Game 2: The Rise of the Rookies

[Qwigglez]

I actually thought all 3 rookies looked good in this game despite limited minutes.

[Villalobos]

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Downtobuck's descriptions are always good:

I have one question, and one question only:

Why do the Suns guards hate T.J. Warren? Why? Why? Tell us the reason!

In case you didn't notice (which is really quite a glaring failure on your part, but whatever), Warren Peace scored 30 tonight. A career high. He had never scored more points in the NBA than he had in this game against the Thunder. That means he was "hot". He was "in the zone". In a close game, you would think he would be the obvious player to receive touches.

Wrong. The "chuck trio" of Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, and Devin Booker took it upon themselves to take pretty much all the shots in the last half of the fourth and overtime. They ended up shooting a combined 21 of 69, compared to T.J.'s efficient 13 of 18. Way to chuck your team out of a possible win, guys. You really came through in the clutch.

Douchefarts.

[PackSuns]

Two things for me. Booker, when he holds the ball, his play materializes so slowly. He needs to be quicker with the ball. He isnt the point guard on this team, and facilitating plays isnt his number one task. He needs to focus on scoring first through off-ball movement. He seems to be standing around an awful lot when he doesnt hold the ball.

100% agree and it's why I gave him the -3. Just because it's his team doesn't entitle him to waste time on the ball. Good players do what they wanna do, and they do it quickly.

Did I miss the anointing ceremony?

[Blackification]

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hope he does learn from this game, good attitude

[LukasBMW]

Watch on YouTube

Downtobuck's descriptions are always good:

I have one question, and one question only:

Why do the Suns guards hate T.J. Warren? Why? Why? Tell us the reason!

In case you didn't notice (which is really quite a glaring failure on your part, but whatever), Warren Peace scored 30 tonight. A career high. He had never scored more points in the NBA than he had in this game against the Thunder. That means he was "hot". He was "in the zone". In a close game, you would think he would be the obvious player to receive touches.

Wrong. The "chuck trio" of Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, and Devin Booker took it upon themselves to take pretty much all the shots in the last half of the fourth and overtime. They ended up shooting a combined 21 of 69, compared to T.J.'s efficient 13 of 18. Way to chuck your team out of a possible win, guys. You really came through in the clutch.

Douchefarts.

Interesting we were playing in OKC. I'm not even going to say who he looks like.

We freaking hit GOLD with Booker and TJ. Makes me feel a bit better about Len. :/

[batsmasher]

Two things for me. Booker, when he holds the ball, his play materializes so slowly. He needs to be quicker with the ball. He isnt the point guard on this team, and facilitating plays isnt his number one task. He needs to focus on scoring first through off-ball movement. He seems to be standing around an awful lot when he doesnt hold the ball.

100% agree and it's why I gave him the -3. Just because it's his team doesn't entitle him to waste time on the ball. Good players do what they wanna do, and they do it quickly.

Did I miss the anointing ceremony?

Yeah, don't worry, I missed it too. It was some time between January and June.

[Ryu]

I think TJ Warren should be our #1 scoring option with Booker as a close second from now on.

[sunsbum]

Bookers shot is concerning, hes not getting the arc or lift he was last year. Im wondering if its a combo of him growing an inch or two AND putting on some extra muscle.

I wouldnt normally worry but even his free throws are flat.

[MathiasPW]

If Chandler tweaked his hamstring and that prompted a sub for that last play:

I TOTALLY understand not wanting to put in estrogen candy ass ...errrr...I mean Len. BUT even if you are HELL bent on putting in a Rookie, why not put in the one rookie we have that is 7'1" and has already shown the ability to defend the rim AND chase down guys on the perimeter.

OR

If you are HELL BENT on trapping Westbrook, we have a pesky 5'10" guard who seems to get a steal on every other posession. Why not trap with him?

I get that Chriss is already a decent weak side shot blocker and I also get that he has shown the ability to be physical and won't back down from a dude like Adams, but under the circumstances, throwing him in was supid stupid stupid!

This. Bender or Ullis would have made so much more sense

[m1chal]

JUST IMAGINE how good we would be with a REAL center!!! We'd win games! Can we get Tyson some help please?

I still believe trading away Gortat for that 18th pick (Tyler Ennis, soon after dumped in the Knight trade) was one of the worst McD's decisions. Gortat, while not flashy in any way, is rock solid for Washington, last year averaged +13 points and 9,9 rebs.

[m1chal]

Well, I'd agree but he traded him for Michael Carter-Williams (worse) and demanded Tyler Ennis (out of league).

Isn't Tyler Ennis on the Rockets?

[Saberestar]

I think TJ Warren should be our #1 scoring option with Booker as a close second from now on.

I agree completely. When we makes him our focal point offensively he puts the ball in the basket around 2 out of 3 times.

We just need to give him the ball on the move at the top of the key and he is automatic. Even if he miss the shot it is a really good shot.

[Saberestar]

Imagine Warren playing with Steve Nash...

