Game 53: Phoenix Suns (29-23) @ Sacramento Kings (17-32)

[Revived]

I bet Kieff has a good game next game and a bunch of idiotic morons will say "WOW look see Kieff is soo good, I can't believe yall were hating him after last game".

And then they will disappear when he lays an egg in the next 10 games.

Rinse, repeat.

We really need to find someone who can replace him as starter and move him back to his 6th man role from last year.

[JTrain]

Bledsoe's newborn lead the team in scoring and hit the game winner at the buzzer.

Bledsoe's newborn had a higher shooting percentage than Keef.

For a while there, Bledsoe's newborn's APGAR score was higher than Kieff's FG% for this game

Our offense had an APGAR score of 0 for about three quarters.

[KLEON]

I said it before and I'll say it again, I would bring back a broken Amare and Nash

What about Tim Thomas and Louuuuuuuuuuuuuu?

I have an all-time SSOL team created on 2K

Steve Nash /Goran Dragic/Leandro Barbosa
Jason Richardson /Raja Bell /Jared Dudley
Joe Johnson /Grant Hill /Quentin Richardson
Shawn Marion /Boris Diaw /Tim Thomas
Amare Stoudemire/Shaq /Channing Frye

Memories

[saintEscaton]

It's amazing we were so close to a win in this game with 36% shooting from the field and 18% from 3. Kieff 3-20. Props to Hornacek figuring a way to keep this game close despite that and missing two of our most important players.

Now now I wouldn't go that far. Did you see him reprimand the chuckers for their awful shot selection? He didn't really make the optimal substitutions or half time adjustments. It was basically just him giving the reigns to IT to take charge and play hero ball

[rsavaj]

I bet Kieff has a good game next game and a bunch of idiotic morons will say "WOW look see Kieff is soo good, I can't believe yall were hating him after last game".

And then they will disappear when he lays an egg in the next 10 games.

Rinse, repeat.

We really need to find someone who can replace him as starter and move him back to his 6th man role from last year.

So you're saying he only has one good game out of eleven, on average?

I would also like to see Kieff as a 6th man

[bwgood77]

I don't even know how to analyze this team anymore. Sometimes it seems like they are one puzzle piece away from being really good, and then times like tonight they just look thoroughly mediocre from top to bottom.

Dragic has obviously fallen since last year (as most predicted) but he's not having a terrible year. His TS% ranks second in his career (behind last year) and his PER & WS are in line with the two years before last.

The Morris twins are average defenders and average-at-best rebounders who basically have one move on offense. It works well enough when the shots are falling but otherwise they have little to contribute.

IT is probably our best offensive player but he doesn't have the skillset to be a great PG and he doesn't have the height to be a great anything else.

Green-- I really don't know. He doesn't have that confidence anymore. I don't know what to make of it. He was a huge contributor last year and now he is dead last among the top 9 in WS/48.

TJ Warren looked great moving around on offense in the first half. I don't know why he wasn't in the whole third quarter. He's the only guy that can effectively slash to the hoop AND have the leap and height to get a good shot attempt on the way.

It's frustrating seeing guys smiling and joking when down by 10 to a sub-500 team in the second half of a must win game.

Kieff shot 3-20. If he shot 4-20 we win and you probably don't type this post. If he shoots 50% we win by double digits. These things happen.

I agree that it sucks having a bunch of perhaps slightly above avg players, but there isn't much you can do about that except try to make trades and stuff. We have a ton of depth aside from the PF spot.

[Revived]

I bet Kieff has a good game next game and a bunch of idiotic morons will say "WOW look see Kieff is soo good, I can't believe yall were hating him after last game".

And then they will disappear when he lays an egg in the next 10 games.

Rinse, repeat.

We really need to find someone who can replace him as starter and move him back to his 6th man role from last year.

So you're saying he only has one good game out of eleven, on average?

I would also like to see Kieff as a 6th man

He's inconsistent, period.

[bwgood77]

I bet Kieff has a good game next game and a bunch of idiotic morons will say "WOW look see Kieff is soo good, I can't believe yall were hating him after last game".

And then they will disappear when he lays an egg in the next 10 games.

Rinse, repeat.

We really need to find someone who can replace him as starter and move him back to his 6th man role from last year.

Well, a good game from him isn't an outlier. THIS game, was the outlier. He has been a super solid player this year especially for what we are paying him. Would I rather have a better PF and have a quality guy like him off the bench? Sure, but those are kind of hard to come by. They don't just pop up as available in trades.

If Kieff was injured this year, I think we would have about 5 fewer wins at least.

[rsavaj]

I bet Kieff has a good game next game and a bunch of idiotic morons will say "WOW look see Kieff is soo good, I can't believe yall were hating him after last game".

And then they will disappear when he lays an egg in the next 10 games.

Rinse, repeat.

We really need to find someone who can replace him as starter and move him back to his 6th man role from last year.

So you're saying he only has one good game out of eleven, on average?

I would also like to see Kieff as a 6th man

He's inconsistent, period.

