Game 17: Phoenix Suns (9-5) @ Utah Jazz (10-6)

[FJS]

Suns @ Jazz gamecast

[FJS]

SUNS
Player Position Updated Injury Injury Status
Landry Shamet SG Thu, Nov 17 Concussion Expected to be out until at least Nov 20
Josh Okogie SF Thu, Nov 17 Hamstring Game Time Decision
Chris Paul PG Thu, Nov 17 Heel Game Time Decision
Cameron Johnson SF Tue, Nov 8 Knee Expected to be out until at least Dec 11
Jae Crowder PF Sun, Nov 6 Not Injury Related Expected to be out until at least Nov 25

JAZZ

Player Position Updated Injury Injury Status
Rudy Gay SF Thu, Nov 17 Finger Expected to be out until at least Dec 2

[Crunch 99]

Suns are favored by two, but I suspect the well rested Jazz can get this win at home. CP3 is listed as tossup grey at Rotowire. The Suns are 2-3 in last five games where both CP3 and Cameron Johnson have been out, counting the Suns' loss at Philly as a CP3 OUT game.

Cameron Payne has played well filling in for CP3, averaging 19.4 ppg on 16 fga with 5.8 ast over the last five games, and 20.8 ppg on 16.5 fga for the last four games he started. Torrey Craig subbing in at PF is a step down from Cameron Johnson, but Craig is a much better rebounder.

[Crunch 99]

What an exciting game to watch!

[Axolotl]

What a treat!

Booker: *gets 49*
Markkanen & Beasley: "Sry man, need 50+ for entry".

[Daddy 801]

Impressive win

[red4hf]

Great game by Beasley and Lauri....... And Conley and Clarkson made some great plays in the 4th to seal the win.......

[FJS]

Conley is another player without Mitchell and quinn. And he is enjoying.
Beasley is doing really great lately, (sexton is doing worse)
Still our deffense is poor. We made a lot of stupid turn overs (a few in our own fast breaks that lead to easy points).
Phoenix was not doing better in deffense... but still you should do better if you want to win.
We can't score 125 every night... and every time we don't do it, we lose.

[FranchisePlayer]

The Finnisher is on fire. Stupendous FG%.

[Crunch 99]

The Jazz looked like they were trying to get Markkanen involved early and it paid off. He got to the FT line in the first minute of the game; he had a fg + 1 in the second minute and he ended up with 9 pts on 5 fga for Q1. Five of Conley's 10 assists for the game went to Markkanen. Still, considering how hot Markkanen was, seemed like he should have got even more than 18 fga.

[vryadli]

Sexton!!! He deserves the highest praise from tank enthusiasts! This game he single-handedly tried to keep the team on the road to the bottom. Unfortunately he did get any help from partners, but at least his stat line: -20 going with zero assists , 0 steals, 1 rebound is really, really impressive.

By the way, how many wins will get those great tanking teams who will finish in the dream land of bottom 5? I'm afraid that Jazz already has more W then the winner of that race will have, but if they can trade for 3-4 of sexton, may be they can still be fifth or fourth there? With something like 17-19 wins?

[Crunch 99]

Sexton!!! He deserves the highest praise from tank enthusiasts! This game he single-handedly tried to keep the team on the road to the bottom. Unfortunately he did get any help from partners, but at least his stat line: -20 going with zero assists , 0 steals, 1 rebound is really, really impressive.

I like Sexton's speed, energy and athleticism, but if he ever wants to be seriously considered for the Jazz' point guard of the future, he needs to start getting his ast/36 mins number up and improve his defense. Right now his ast/36 mins is only 3.0 --- below his career average of 3.6 ast/36 mins, and only eighth best on the Jazz. Maybe his long term role is just microwave scorer off the bench though.

Shout out to Vanderbilt for his 8 assists and 5 orebs last night.

[FJS]

In the other hand, if you watch stand, we have only played a few games vs teams worse than 50%
In east we have played vs 4 teams, all 50% or more.
In west we have played 8 games vs teams 50% or better and only 5 games vs teams under 50%

[FranchisePlayer]

The Jazz looked like they were trying to get Markkanen involved early and it paid off. He got to the FT line in the first minute of the game; he had a fg + 1 in the second minute and he ended up with 9 pts on 5 fga for Q1. Five of Conley's 10 assists for the game went to Markkanen. Still, considering how hot Markkanen was, seemed like he should have got even more than 18 fga.

I've always preferred the strategy of feeding the hot hand. Markkanen, whoever... when you're hot, you're hot.

Ask Kate Upton about it.

[FranchisePlayer]

Sexton!!! He deserves the highest praise from tank enthusiasts! This game he single-handedly tried to keep the team on the road to the bottom. Unfortunately he did get any help from partners, but at least his stat line: -20 going with zero assists , 0 steals, 1 rebound is really, really impressive.

By the way, how many wins will get those great tanking teams who will finish in the dream land of bottom 5? I'm afraid that Jazz already has more W then the winner of that race will have, but if they can trade for 3-4 of sexton, may be they can still be fifth or fourth there? With something like 17-19 wins?

Yeah, Sexton showing the early symptoms why the Cavs wanted to get rid of him. His basketball IQ... *SMH*

[Hoops Addict]

I miss watching most games, but the youtube 9 minutes of highlights is awesome....you see most of the important plays.....I highly recommend. Mark with 38 points.....he has huge game.

Watch on YouTube

[ForeverRDjazz]

Sexton!!! He deserves the highest praise from tank enthusiasts! This game he single-handedly tried to keep the team on the road to the bottom. Unfortunately he did get any help from partners, but at least his stat line: -20 going with zero assists , 0 steals, 1 rebound is really, really impressive.

By the way, how many wins will get those great tanking teams who will finish in the dream land of bottom 5? I'm afraid that Jazz already has more W then the winner of that race will have, but if they can trade for 3-4 of sexton, may be they can still be fifth or fourth there? With something like 17-19 wins?

Yeah, Sexton showing the early symptoms why the Cavs wanted to get rid of him. His basketball IQ... *SMH*

You watch last game? Had huge steal then got down and made huge three. Huge when game on the line. I'm liking him more each game. Still young and missed all last year and still blows by about anyone in the league today.

[FranchisePlayer]

Sexton!!! He deserves the highest praise from tank enthusiasts! This game he single-handedly tried to keep the team on the road to the bottom. Unfortunately he did get any help from partners, but at least his stat line: -20 going with zero assists , 0 steals, 1 rebound is really, really impressive.

By the way, how many wins will get those great tanking teams who will finish in the dream land of bottom 5? I'm afraid that Jazz already has more W then the winner of that race will have, but if they can trade for 3-4 of sexton, may be they can still be fifth or fourth there? With something like 17-19 wins?

Yeah, Sexton showing the early symptoms why the Cavs wanted to get rid of him. His basketball IQ... *SMH*

You watch last game? Had huge steal then got down and made huge three. Huge when game on the line. I'm liking him more each game. Still young and missed all last year and still blows by about anyone in the league today.

Those comments of mine are based on multiple games, not just this one. I'm not saying he isn't athletic and flashy and doesn't have balls and ability to make decisive moves since he does but specifically his basketball IQ; how he sees the other players, delivers the ball, decides whether it's good to shoot or not, how he reads plays on defense etc.

Based on this game I'm definitely not changing my mind about that. This is an important subject since when you have a roster that's not stacked with high-end talent, IMO you need smart players with team first mentality, not streaky players who occasionally succeed in something spectacular.