Game 20: Phoenix Suns (8-11) @ Washington Wizards (7-9)

[bwgood77]

I just hope Ryan McD is here to stay for a long time. He's not to blame in any of us. But does need to get rid of Jeff.


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The guy doesn't sit back and wait too long. I'm expecting a move this month to shakeup this roster somehow. A coaching change is necessary at this point.

So who do you go with as interim from the assistants? Earl Watson?

Hornacek might need to go after this season, but I need to see him coach a team post a decent trade, even if it is just dumping guys. I think if we had really gone complete full rebuild mode, he would be great to teach young guys. This whole (we want to rebuild but also compete now) is ridiculous to some extent because what is the coach supposed to do? It's one or the other. And whatever the owner wants is whatever the GM is going to tell the coach to do.

I think the Sarver is like SF88, Scutt, InLenWeTrust and ginobiliflops though, and will probably fire him fairly soon.

[Saberestar]

We are going to play at Chicago and at Memphis the next two...so we certainly are 8W - 14L.

I think Hornacek needs to be fired because we can save this season if we can have a good HC who plays the better players, not HIS players, and a HC that makes players more coachable because it seems that no one obeys to Hornacek.

[RaisingArizona]

I think the roster change will come first and if that doesn't patch things up then Jeff's a goner too. Might wait till after the year but I don't see how he survives unless we compete for a playoff spot.

[bwgood77]

In case you're wondering... We led by 9 in Brooklyn, 16 in Detroit and 10 today. Yes, in the 4th quarter.

I have to say, in terms of being a Suns fan and the regular season, this three game stretch is about as brutal as it can be. And if you are watching all these games, you are a true fan.

Of course we did start the 2006-07 season 1-5, so that wasn't fun either, but at least it ended well with the suspensions and all.

[LukasBMW]

If DAntoni wasn't so stubborn, he'd still be the head coach here. He had lots going for him, but his unwillingness to teach defense or take on a defensive minded assistant and his 7 man rotations were absolutely insane.

Westphaul was possibly our most creative coach but the guy just looks old now. And didn't he leave Phoenix on bad terms? Didn't he feel like we "cockblocked" him on other NBA jobs for awhile? Maybe it was just an issue with Colangelo.

Speaking of Colangelo, that's who I really want back here. Hell I'd even take Bryan as owner, McD as GM, and give Horny a second chance.

Remember when 60 year old Colangelo told Robert Horry to his face "If I were 10 years younger, I'd kick your ass! Instead, I'm going to trade you!" And he scammed the Lakers and got us back Ceballos.

[Sunsss]

In case you're wondering... We led by 9 in Brooklyn, 16 in Detroit and 10 today. Yes, in the 4th quarter.

I have to say, in terms of being a Suns fan and the regular season, this three game stretch is about as brutal as it can be. And if you are watching all these games, you are a true fan.

Of course we did start the 2006-07 season 1-5, so that wasn't fun either, but at least it ended well with the suspensions and all.

Last season was terrible with buzzer beaters as well.

[RaisingArizona]

I don't know who the coach should be. I'll trust McD to get his guy. My bet would be Thibs but I don't know.

[jeff2020]

In the last 6 seasons we have had 1 winning season, yeah I'm gonna go ahead and say this season is going to be a losing one. This franchise that has been so good for so long is going in the wrong direction for sure. A couple more years like this and we are approaching being labeled with teams like the Kings, sixers, nets and the Knicks

[bwgood77]

We are going to play at Chicago and at Memphis the next two...so we certainly are 8W - 14L. I think Hornacek needs to be fired because we can save this season if we can have a good HC who plays the better players, not his players and a HC that makes players more coachable because it seems that no one obeys to Hornacek.

It's makes me so frustrated watching these games, but I figured our (likely 500 team with this roster) would go 2-4 on this eastern road trip against all playoff teams from last year except Detroit, who I think is much improved. But it's more the way that we lose these games that is crushing. Given my expectations, if I just looked at the results, I would probably think "Wow, we beat Toronto and had three close losses..we are playing with everyone and a bit better than I expected."

But to your point about getting a better coach...I don't remember many, if ANY situations where a coach got fired mid season and a coach came in off the streets to coach a team he didn't know. You do understand that if Hornacek gets fired during the season that it will 99% chance be an assistant who coaches out the whole year. I mean maybe one of them is a great coach and can make Bledsoe and Knight turn into Nash, and disobey orders to play Kieff...who knows?

[Mulhollanddrive]

Being 9th seed is death, think we've finished around there 5 times in recent years and it accomplishes nothing.

It gets fans deluded into hoping average players are the next superstars.

Either be really good or really bad (and aiming to be really good).

[bwgood77]

If DAntoni wasn't so stubborn, he'd still be the head coach here. He had lots going for him, but his unwillingness to teach defense or take on a defensive minded assistant and his 7 man rotations were absolutely insane.

Westphaul was possibly our most creative coach but the guy just looks old now. And didn't he leave Phoenix on bad terms? Didn't he feel like we "cockblocked" him on other NBA jobs for awhile? Maybe it was just an issue with Colangelo.

Speaking of Colangelo, that's who I really want back here. Hell I'd even take Bryan as owner, McD as GM, and give Horny a second chance.

Remember when 60 year old Colangelo told Robert Horry to his face "If I were 10 years younger, I'd kick your ass! Instead, I'm going to trade you!" And he scammed the Lakers and got us back Ceballos.

