Game 66: Phoenix Suns (47-18) @ Atlanta Hawks (36-30) l Wednesday l 5:00pm l BSAZ

[sunsbg]

Saric not looking ready to play in NBA is a bigger concern.

The Suns look set to finish 2nd now. Let's see who falls to 7 and participates in the play-in tournament. A game or two for additional scouting of the first round opponent.

[pj0tr]

Saric not looking ready to play in NBA is a bigger concern.

The Suns look set to finish 2nd now. Let's see who falls to 7 and participates in the play-in tournament. A game or two for additional scouting of the first round opponent.

Its not set in stone yet, but yes... the Suns will likely need to win out now if they want that 1 seed.

And I think Monty didn't play Saric intentionally last night due to matchups. Saric is a liability against a team like the Hawks with shooting everywhere, plus athletic bigs who roll to the rim on PnRs.

Plus, he has been playing hurt. Monty was trying to curb his minutes on a B2B.

[King4Day]

I think we should begin to focus on the 2 seed. If and when we lock that up, I'd be OK giving Booker a game off as well as Paul. Even if they are different days. Neither should play on both games of back to backs

[pj0tr]

I think we should begin to focus on the 2 seed. If and when we lock that up, I'd be OK giving Booker a game off as well as Paul. Even if they are different days. Neither should play on both games of back to backs

Well, good news is that there is just 1 more B2B, against the Spurs to end the season.

My guess is Monty won't play Booker, CP3, Crowder, Bridges, and Ayton.

[shakes0]

Is there a better shooting 1 thru 5 even 6 out there
Young, Gallo, Bogdan, Huerter, Williams, Collins.....
that’s a squad of snipers.

Toss in Capella and Okong.... there’s a lot to like about the hawks. Gotta say bit jealous.

DA was very marginal. Clint bitched him. If anything, this might help Dewander’s PnR game.... he saw up close 8 or 9 of them.

DeAndre Hunter should be back some time next week. He's in that group of shooters as well. Was having a massive jump this year before he got hurt.

[sunsbg]

Saric and Cam shouldn't be playing in a B2B much less garbage time if still hurt.

[Jarlaxle0204]

Didn't watch most of the second half. Did we pull starters because we were getting blown out and this was the 2nd of a B2B?

I envy you. I wish I didn't. Turns out bleaching my eyes after did nothing.

You can bleach your eyes but you can't bleach your memory.

[Jdiddy701]

Well, at least Smith played 8 minutes. How did he look live? I saw he got FT's.
I did not watch this, I figured it would be the Boston game all over again. I guess I'm smart like this.

Smith does not look like he is ready to play in the NBA.

Yeah, he tried to make a move and lost control of the ball, ended up falling down.. it was cringe when he was in. James Jones may have dropped the ball on that pick pretty bad. I’m hopeful because Stix seems like a hard worker.


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[Flying Colors]

Well, at least Smith played 8 minutes. How did he look live? I saw he got FT's.
I did not watch this, I figured it would be the Boston game all over again. I guess I'm smart like this.

Smith does not look like he is ready to play in the NBA.

Yeah, he tried to make a move and lost control of the ball, ended up falling down.. it was cringe when he was in. James Jones may have dropped the ball on that pick pretty bad. I’m hopeful because Stix seems like a hard worker.


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I saw that and all I could think is.... Yikes

[King4Day]

Games like last night happen. I'm certainly not making excuses. I see we were competitive in the first half and were sloppy and missing shots in the 2nd half.
All the credit to Atlanta for doing what they had to do. They're fighting for home court in the East.

For us, this has been a trend and not one that really alarms me. We've had ugly losses before and usually come back focused the next game out. On road back to backs we've sometimes looked really bad too.

If anyone is hurt in any way, they need to sit (ie: saric). I'm OK giving Frank those minutes for now. No need to worry about our seeding. There's a good chance we'll play one of the LA teams in round 2 (assuming we get there) and I don't think one is easier than the other. A debate can be made that LAC will be even tougher for us than the Lakers so we just need to let the cards fall where they may.

