Denver@Phoenix Game 2

[SunsRback4Good]

Lets hope Phoenix plays a better game and doesn't allow 127 points this time. And try committing less turnovers as well. With that said, lets have a good all around game and get ready for monday's opener vs New Orleans.

[Cutter]

Winning pre-season games is meaningless. These games are about evaluating talent and looking for good rotations and combinations.

Number one priority is to improve on pick and roll defense, and limit fast break points from the Nuggs. This inability to play solid defense was the reason we got whacked. Suns are in the middle of implementing a more defensive focused scheme, but man they didn't do much right defensively last night.

C - Steve played well offensively, but allowed Lawson to absolutely smoke us yesterday. Price should be first off the bench, and we could cut Telfair for all I care....dude is not NBA caliber PG IMO.

SF - I want to see more Warrick at the 3. He played surprising well, and far outplayed Childress who was not impressive with the minutes he got.

PF - Frye absolutely sucked, and continues his streaky hot/cold 3-pt shooting reputation. Frye will start, but i would sure like to somehow get him back on the bench where he is more effective. Morris I thought had a very solid first game. I am hopeful he can surprise us and make significant contributions and possibly push Frye for the starters role. It's a long shot, but thats all I have right now.

C - both Gortat and Lopez played well. Gortat starts (if able due to thumb), Lopez bench.

SG - Dudley played well, Brown took a while to warm up but ended up scoring decently but on low efficeincy.

Nash
Dudley
Gortat
Warrick
Frye

Price
Brown
Lopez
Childress
Morris

[NiGhtWiSh]

I don't care about the score. I just want to see some signs of defensive progress & playsetting. Season is short, but we need about 10-12 games or maybe more to fully ignite. But I'm sure the oither teams need this time, too. So, don't worry. We made not great, but quality roster changes, leading to more defensively minded play. It will work, just be patient. Even 6-8 loses in first 10-12 games is not really bad. Suns will reach playoffs this season.

[nugzin2040]

I'd expect both teams play more of their young players, to give them important game experience.

According to Aaron Lopez, Lawson left practice for Denver with an ankle injury, and Nene with hamstring tightness. Rudy Fernandez and Al Harrington also might sit out for Denver, due to injuries.

I'd think that would mean more Corey Brewer, Julyan Stone and Kenneth Faried for Denver.

[MarJJMar]

Winning pre-season games is meaningless. These games are about evaluating talent and looking for good rotations and combinations.

Not in a year where there are just 2 preseason games and the real games are less than 5 days away.

[NiGhtWiSh]

I'd think that would mean more (...) Kenneth Faried for Denver.

And that's the reason i'll not sleep, but watch game tonight

[MarJJMar]

Faried will be a nice role player in the NBA nothing more just like Marieff Morris.

Faried will be more like Bo Outlaw/Lou Amundson while Morris will probably be more like Malik Allen/Malik Rose/Kurt Thomas

[nugzin2040]

Think they'll both be good players in their own right. Really liked both of the Morris twins at KU. Wouldn't surprise me if he was a 15/8 type of player with good defense.

Faried is probably one of the most NBA ready players in the draft. Even with his limited offensive skill set, will probably find a way to positively impact the game with his rebounding/monster dunks. Plus watching him on the floor with arguable the best lob passer in the NBA is going to be hella fun. Still shocked he fell to #22 to be honest.

Think there will be quite a few teams that regret passing on both Faried and the Morris twins.

[bwgood77]

When you are limiting your starters minutes and playing your bench players extended minutes, you can't really worry about how many points the other team scores...particularly one as deep as the Nuggets who have so much depth and who's reserves could start for many teams.

Lets just hope our offense can flow and our players look good playing together and don't turn the ball over.

[MarJJMar]

When you are limiting your starters minutes and playing your bench players extended minutes, you can't really worry about how many points the other team scores...particularly one as deep as the Nuggets who have so much depth and who's reserves could start for many teams.

Lets just hope our offense can flow and our players look good playing together and don't turn the ball over.

Without Martin, JR Smith and Wilson Chandler the Nuggets are not a particularly deep team in the NBA.. they are no deeper than we are even.

[Cutter]

Winning pre-season games is meaningless. These games are about evaluating talent and looking for good rotations and combinations.

Not in a year where there are just 2 preseason games and the real games are less than 5 days away.

Winning the pre-season games means nothing whether 2 games or 8 games. Evaluating your talent and rotations is important to see where your strengths and weaknesses are. Obviously after last nights game we saw that the new defensive sets Suns are implementing have a ways to go before being effective.

Another thing is we got a good view of our backup point guards. Not a pretty sight with Telfair, and an ok back up with Price.

Nuggets basically did the same thing. Both teams played their starters in the low 20 minute range, with Nene playing 8 min.

Nuggs definitly played better, and the Suns walked away with a ton to work on with this team.