The point is, you need the right players in this day and age. We MAY have good enough players for the 8 seed with a good coach? Maybe? It's kind of like when we had Marbury, Joe Johnson, Marion and Amare...we could barely fight for the 8 seed, and maybe pull out a lucky win or two, but they were not going anywhere. You put a passer with those talented players....boom.

Booker and Warren could be playing with Knight and Bledsoe now and may rarely see the ball.

I really like many things about Bledsoe and Knight but it's just tough for any coach to change a player's habits. That's why they have bounced around or been backups prior to being in Phx.

[In Len We Trust]

I can't take it anymore. Watching us blow ANOTHER 4th quarter.....


Hornacek has to go. It's already too late, but he has to go. He's proven nothing in this league and we will never ever ever make the playoffs until he is fired.

[bwgood77]

Being 9th seed is death, think we've finished around there 5 times in recent years and it accomplishes nothing.

It gets fans deluded into hoping average players are the next superstars.

Either be really good or really bad (and aiming to be really good).

Luckily, it looks like if we finish 9th or 10th seed this year, that it will be much better than the 13th or 14th pick and we can get into the top 10!

If we get into the top 7 or 8, we would have a fairly decent chance of getting into the top 3.

[Grots]

Bledsoe's pretty great at feeding Warren actually. I haven't really paid attention with Booker though.

[rsavaj]

At least we have Jon Leuer though.

[bwgood77]

Yeah knight and Bledsoe really just don't mesh at all. neither has a PG skill set but really needs to play the 1 because of their size. Maybe Booker and warren are our amare and matrix in that 4 player comparison? This team needs a PG in the absolute worst way but the only thing is we aren't gonna trade either. Just signed them to big deals and McD is gonna right this thing out until it costs him his job I think. If he does decide he wants to blow this up I don't see us unloading both. We are stuck with either bled or knight the duration of that 5 year contract. Tank for Ben Simmons please??

I pretty much have the same thoughts as you do. I was hoping so much that Knight and Bledsoe would work, but it rarely does, and I think we may be in for a few more tough years if that's the case. Hornacek has faults, but if your two guards, think they need to put the game in their own hands in the 4th, and it continues to cost you, these guys don't have a clue. I honestly think Bledsoe wants to be Kobe, which is too bad, because everyone used to talk about his LeBron connection...why can't he play like that? Not talent wise, but just pass first....rather set up a teammate than take the shot.

But with long term projections in mind, I would probably be happier with a 5% chance at Ben Simmons than a first round sweep by the Warriors. I love making the playoffs when I think we have a chance against anyone.

But I guess I do go back and think...Markieff was probably one of our two most solid players last year, and he decided to suck...replace him with Aldridge...I mean...no way we lose these last three with actually a player who cared and a good one. And probably a couple other games.

[Saberestar]

We are going to play at Chicago and at Memphis the next two...so we certainly are 8W - 14L. I think Hornacek needs to be fired because we can save this season if we can have a good HC who plays the better players, not his players and a HC that makes players more coachable because it seems that no one obeys to Hornacek.

It's makes me so frustrated watching these games, but I figured our (likely 500 team with this roster) would go 2-4 on this eastern road trip against all playoff teams from last year except Detroit, who I think is much improved. But it's more the way that we lose these games that is crushing. Given my expectations, if I just looked at the results, I would probably think "Wow, we beat Toronto and had three close losses..we are playing with everyone and a bit better than I expected."
G
But to your point about getting a better coach...I don't remember many, if ANY situations where a coach got fired mid season and a coach came in off the streets to coach a team he didn't know. You do understand that if Hornacek gets fired during the season that it will 99% chance be an assistant who coaches out the whole year. I mean maybe one of them is a great coach and can make Bledsoe and Knight turn into Nash, and disobey orders to play Kieff...who knows?

Probably Watson or Longabardi can take the job. The change is needed at this point because Hornacek is in his third year and he doesn't improve and he steals the confidence in our young players with his substitutions.

Alex Len hasn't been fantastic this season, but he has played well this three last games.In the last two he has played only 14 and 15 minutes. This is ridiculous.

[Saberestar]

At least we have Jon Leuer though.

Under Hornacek he is not gonna average more than 20 minutes per game. Never.

[bwgood77]

Probably Watson or Longabardi can take the job. The change is needed at this point because Hornacek is in his third year and he doesn't improve and he steals the confidence in our young players with his substitutions.

Alex Len hasn't been fantastic this season, but he has played well this three last games.In the last two he has played only 14 and 15 minutes. This is ridiculous.

Yeah, but the thing is, when the objective is making the playoffs over developing players that is the primary source of the problem. The young guys put up great numbers when they are in there, but for the most part, it is against 2nd units. We have a great 2nd unit against other second units usually, actually not tonight...Booker and Warren were minuses against backups...you play them against starters there is zero chance at the playoffs.

It just depends. I would rather play Warren and Booker each 35 minutes a game and let them work through it...Len too, but the owner demands playoffs.

[TeamTragic]

Tucker/Kieff played 65 minutes total and gave the team 19 **** points combined. Tucker had 13 boards which won't happen again for another 5 games. Does Hornacek even care anymore?

Price had more minutes than Booker? Len with only 15 minutes? Mirza with 7 whole minutes? He didn't even play Goodwin. I wonder if we will ever have a coach that actually plays our younger players