to players and mostly to coaches. Sarver isn't loyal to anyone and he is far too impatient and he sometimes gets rid of people who have been successful but for what either appear to be ego, personal, penny pinching, expecting too much too soon, etc.

So every time Sarver gets rid of someone, another unfamiliar face comes into town. The only familiar one, Kerr, he let go for whatever reason.

Sarver was also spoiled. He was handed a contender so he just got used to it. He figured (or it seemed) regardless of his actions, this team would contend. He became arrogant and cheap by selling draft picks, not planning for the future, etc. This five year drought has a lot to do with missing like 4-5 years of 1st round draft picks.

Trying to patch together a team when Amare left, and contend with a bad roster, and doing that for too long.

3. We have always kind of had a face of the franchise...or mostly we have....before the KJ era it was Westphal, Davis and Adams, and then you had KJ, and Barkley joined him. Then we had a slight dip. But we still had Kidd and McDyess....we were fringe playoff team much of the years between 96-04...usually one and done or miss the playoffs...I think we won one playoff series in 8 years....so that wasn't a great stretch either. After that Nash was the face...after Nash....the only guy that was kind of the face of the franchise was Goran, so after last year, what was left of fan support dissipated further.

During that 96-04 stretch we got two key draft picks that were major pieces to our next team (Marion and Amare). Right now we are in a similar stretch as then, and our lotto picks (as opposed to Nash, Amare and Marion) are Len, Booker and Warren. But we also got another top 8 pick from 4 years ago (Knight) and a first rounder playing well from 5 years ago (Bledsoe).

I think if Colangelo still owned the team, there would be more support, there is really nothing that local fans can really identify with as far as history goes, with this team. So many of the faces are new each year.

When we finally decided to rebuild after those last two wasted Nash seasons, we were projected to win 17. I figured we'd probably win about 20, then maybe get to 30 last year and hopefully 40 this year.

I think because we won 48 in year one, some fans expectations went through the roof and then some botched front office (either moves, or communication with players) hurt last season. But even as bad as last season was, and even losing like our last 10, we still won more than I would have predicted a year earlier.

As far as I'm concerned, I think the rebuild is ahead of schedule, and while I, of course, would have liked to have won a lottery, or had an asset we could have traded for Wiggins or whatever, I think we've made solid picks from what I can tell. I'm sure some wish we would have had a worse coach than Hornacek a couple years ago so we would have had a better chance at Wiggins or something, but it was nice that we got a solid coach too.

Tyson wasn't quick enough to guard AD. They went small so we did as well, and we are much better offensively without him too.

[bwgood77]

Why did Len play only 2 minutes while Chandler was in foul trouble?

What's the point of going small when neither Kieff nor Telly are good defenders? It was painful to watch.

I didn't understand why Len wasn't in early. I assumed he was ill early when he didn't have any minutes. There must have been something wrong with him, because I think he could have been quick enough to mostly keep up with AD.

[Funky Tut]

Pretty much what most of us were expecting. About a 500 team. What exactly are you complaining about? The difference is that 3-4 years ago we were a 500 or worse than and old. Now we are an up n coming 500 team with first and second year guys finally getting good minutes and our best players are 23 and 25 instead of late 30s.

Lots of good stuff here now even if you make just a tiny effort to look for it.

The Morris situation is really taking away from an otherwise pretty fun season IMO.

Anyone who has been following basketball and the Suns for a decent amount of time knows that we are about a .500 ball club. I tell you what though, if we can somehow get a star within the next couple years to compliment Bled and Knight I think we can make a deep playoffs push.

Definitely. Plus, other than GS and OKC, I think everyone else will decline in talent (CP3 getting older, Harden making bad career decisions), and who knows about SA? SA will always be there, but I do feel like the league is getting more balanced overall to some extent like the NFL...any team can get hot and make a run, but you can also get beat any night no matter who you are. I love where we are from a roster standpoint right now, outside of Markieff. I think he has decent talent but I'm ready to move on when we can find value.

If we had LMA right now, I think we'd be VERY tough to beat.

One guy's decision changes quite a bit, but it also has allowed us to see some good things in Telly and Leuer. I just hope now that if Telly and Leuer play really well, and fit in well, that they don't get overpriced in the market. I think we should go all out for Ryan Anderson though in FA. I'm unsure why some people don't like Anderson around here, but he fits in perfectly with our squad.

You don't need to tell me, losing out on LA was a kick in the nuts. If we get him I am saying we make a DEEP playoff push.

[bwgood77]

You don't need to tell me, losing out on LA was a kick in the nuts. If we get him I am saying we make a DEEP playoff push.