[NiGhtWiSh]

Think they'll both be good players in their own right. Really liked both of the Morris twins at KU. Wouldn't surprise me if he was a 15/8 type of player with good defense.

This. I believe.

Faried is probably one of the most NBA ready players in the draft. will probably find a way to positively impact the game with his rebounding/monster dunks. Plus watching him on the floor with arguable the best lob passer in the NBA is going to be hella fun.

This and more. Faried is probably not only NBA-ready but one of the strongest NBA players by far. His impact will be gigantic, starting from practices, ending at jerseys & tickets sold.

[Cutter]

Apparently Grant is playing on Thursday.

paulcoro Paul Coro
Grant Hill said he will play Thursday's final preseason game after sitting out with a sore right knee.
52 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

And Gortat won't play on Thursday, but will play with a splint on his finger when the season starts.

Gortat likely to play with broken thumb
Phoenix Suns update:

Suns center Marcin Gortat suffered a slight non-displaced fracture on the top of his right thumb in Tuesday night's preseason loss but will likely play through the injury.

Gortat will sit out Thursday night's preseason finale and not practice before Monday's season opener but will "probably" play the opener while wearing a splint, Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said. He said Gortat's thumb is expected to take two to three weeks to heal.

"I'm going to fight for my spot," Gortat said Tuesday night. "As long as I'm walking and seeing everything in front of me, I'm going to ready to play. I'll be ready for Monday night's game."

Gortat was unavailable for comment Wednesday. Babby said Gortat remained in considerable pain but indicated that he wants to play through the injury.

"I don't think I'd override him," Babby said.

Robin Lopez will start Thursday's game at center and coach Alvin Gentry could use a mix of big men to fill the rest of the time at center, including sliding Channing Frye to the spot and using Garret Siler.

Gortat suffered the injury on a second-quarter post-up against Timofey Mozgov, when Rudy Fernandez slapped at the ball and fouled him. Gortat played nine second-half minutes, making five of six free throws.

"I'll have to see how he can perform," Gentry said. "If he can play at his same level, obviously will put him in the same role that he's been in. If not, we'll try to find a way to buy some minutes with him. Obviously, he's become pretty integral in what we're trying to get done here."

Tweetin' at http://www.twitter.com/paulcoro

Nash
Dudley
Lopez
Morris
Hill

Price
Brown
Frye
Warrick
Childress

[RaisingArizona]

y no tv?

[Nuggets_Talk]

Faried will be a nice role player in the NBA nothing more just like Marieff Morris.

Faried will be more like Bo Outlaw/Lou Amundson while Morris will probably be more like Malik Allen/Malik Rose/Kurt Thomas

faried could end up being better than morris actually.

[Nuggets_Talk]

When you are limiting your starters minutes and playing your bench players extended minutes, you can't really worry about how many points the other team scores...particularly one as deep as the Nuggets who have so much depth and who's reserves could start for many teams.

Lets just hope our offense can flow and our players look good playing together and don't turn the ball over.

Without Martin, JR Smith and Wilson Chandler the Nuggets are not a particularly deep team in the NBA.. they are no deeper than we are even.

true...it hurts that we lost all 3 to china and didnt replace them with anyone. there goes our depth. our bench and the suns bench are basically equal now.

[harshey1388]

won 2 tix to the game through the social media giveaway!

Anyone from the Realgm community going to be attending?

[nugzin2040]

This and more. Faried is probably not only NBA-ready but one of the strongest NBA players by far. His impact will be gigantic, starting from practices, ending at jerseys & tickets sold.

Thanks. Really cool to hear fans of other teams say that.

Fans just have to remember there was no rookie ball, almost no training camp, only a couple preseason games.. lots of rookies are going to struggle this first season, because of it. Fans gotta cut them some slack this year. By midseason, you're going to see more rookies make contributions to their team.

[Wannabe MEP]

This and more. Faried is probably not only NBA-ready but one of the strongest NBA players by far. His impact will be gigantic, starting from practices, ending at jerseys & tickets sold.

Thanks. Really cool to hear fans of other teams say that.

Fans just have to remember there was no rookie ball, almost no training camp, only a couple preseason games.. lots of rookies are going to struggle this first season, because of it. Fans gotta cut them some slack this year. By midseason, you're going to see more rookies make contributions to their team.

I'm a huge Faried fan. Really wish the Suns had picked him, but I'm certainly not anti-Markieff. But I'm kinda pissed for Faried. How is he gonna get minutes in Denver when y'all have: Nene, Mosgov, Harrington, Andersen, eventually probably Kenyon, and surely some small-ball minutes??? Send us Faried, yo. We'll send you...Pietrus? Warrick??

[thamadkant]

I've said it before Faried is Bo Outlaw but on steroids. Give him 30 minutes and he'll give 12-13 rebounds and a couple of steals and blocks whilst running full speed all game.