That's what makes him a good player and not an All-Star. He's had way more good games than bad this season. You can check the game-logs, the +/-, whatever you want.

[Revived]

I don't even know how to analyze this team anymore. Sometimes it seems like they are one puzzle piece away from being really good, and then times like tonight they just look thoroughly mediocre from top to bottom.

Dragic has obviously fallen since last year (as most predicted) but he's not having a terrible year. His TS% ranks second in his career (behind last year) and his PER & WS are in line with the two years before last.

The Morris twins are average defenders and average-at-best rebounders who basically have one move on offense. It works well enough when the shots are falling but otherwise they have little to contribute.

IT is probably our best offensive player but he doesn't have the skillset to be a great PG and he doesn't have the height to be a great anything else.

Green-- I really don't know. He doesn't have that confidence anymore. I don't know what to make of it. He was a huge contributor last year and now he is dead last among the top 9 in WS/48.

TJ Warren looked great moving around on offense in the first half. I don't know why he wasn't in the whole third quarter. He's the only guy that can effectively slash to the hoop AND have the leap and height to get a good shot attempt on the way.

It's frustrating seeing guys smiling and joking when down by 10 to a sub-500 team in the second half of a must win game.

Kieff shot 3-20. If he shot 4-20 we win and you probably don't type this post. If he shoots 50% we win by double digits. These things happen.

I agree that it sucks having a bunch of perhaps slightly above avg players, but there isn't much you can do about that except try to make trades and stuff. We have a ton of depth aside from the PF spot.

But see it didn't happen. The "If"'s need to stop.

After we lost the Grizz game, people said "If" IT didn't have that backcourt turnover we win.

After we lost to Houston, people said "if" Dragic didn't have that tech, we win.

After the Clippers game, people said "If" we made one more free throw we win.

After the Bucks game, people said "if" we played with more effort in the beginning, we win.

The "if"s need to stop.

Their happening over and over again for a reason.

[rsavaj]

Why are we complaining about a PJ post-up to win the game when Markieff was the one who missed the fade-away?

[rsavaj]

I don't even know how to analyze this team anymore. Sometimes it seems like they are one puzzle piece away from being really good, and then times like tonight they just look thoroughly mediocre from top to bottom.

Dragic has obviously fallen since last year (as most predicted) but he's not having a terrible year. His TS% ranks second in his career (behind last year) and his PER & WS are in line with the two years before last.

The Morris twins are average defenders and average-at-best rebounders who basically have one move on offense. It works well enough when the shots are falling but otherwise they have little to contribute.

IT is probably our best offensive player but he doesn't have the skillset to be a great PG and he doesn't have the height to be a great anything else.

Green-- I really don't know. He doesn't have that confidence anymore. I don't know what to make of it. He was a huge contributor last year and now he is dead last among the top 9 in WS/48.

TJ Warren looked great moving around on offense in the first half. I don't know why he wasn't in the whole third quarter. He's the only guy that can effectively slash to the hoop AND have the leap and height to get a good shot attempt on the way.

It's frustrating seeing guys smiling and joking when down by 10 to a sub-500 team in the second half of a must win game.

Kieff shot 3-20. If he shot 4-20 we win and you probably don't type this post. If he shoots 50% we win by double digits. These things happen.

I agree that it sucks having a bunch of perhaps slightly above avg players, but there isn't much you can do about that except try to make trades and stuff. We have a ton of depth aside from the PF spot.

But see it didn't happen. The "If"'s need to stop.

After we lost the Grizz game, people said "If" IT didn't have that backcourt turnover we win.

After we lost to Houston, people said "if" Dragic didn't have that tech, we win.

After the Clippers game, people said "If" we made one more free throw we win.

After the Bucks game, people said "if" we played with more effort in the beginning, we win.

The "if"s need to stop.

Their happening over and over again for a reason.

Whatever the reason may be, the reason isn't Markieff Morris having more bad games than good, as you implied earlier.

[Revived]

Kieff shot 3-20. If he shot 4-20 we win and you probably don't type this post. If he shoots 50% we win by double digits. These things happen.

I agree that it sucks having a bunch of perhaps slightly above avg players, but there isn't much you can do about that except try to make trades and stuff. We have a ton of depth aside from the PF spot.

But see it didn't happen. The "If"'s need to stop.

After we lost the Grizz game, people said "If" IT didn't have that backcourt turnover we win.

After we lost to Houston, people said "if" Dragic didn't have that tech, we win.

After the Clippers game, people said "If" we made one more free throw we win.

After the Bucks game, people said "if" we played with more effort in the beginning, we win.

The "if"s need to stop.

Their happening over and over again for a reason.

Whatever the reason may be, the reason isn't Markieff Morris having more bad games than good, as you implied earlier.

The post you quote had nothing to do with Kieff. That was entirely another discussion.

No, Kieff isn't solely responsible for all these type of losses this year.

[JTrain]

I don't even know how to analyze this team anymore. Sometimes it seems like they are one puzzle piece away from being really good, and then times like tonight they just look thoroughly mediocre from top to bottom.