[King4Day]

Smith does not look like he is ready to play in the NBA.

Yeah, he tried to make a move and lost control of the ball, ended up falling down.. it was cringe when he was in. James Jones may have dropped the ball on that pick pretty bad. I’m hopeful because Stix seems like a hard worker.


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I saw that and all I could think is.... Yikes

I expect us to try to move him this summer if we can get any semblance of value for him (if for no other reason then to get his contract off the books).
Anything can happen this summer but he has a ways to go.

[pj0tr]

Yeah, he tried to make a move and lost control of the ball, ended up falling down.. it was cringe when he was in. James Jones may have dropped the ball on that pick pretty bad. I’m hopeful because Stix seems like a hard worker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I saw that and all I could think is.... Yikes

I expect us to try to move him this summer if we can get any semblance of value for him (if for no other reason then to get his contract off the books).
Anything can happen this summer but he has a ways to go.

I do feel like Chris Paul will opt in this summer, but realistically he has 2-3 years with this Suns team at most in terms of best case scenario.

The Smith over Haliburton thing will haunt this team for years if we cant draft or develop a future PG.

EDIT: The dream scenario IMO is the Suns grabbing De'Aaron Fox from Sacramento once Paul retires.

[bwgood77]

This is a dumb take. No one is making anything, Booker is the only one with any kind of consistency. Other players need to want it and Booker will find them. No one wants to score tonight though.

Even the commentators have made multiple mentions of how Booker is trying to force shots.

Other players probably should take their thumbs out of their buttholes and do something.

Hard to do so when they don't get touches for long stretches and go cold. Booker played well though, so that's good for him.

[bwgood77]

I'm sure Bwgood has a stat for it, but it's pretty much common knowledge that if you want your outside shot to fall, you need some offensive presence on the inside. Hawks had at least 18 inside shots for 28 points vs. Suns' 4 shots for 6 points.

I'm sure there's another stat for it, but since the All-star break, we always look shite when DA plays flakey and multiply that when Booker plays iso mode. Tonight it was both.

2nd half speaks for itself.

If CP3 is really the leader he's lauded as being, he needs to identify when we're DA is being flakey and Booker is being a ball hog and take control of the offense and be looking to create open shots for his teammates, especially DA.

Just the eye test shows you that more touches for Ayton and running plays for him gets us more highly efficient points which will keep us closer in the game...I mean, you can see this in the box score too so it's evident. If you watch closely you will see him role often and be wide open or open enough to catch a high lob to finish it. Oh well, we know how it goes.

[sunsbg]

Monty said in interview after a previous game he could have drawn some plays for Ayton .. he could have in this game as well.

Ayton should be more aggressive obviously, 5-6 shots in a game is coaching as well though.

[grumpysaddle]

Even the commentators have made multiple mentions of how Booker is trying to force shots.

Other players probably should take their thumbs out of their buttholes and do something.

Hard to do so when they don't get touches for long stretches and go cold. Booker played well though, so that's good for him.

They need to make themselves available FOR touches. Booker passes when a teammate does the work to get open. Tired of the narrative that Booker makes everyone else around him cold when he's the only one hitting his shots and making the effort. When the team plays poorly, it's on Booker, when they play well, it's on CP3. It's a tired narrative.

[bwgood77]

Monty said in interview after a previous game he could have drawn some plays for Ayton .. he could have in this game as well.

Ayton should be more aggressive obviously, 5-6 shots in a game is coaching as well though.

Yeah, he should emphasize to Ayton and the whole team that Ayton needs to get 12-14 shots, because his efficiency will keep us closer in the game. Once again, we will need that threat in the playoffs, not only for more efficiency but to keep gravity and the defense honest and to keep Ayton engaged.

[Frank Lee]

Keep him ‘engaged’

Sheesh

How long is that dog going to eat your homework?