Game 24: Blazers (9-14) @ Suns (10-13)

[grumpysaddle]

Bledsoe had a quiet monster game.
Just so everyone is aware Bledsoe/Knight is the fourth highest scoring duo in the league. I believe the top three are Westbrook/Durant, Curry/Klay, Lillard/McCollum. Before tonight I think Bled/Knight was actually third.
Let that sink in for a second. We absolutely need help on offense. Someone else needs to be able to create their own shot. Is Cousins on the trade block yet?

I don't think anyone needs to be able to create their own shot. I think two of them is enough. What needs to happen is better rotations, and better plays being run. Accountability on the defensive side would be great too. Once Chandler went down, this team forgot wtf defense even is. Booker and Warren should be getting constant plays run for them, if not as the first option, then as the second option. Pretty sure all of the plays the team runs have ONE option, and when that doesn't work out, it's a shot clock violation/turnover/awful shot. I've also noticed that all three PGs are capable of playing great one-on-one defense, but they sacrifice that to risk jumping in passing lanes. Yes, it turns into a steal 2 or 3 times a game, but the other 20 times it's an open lane or open three. I think it's time to let Longabardi go, and probably Hornacek.

[NTB]

If we had won this game we would catch Utah(10-11) with 12-13 record. Come on Tyson just return already.

[JohnWall2]

You are entitled to your incorrect opinion

List the PGs better than Bledsoe this year.

It's not all about stats. It's about ball movement. He stops the ball movement of possessions. I like Bledsoe but as an off guard like he played in 13-14.

Curry, Paul, Westbrook, Conley, Parker, Lowry, Teague, lillard and I would take dragic on this team running PG over bled. I like bled but not as a pure PG. way too many possessions with him just dribbling around for 10-15 seconds doing nothing

You would take Bled over Wall??

[NTB]

You would take Lillard over Bled? Lol Lillard is trash. He is Jamal Crawford-type player.

[Barkley_34]

I guess from my perspective, I'd say Bledsoe is the one guy you don't trade from this team, and is the one person I've been most optimistic about this year aside from Booker. I think his vision has gotten better every year, and I think he'll develop a better knowledge of the game the more he plays. His IQ will improve just by the game slowing down, and that does happen for most every veteran. He's still a 2nd year player, and his supporting cast is mostly young guys and non-versatile floor spacers. His defense and the ability to get past his defender are elite, and his shooting has finally come along. Yes, it would be nice to have Steve Nash back in our backcourt or a young CP3, but you look around the league and those guys don't exist. That's exactly why those guys are so valuable, but even given that neither has a title, and other pure PGs like Jason Kidd didn't get one until he was out of his prime. PGs today are scorers, and for a rebuilding team there aren't many you'd want to take over Bled. It's really just Curry and Lillard (arguably, Lillard doesn't defend like Bledsoe), and maybe Russell if you were that high on him coming out of the draft (although I'm not).

I do agree with some questioning the Bledsoe and Knight pairing, particularly given how Booker has looked. I'm fine trading Knight because he's not the defensive player Bledsoe is, but it better be for a star big (like as a part of a deal for Cousins) or SF (although I don't think any exist that would be traded), or a pick to get a guy you are sold on. Because even Knight on his own is better than 99% of the 23 year olds in this league. He's younger then McCollum actually.

Best post I read in realgm. thank you

[JMac1]

1. It is the coaches fault. If guys are not doing what they are supposed to, take them out. If guys aren't motivated, motivate them. If the on court chemistry is broken, put in the group that has the best chemistry. If guys have attitudes, check them' if you can't trade them. But sometimes the coach just stinks at making the above happen.........Bill Billichek doesn't. For Example, Moss sucked it Oakland and was a hard head, went to Pats and set a record for receiving TD's. Good coaches get respect from players and they respond. Jeff just seems like he is afraid to do the right thing, which brings me to my second point.

2. Bledsoe was phenomenal and has been phenomenal; the dude can shoot now Bledsoe isn't forcing and knows how to feed the big guy. Bledsoe is taking SET SHOT OPEN THREES, how can you do that unless you are wide-open?! Bledsoe should be playing with Booker and Telly/Leuer and Len most of the time. As others have stated....he just turned 26 and he is getting better.