Dragic has obviously fallen since last year (as most predicted) but he's not having a terrible year. His TS% ranks second in his career (behind last year) and his PER & WS are in line with the two years before last.

The Morris twins are average defenders and average-at-best rebounders who basically have one move on offense. It works well enough when the shots are falling but otherwise they have little to contribute.

IT is probably our best offensive player but he doesn't have the skillset to be a great PG and he doesn't have the height to be a great anything else.

Green-- I really don't know. He doesn't have that confidence anymore. I don't know what to make of it. He was a huge contributor last year and now he is dead last among the top 9 in WS/48.

TJ Warren looked great moving around on offense in the first half. I don't know why he wasn't in the whole third quarter. He's the only guy that can effectively slash to the hoop AND have the leap and height to get a good shot attempt on the way.

It's frustrating seeing guys smiling and joking when down by 10 to a sub-500 team in the second half of a must win game.

Kieff shot 3-20. If he shot 4-20 we win and you probably don't type this post. If he shoots 50% we win by double digits. These things happen.

I agree that it sucks having a bunch of perhaps slightly above avg players, but there isn't much you can do about that except try to make trades and stuff. We have a ton of depth aside from the PF spot.

I probably wouldn't have typed it had we won (because it's therapy) but it wouldn't change my opinion. When we went up by two I said, whatever happens, this is the ugliest game of the year.

We are a very inconsistent team without an anchor and without a clear system.

[letsgosuns]

As some posters already mentioned, people now see what this team is like without Alex Len and now Eric Bledsoe. Barely beat the Jazz at home without Len and lose to the Kings without Len/Bledsoe when the Kings were without Rudy Gay and Darren Collison. Seems like everybody wants to dump so many of the players on the team except Len, Bledsoe, and the other young players. I have been saying that pretty much all season. Dump the guys from the Lance Blanks era and move on. Dragic, Tucker, the Morris brothers. They are just not that good. I believe last year was a fluke for Dragic. Seven years in the league and last year was the only year he played really well. Usually true star players do not make third team All NBA and then take a major step back the following season.

[Revived]

Dragic does not want to be here. Its so obvious from his body language.

Suns burned all bridges with him when they brought in IT and drafted another PG.

Ryan McD needs to grow a pair and just trade Dragic, its done, its over. Quit being in f**ing denial.

[bwgood77]

But see it didn't happen. The "If"'s need to stop.

After we lost the Grizz game, people said "If" IT didn't have that backcourt turnover we win.

After we lost to Houston, people said "if" Dragic didn't have that tech, we win.

After the Clippers game, people said "If" we made one more free throw we win.

After the Bucks game, people said "if" we played with more effort in the beginning, we win.

The "if"s need to stop.

Their happening over and over again for a reason.

We may just have different expectations. We had some horrible luck in games. You can't tell me those shots were anyone's fault for the most part. Every one of those games could have easily gone the other way, and half of those shots to beat us bounced around the rim and backboard before going in.

But back to expectations. I didn't expect this team to compete like it did when they went young and got rid of the vets. Last year and this year surprises me that we get as much as we do out of these guys. I can't believe we have had all these heartbreaking buzzer beater losses and still hold the 8th seed. I expect us to finish 10th, but the fact that we compete with premier teams with all stars and go to OT with Memphis and nearly beat these teams who have been to the playoffs for a few years is impressive to me.

I am not necessarily pining for the 8 seed either. If we get it, great, and I will be happy because I would love to see the team in the playoffs. I don't expect that they can win a series yet, so even if they don't make it, I'm fine with that too, because our draft pick likely improves from about 18 to 13 or 14. Not a huge silver lining, but it does help.

And I don't necessarily think you are certain to get a better player at 7 or 8 in the draft than 14. It is pretty much a crapshoot overall, but especially after the top few picks. I'd probably rather have Warren than many of the guys taken ahead of them.

[Sunsss]

Why are we complaining about a PJ post-up to win the game when Markieff was the one who missed the fade-away?

It was not a PJ post-up and we had that play at least 3 times in the clutch this season. Kieff just didn't realize Sessions ended up on him and faded away. This was the first time that play didn't work as far as I can remember.

[rsavaj]

[gfycat][/gfycat]

Dragic does not want to be here. Its so obvious from his body language.

Suns burned all bridges with him when they brought in IT and drafted another PG.

Ryan McD needs to grow a pair and just trade Dragic, its done, its over. Quit being in f**ing denial.

Hypothetical situation: how will you feel if Dragic re-signs here?

[Revived]

[gfycat][/gfycat]

Dragic does not want to be here. Its so obvious from his body language.

Suns burned all bridges with him when they brought in IT and drafted another PG.

Ryan McD needs to grow a pair and just trade Dragic, its done, its over. Quit being in f**ing denial.

Hypothetical situation: how will you feel if Dragic re-signs here?

Its probably gonna take a major overpay for the Suns to keep him here so not good.