[bigfoot]

Len should get a max of 10 games in the bench unit. If he doesn't changes things up by then he is a lost cause and it will be time to give his minutes to Williams or Chriss.

[NavLDO]

I'm not going to read a single post before this, and do my Box Score-scouting-thing.

Wow! It looks like we went toe-to-toe with the Thunder, yet when I see our Box Score, it appears we had a grand total of ONE player that played well--my boy Warren! Woot-woot! Looks like he's really coming into his own on offense. I'll read through the thread to see how he did on Defense.

It also looks to be a 2nd 'below-average' game from Booker, Bledsoe, and Dudley on the starters, and Len, Tucker, and Knight from our Bench, so I'm not sure how we were really even in this game, other than Warren's offensive heroics. And it looks as if Bender has gone back to hiding under his shell; hope that was just an anomaly, and not the other way around.

I mean, our starting PG goes 6-16 fgs, 0-7 3pts, 5-9 FTs, and 6 Assts in 38 minutes? Sorry, but Bledsoe is going to have to start putting up better offensive metrics/stats than that if we are going to expect to win. And I don't know, but I suspect, who allowed Westbrook to pin 51 on us last kNIGHT, because if it was our All-Star Defensive Starting PG, than that's really pitiful.

And Booker's stats have looked like crap as well this year; those two are going to have to get out of their funk, and soon, if we have ANY hopes of putting together a respectable season.

So, two games in this season, and it looks time to activate Jenkins and start Ulis/Jenkins/Warren/Chriss/Williams.

That's how fans typically like to go about roster building, after two poor games from our starters, right??

[Beetlejuice]

JUST IMAGINE how good we would be with a REAL center!!! We'd win games! Can we get Tyson some help please?

I still believe trading away Gortat for that 18th pick (Tyler Ennis, soon after dumped in the Knight trade) was one of the worst McD's decisions. Gortat, while not flashy in any way, is rock solid for Washington, last year averaged +13 points and 9,9 rebs.

Are you generally happy where we are at this moment and who do we have representing suns ? If not i can understand you issue with Gortat trade.

We are where we are because of the past decisions. At the moment i am glad about those mistakes. If none of Booker, Bender and Chriss work out i also will start to grumble of past could have been.

Get rid of Knight, cut our losses with Len is more in line with my "daily diary" entries. Although i have to admit i flat out quit suns for half a year in a furious rage calling McD some nice expletives few weeks after the Knight trade. But that too has worked out to my eyes.

Let me give you something to think about could have been: 2014 after the lakers pick trade Brandon Knight gets hot. We get to the playoffs we lose in 5 but are competitive. Sarver is generally satisfied.

We draft at 16 and get SG Rashad Vaughn.
We manoeuvre some and aldrige comes to suns .
We roll with :

Bledsoe
Knight
Marcus
Markieff
Aldrige
Tyson

we make the playoffs get blown out in 4 and draft at 16 again.Thats a scary could have been, not what we have now...

[garrick]

Booker and Bledsoe are going to pick it up then can't keep playing this bad, seems like they just aren't in game shape yet.

[Kyler Murray]

We have accumulated so much young talent it's hard to feel bad about this team. The ups and downs in the results column is to be expected. As long as booker and tj get the most shots and bender/chriss get meaningful minutes i'm happy.

[NavLDO]

Lots of good signs though.

Booker staying confident -- while shooting 18% from 3 ??? I'd rather him lose some 'confidence' and gain some 'aim'

...and like seeing him split PG duties with Bled. -- because it's clear Bled can't succeed in that role on his own (5.5 APG in 33+MPG??), and Knight being our only other vet option. So I see that as being more 'poor' news than 'good'--I'd rather Book concentrate on Shooting.

Thought Tyson played well -- Great! Our has been 34YO Center is our best starter, or 2nd best if Warren keeps this up.

TJ Warren was a beast. -- Yeah, this is the only good news I agree with, LOL.

I know what you are saying, I guess I'm just pointing out the 'Devil' Advocate' viewpoint...

[NavLDO]

Len should get a max of 10 games in the bench unit. If he doesn't changes things up by then he is a lost cause and it will be time to give his minutes to Williams or Chriss.

Ah, but then we might win a few more games and keep us from that top 3 pick we keep seeking! Bad plan. Keep starting Len until at least the trade deadline, then include him in as a 'throw-away' piece to make the salaries match.

Seriously, I have no idea what happened between the end of last year, to the beginning of this year, to cause him to lose so much 'game'. I was Len's last 'bastion of hope' within the fan-base here, but sadly, he's losing me as well, and rather quickly, I might add. But I'd seriously give him more than 10 games. I'm good with 20-25 games, and if he hasn't improved significantly, we just need to, again, add him as filler in a trade pkg this season.

I say this, because there is at least one GM/HC out there who will value Len an think they can coach him up, and while he may not even be worth a 2nd Rd pick right now to most, I guarantee there is a team that could use him, and may actually save his career. And I'd rather get SOMETHING for him, than get nothing at all at the end of the season.