3. Knight is a high volume shooter. He is doing one thing and one thing only, trying to get his shot off, everything else be damned. Knight makes the other players look so bad. He wasted all of Bookers time out there. In the 1st Booker came in for Knight and proceeded to score 8 quick pts. When Knight is in there, Booker looks like a pedestrian waiting for the bus, which takes him out of the game offensively and defensively; and that is what happens to all of the players on the court when Knight is out there. Then Knight has the nerve to feel sorry for himself and not the team. He needs to come off of the bench.

4. Len looked great early last night and wasn't getting feed later during the game, again Hornacek's fault. He takes out Booker in a heart beat when he blows an assignment, but not when Knight or Tucker are forcing things.

5. If you want to see Len, Booker, and Warren regress and become so so players, keep doing what we are doing with the self-absorbed chucker Knight, and that is on Jeff, no one else.

[JMac1]

We have talent on this team....young talent. Need a coach to make it work. Knight is talented even though he is a chucker, he just needs to be put in a position that best suits him. Bledsoe, Len, Booker, Warren, Tell, and Leuer are all talented; just saying.....and Chandler. This team should make the playoffs.

[kennydorglas]

Tough game.
McCollum and Crabbe killed us with a lot of tough shots.
Knight was really bad last night and losing confidence after every missed shot/turnover.

[Puff]

Bledsoe had a quiet monster game.
Just so everyone is aware Bledsoe/Knight is the fourth highest scoring duo in the league. I believe the top three are Westbrook/Durant, Curry/Klay, Lillard/McCollum. Before tonight I think Bled/Knight was actually third.
Let that sink in for a second. We absolutely need help on offense. Someone else needs to be able to create their own shot. Is Cousins on the trade block yet?

Two of those four combos teams records are, 10 and 14.

Hip hip hooray

I could care less how much Knight and Bledsoe score, I want wins.

[Cutter]

Len had another monster first half last night. He was 13/8 at the half, and was at the free throw line constantly. He had 8 FTA and both he and Leuer were dominating the paint. Len was putting pressure on Portland down low, which should have helped open shots on the perimeter.

It was the opposite in the second half. Neither Bledsoe or Knight would attempt the entry pass into the lane to feed Len. They both went into ISO mode and we slowly began to bog down. Len didn't score one point in the second half, and Leuer disappeared as well.

I would be ok with moving Knight. First as a sixth man off the bench, and if that doesn't work I would be ok with trading him.

[jcsunsfan]

Bledsoe had a quiet monster game.
Just so everyone is aware Bledsoe/Knight is the fourth highest scoring duo in the league. I believe the top three are Westbrook/Durant, Curry/Klay, Lillard/McCollum. Before tonight I think Bled/Knight was actually third.
Let that sink in for a second. We absolutely need help on offense. Someone else needs to be able to create their own shot. Is Cousins on the trade block yet?

Two of those four combos teams records are, 10 and 14.

Hip hip hooray

I could care less how much Knight and Bledsoe score, I want wins.

Good grief. The reason those two are such a high scoring tandem is that they do not pass it to anyone else! It would not matter who else we got on offense. They would never see the ball. I like Bledsoe's game. But Knight is way to much of a chucker. I think its who he is, its in his nature, like Gerald Green. He has tried, early in the year, to be different, but on nights when he is struggling, he regresses to bad habits.

[RunDogGun]

Bledsoe has absolutely no part in this loss and people should be ashamed of themselves for bringing that up. By and large he is our best player this year and has surpassed guys like Conley/Teague. The rest of the roster needs to catch up to him. We should also be using Brandon Knight solely as our shooting guard, as literally every game going back to his Milwaukee days show. I think he has shown this year that he could be better than a guy like DeRozan.

He completely ignored the team at the end of the third, and started chucking instead of finding the open man, or setting up a play. That is what I said, and as the point guard, it is his responsibility.

[rsavaj]

The worst part about the loss is that we let 50 Cent down

[StarMaker]

I don't still understand why the team did give more credit to Alex Len at second half. The point guard like Knight and Bledsoe and the coach need to trust him more.

Suns got to be reorganized from top to bottom.

[jcsunsfan]

I don't still understand why the team did give more credit to Alex Len at second half. The point guard like Knight and Bledsoe and the coach need to trust him more.

Suns got to be reorganized from top to bottom.

NO they don't. The guards need to pass more. That's all. Bledsoe is fine. Knight can be excellent, he just needs to understand that he can pass his way out of a bad shooting night. Its not a big change.