And more importantly, San Antonio gets a kick in the nuts. OK, maybe not MORE important, but ALMOST as important.

[Funky Tut]

You don't need to tell me, losing out on LA was a kick in the nuts. If we get him I am saying we make a DEEP playoff push.

And more importantly, San Antonio gets a kick in the nuts. OK, maybe not MORE important, but ALMOST as important.

Tired of of losing out to the Spurs as a Suns fan, losing LA to the Spurs hurt, all of us Suns fans knew if LA comes here we are playoff contenders, it sucked man.

I love the way that Bled and Knight are playing, but this league you need a superstar, both are budding stars but not quite there yet . They are an absolute compliment to a superstar though. If we can land one, Bled and Knight would still be in their primes, we can only hope.

[Cutter]

i think Hornacek saw how good we were shooting the three and went with the pure small ball line up where all players can shoot the three. Len gets playing time during hybrid small ball where he is the defensive center and everyone else plays on the perimeter.

[RunDogGun]

Bw, I think you're forgetting that Colangelo racked up a $200 million debt. It would be tough for him to still be the owner of the team, when he was hemorrhaging that kind of cash.

[DRK]

You don't need to tell me, losing out on LA was a kick in the nuts. If we get him I am saying we make a DEEP playoff push.

And more importantly, San Antonio gets a kick in the nuts. OK, maybe not MORE important, but ALMOST as important.

Tired of of losing out to the Spurs as a Suns fan, losing LA to the Spurs hurt, all of us Suns fans knew if LA comes here we are playoff contenders, it sucked man.

I love the way that Bled and Knight are playing, but this league you need a superstar, both are budding stars but not quite there yet . They are an absolute compliment to a superstar though. If we can land one, Bled and Knight would still be in their primes, we can only hope.

If Bledsoe keeps this level of play up, hes a superstar IMO

[Jdiddy701]

Only thing Bledsoe has not done to be considered an allstar/superstar is taking over in the 4th and hitting clutch shots. One step at a time

Still think his defense is the best at his position and doesn't get talked about enough.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[bwgood77]

You don't need to tell me, losing out on LA was a kick in the nuts. If we get him I am saying we make a DEEP playoff push.

And more importantly, San Antonio gets a kick in the nuts. OK, maybe not MORE important, but ALMOST as important.

Tired of of losing out to the Spurs as a Suns fan, losing LA to the Spurs hurt, all of us Suns fans knew if LA comes here we are playoff contenders, it sucked man.

I love the way that Bled and Knight are playing, but this league you need a superstar, both are budding stars but not quite there yet . They are an absolute compliment to a superstar though. If we can land one, Bled and Knight would still be in their primes, we can only hope.

About half of the stars are clear cut can't miss stars in the draft, and about half of them develop into stars. There is no reason a guy like Warren or a guy like Booker cannot develop into one. I mean, guys like Paul George, Jimmy Butler, even Steph Curry, no one thought these guys were going to be stars...same with James Harden, or you could even say Westbrook. I know Steph Curry is probably the best shooter in history, but who's to say Booker can't be the next best shooter in history. I think our best real hope for a star is that one of these guys turns into one. They have both shown a ton early.

TJ Warren did win ACC player of the year over Jabari Parker, and played for a far less popular team, with far less talent, and played better. He just wasn't hyped GOING INTO college.

[bwgood77]

Bw, I think you're forgetting that Colangelo racked up a $200 million debt. It would be tough for him to still be the owner of the team, when he was hemorrhaging that kind of cash.

Oh, I didn't say he could continue being owner. He definitely put himself in that situation. I just think in general, many who grew up with Colangelo bringing the Suns to Phx and all that...most all that history is just gone, which hurts fan support...at least from the older fans. It doesn't hurt mine for example, but I know my dad who used to really be interested in the Suns, has little to no interest any more.

[RunDogGun]

Bw, I think you're forgetting that Colangelo racked up a $200 million debt. It would be tough for him to still be the owner of the team, when he was hemorrhaging that kind of cash.

Oh, I didn't say he could continue being owner. He definitely put himself in that situation. I just think in general, many who grew up with Colangelo bringing the Suns to Phx and all that...most all that history is just gone, which hurts fan support...at least from the older fans. It doesn't hurt mine for example, but I know my dad who used to really be interested in the Suns, has little to no interest any more.

I've been following them since 78. Changing of the guard hasn't hurt my love for them. I wear a Suns shirt, hat, or some other gear almost every day of the year.

And I moved from New York in 77.