[letsgosuns]

The Suns are facing a 2003 Marbury/Hardaway situation all over again. A selfish player (Marbury) and a fading star (Hardaway) holding back very talented players in Amare, Marion, and Johnson.

Fast forward to 2015 and you have two guys (Bledsoe and Knight), holding back the talent of Len, Warren, and Booker. Watching Bledsoe and Knight is like watching Marbury all over again except at least Marbury had star talent. Bledsoe and Knight are incredibly selfish and think they are Allen Iverson. Both have low IQ's, are turnover prone, have poor ball handling skills, are not good shooters, try to be the hero yet constantly screw up, and neither makes anyone around them better. The mark of a true superstar is making players around you better. Bledsoe and Knight make players around them worse.

I hate the way this team is built. I HATE IT. I stopped posting because I was getting quoted by everyone and everyone was insulting me. Well guess what, now nearly everyone wants Markieff gone, they want Hornacek fired, and they want one of Bledsoe, Knight, or both traded. So many people are now saying what I said all offseason yet was heavily criticized for. I told you guys this was not complicated. You do not win with a dual point guard lineup, especially not with selfish ones. Bledsoe, Knight, Thomas, and Dragic are score first guards. The Suns went in the opposite direction of Nash and there was no need for it. I would take Ish Smith over all four of the guys I just mentioned. At least I know Smith will pass the ball. Sarver needs to clean house and do what Ken Kendrick did and hire a proven winner like Tony La Russa to undo all the terrible moves from the past five years.

[StarMaker]

I don't still understand why the team did give more credit to Alex Len at second half. The point guard like Knight and Bledsoe and the coach need to trust him more.

Suns got to be reorganized from top to bottom.

NO they don't. The guards need to pass more. That's all. Bledsoe is fine. Knight can be excellent, he just needs to understand that he can pass his way out of a bad shooting night. Its not a big change.

It's a huge step if they can pass more. I don't think they abandon their shot-first style. Of course not Hornacek give more minutes to Alex Len because Horny is always looking to the small ball every single game.

[Saberestar]

The Suns are facing a 2003 Marbury/Hardaway situation all over again. A selfish player (Marbury) and a fading star (Hardaway) holding back very talented players in Amare, Marion, and Johnson.

Fast forward to 2015 and you have two guys (Bledsoe and Knight), holding back the talent of Len, Warren, and Booker. Watching Bledsoe and Knight is like watching Marbury all over again except at least Marbury had star talent. Bledsoe and Knight are incredibly selfish and think they are Allen Iverson. Both have low IQ's, are turnover prone, have poor ball handling skills, are not good shooters, try to be the hero yet constantly screw up, and neither makes anyone around them better. The mark of a true superstar is making players around you better. Bledsoe and Knight make players around them worse.

I hate the way this team is built. I HATE IT. I stopped posting because I was getting quoted by everyone and everyone was insulting me. Well guess what, now nearly everyone wants Markieff gone, they want Hornacek fired, and they want one of Bledsoe, Knight, or both traded. So many people are now saying what I said all offseason yet was heavily criticized for. I told you guys this was not complicated. You do not win with a dual point guard lineup, especially not with selfish ones. Bledsoe, Knight, Thomas, and Dragic are score first guards. The Suns went in the opposite direction of Nash and there was no need for it. I would take Ish Smith over all four of the guys I just mentioned. At least I know Smith will pass the ball. Sarver needs to clean house and do what Ken Kendrick did and hire a proven winner like Tony La Russa to undo all the terrible moves from the past five years.

You deserves recognition because a lot of things have been like you said two or three months ago.

But I do not think it is ALL bad. We are not that away from being a playoff team, but we need to make some changes.

If we trade Knight for someone like Oladipo ( SG two way player ) and Markieff for ...whoever or picks, we would have a good roster with a ton of weapons and future.

I have said this other times...I would trade for someone like Ricky Rubio if we want to change our system. He would make Booker, Warren and Len REALLY good players.

IDK what to do with Hornacek...I prefer to fire him and put Watson or Gaines for the rest of the season.

[StarMaker]

The Suns are facing a 2003 Marbury/Hardaway situation all over again. A selfish player (Marbury) and a fading star (Hardaway) holding back very talented players in Amare, Marion, and Johnson.

Fast forward to 2015 and you have two guys (Bledsoe and Knight), holding back the talent of Len, Warren, and Booker. Watching Bledsoe and Knight is like watching Marbury all over again except at least Marbury had star talent. Bledsoe and Knight are incredibly selfish and think they are Allen Iverson. Both have low IQ's, are turnover prone, have poor ball handling skills, are not good shooters, try to be the hero yet constantly screw up, and neither makes anyone around them better. The mark of a true superstar is making players around you better. Bledsoe and Knight make players around them worse.

I hate the way this team is built. I HATE IT. I stopped posting because I was getting quoted by everyone and everyone was insulting me. Well guess what, now nearly everyone wants Markieff gone, they want Hornacek fired, and they want one of Bledsoe, Knight, or both traded. So many people are now saying what I said all offseason yet was heavily criticized for. I told you guys this was not complicated. You do not win with a dual point guard lineup, especially not with selfish ones. Bledsoe, Knight, Thomas, and Dragic are score first guards. The Suns went in the opposite direction of Nash and there was no need for it. I would take Ish Smith over all four of the guys I just mentioned. At least I know Smith will pass the ball. Sarver needs to clean house and do what Ken Kendrick did and hire a proven winner like Tony La Russa to undo all the terrible moves from the past five years.

You deserves recognition because a lot of things have been like you said two or three months ago.

But I do not think it is ALL bad. We are not that away from being a playoff team, but we need to make some changes.

If we trade Knight for someone like Oladipo ( SG two way player ) and Markieff for ...whoever or picks, we would have a good roster with a ton of weapons and future.

I have said this other times...I would trade for someone like Ricky Rubio if we want to change our system. He would make Booker, Warren and Len REALLY good players.

IDK what to do with Hornacek...I prefer to fire him and put Watson or Gaines for the rest of the season.

If we had a chance to deal with Magic, I would get Aaron Gordon, not Oladipo. Sending Knight + @ for Gordon and Frye would be excellent. That's because we add more leadership and potential in PF position.

[jcsunsfan]

The Suns are facing a 2003 Marbury/Hardaway situation all over again. A selfish player (Marbury) and a fading star (Hardaway) holding back very talented players in Amare, Marion, and Johnson.

Fast forward to 2015 and you have two guys (Bledsoe and Knight), holding back the talent of Len, Warren, and Booker. Watching Bledsoe and Knight is like watching Marbury all over again except at least Marbury had star talent. Bledsoe and Knight are incredibly selfish and think they are Allen Iverson. Both have low IQ's, are turnover prone, have poor ball handling skills, are not good shooters, try to be the hero yet constantly screw up, and neither makes anyone around them better. The mark of a true superstar is making players around you better. Bledsoe and Knight make players around them worse.

I hate the way this team is built. I HATE IT. I stopped posting because I was getting quoted by everyone and everyone was insulting me. Well guess what, now nearly everyone wants Markieff gone, they want Hornacek fired, and they want one of Bledsoe, Knight, or both traded. So many people are now saying what I said all offseason yet was heavily criticized for. I told you guys this was not complicated. You do not win with a dual point guard lineup, especially not with selfish ones. Bledsoe, Knight, Thomas, and Dragic are score first guards. The Suns went in the opposite direction of Nash and there was no need for it. I would take Ish Smith over all four of the guys I just mentioned. At least I know Smith will pass the ball. Sarver needs to clean house and do what Ken Kendrick did and hire a proven winner like Tony La Russa to undo all the terrible moves from the past five years.

You deserves recognition because a lot of things have been like you said two or three months ago.

But I do not think it is ALL bad. We are not that away from being a playoff team, but we need to make some changes.

If we trade Knight for someone like Oladipo ( SG two way player ) and Markieff for ...whoever or picks, we would have a good roster with a ton of weapons and future.

I have said this other times...I would trade for someone like Ricky Rubio if we want to change our system. He would make Booker, Warren and Len REALLY good players.

IDK what to do with Hornacek...I prefer to fire him and put Watson or Gaines for the rest of the season.

Just a dumb question. What is the main difference between Oladipo and Archie? Both are amazingly athletic. Both are very fast. Both are good defenders (Dipo is probably better), both are poor shooters.

Can't see why we bring in Oladipo when we already have Archie who can't get PT because of his shooting.