[Game 32] - SUNS @ KINGS

[PHXfan85]

We were ahead by 13 with 8:03 left. Then Grant Hill came in.

Our spacing disappeared, and we scored 7 points the rest of the way.



Seriously, does no one else notice this?!?

Please just shut up.

You should take your own advice.

[blackjays1]

Ya'll are **** kidding yourselves if you don't think we were better off before the trade. Atleast we were scoring, 92 and 89 in b2b games? LOL.

[Dalerax]

Okay, now I'm a little upset again.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2011/01/02/20110102phoenix-suns-collapse-sacramento-kings.html

Reading Coro's article, this gem popped up:

"The Kings rank second in the NBA in second-chance points and offensive rebounds and feasted there Sunday, getting 18 offensive rebounds."

Knowing this about the Kings, Gentry still decided to roll out with a small lineup not only to start but during crunch time.

[BurningHeart]

How the hell is offense not the problem? We looked lost, on every single possession down the stretch. We gave up a 19-2 run for goodness' sake. We know our defense sucks, but if you say we held the opposing team under 100 points and 40% shooting, you'd be expecting a win.

Rebounding is ALWAYS the problem, because it leads to second chance points. When we can't even get SOME buckets to counteract that BS, then it's a problem.

Lawal should have played if Warrick is in the doghouse.

[albasuna]

I"m surprised that the Suns can't even score 100 pts on these bottom teams. I hope they make some trades to thin out the roster and finalize a solid rotation. So much shuffling is disrupting everyones rhythm. Once the roster is set and we have a nice consistent 9 man rotation everyone will start finding their rhythm. Right now the team is dysfunctional. Childress and Warrick are not scrubs, they don't deserve DNPs.

[thamadkant]

When Nash leads the team in points scored and its under 40 points.... Suns will most likely lose..

[RunDogGun]

I"m surprised that the Suns can't even score 100 pts on these bottom teams. I hope they make some trades to thin out the roster and finalize a solid rotation. So much shuffling is disrupting everyones rhythm. Once the roster is set and we have a nice consistent 9 man rotation everyone will start finding their rhythm. Right now the team is dysfunctional. Childress and Warrick are not scrubs, they don't deserve DNPs.

I am just not sure Gentry knows how to rotate his players. He got lucky last year, when he tried his hockey line change, and since we let Lou go and traded LB, he has no idea how to rotate players. I have seen him take out players that were hot, a few times this year, let them cool down, and then tried to get them back in the game. I think the only time he got it right was the game where Dudley went nuts from three. We have no defensive stopper at the 4-5 spot. While Lou wasn't the best player, he totally frustrated players, and even took guys out of the game, literally. If Lawal is supposed to be Lou's replacement, why the heck isn't he playing?

And I am still trying to figure out the Warrick signing. We knew we were getting Hedo, we knew Hill was still going to start, so we let Lou go (claiming that Lawal would give us that hustle), lock up Warrick for a few years, and then start Hedo at the four? What were they thinking?

[YFZblu]

How the hell is offense not the problem? We looked lost, on every single possession down the stretch. We gave up a 19-2 run for goodness' sake. We know our defense sucks, but if you say we held the opposing team under 100 points and 40% shooting, you'd be expecting a win.

Rebounding is ALWAYS the problem, because it leads to second chance points. When we can't even get SOME buckets to counteract that BS, then it's a problem.

Lawal should have played if Warrick is in the doghouse.

Yeah--Any time 21 points are scored during a certain stretch and the Suns account for only two of those points, offense is a huge problem. I understand what people are saying about the defense, but the Suns were coming up empty time after time on the offensive end down the stretch; it was really weird to watch.

[Mr. Sun]

Suns aren't alone: Lakers lost to the Griz.

We need a good draft pick.

[YFZblu]

I knew gentry would fall in love with this small lineup. Hopefully the idiot falls out of it now.

The point of the small lineup is to play Channing Frye more with Dragic, who has been terrible this season. Giving Goran a weapon to help take defensive pressure off of him is a good idea.

For those whining about Warrick's DNP, keep in mind that outside of finishing ability, he really brings no value to the team, and Nash doesn't need his finishing to run an effective offense.

The rotation needs to be tightened, and it looks like that is taking place. Gentry will need time to find the right combination and for the new guys to get acquainted--Any team and any coach would need that. Unfortunately, the Suns may not have that kind of time.

[lilfishi22]

I knew gentry would fall in love with this small lineup. Hopefully the idiot falls out of it now.

The point of the small lineup is to play Channing Frye more with Dragic, who has been terrible this season. Giving Goran a weapon to help take defensive pressure off of him is a good idea.

For those whining about Warrick's DNP, keep in mind that outside of finishing ability, he really brings no value to the team, and Nash doesn't need his finishing to run an effective offense.

The rotation needs to be tightened, and it looks like that is taking place. Gentry will need time to find the right combination and for the new guys to get acquainted--Any team and any coach would need that. Unfortunately, the Suns may not have that kind of time.

Good post.

Agreed with everything.

[YFZblu]

I knew gentry would fall in love with this small lineup. Hopefully the idiot falls out of it now.

The point of the small lineup is to play Channing Frye more with Dragic, who has been terrible this season. Giving Goran a weapon to help take defensive pressure off of him is a good idea.

For those whining about Warrick's DNP, keep in mind that outside of finishing ability, he really brings no value to the team, and Nash doesn't need his finishing to run an effective offense.

The rotation needs to be tightened, and it looks like that is taking place. Gentry will need time to find the right combination and for the new guys to get acquainted--Any team and any coach would need that. Unfortunately, the Suns may not have that kind of time.

Good post.

Agreed with everything.

Thanks--I feel like it's 2005 all over again, only this time we don't have Barbosa to score when the bench is floundering. IMO, if things keep going this way, we could even see VC or Hill take over backup PG duties and Goran might taste a little bench, Jalen Rose style.

Nash's adjusted +/- for the year indicates that the Suns are still murdering people for the most part when he's on the court. An 8-man rotation may be just what the doctor ordered for this team, at least in the short term. Who will those 8 be? I don't think even Gentry knows at this point, but tryouts are in session

Not sure if any of you read posts on the ESPN Message Board, but a poster by the name of phoenixzone has some really nice insight on the matter..

[SteveNashMVP]

this is so depressing i'm really starting to lose interest in the NBA I can only take so much losing and the Suns have past that threshhold tenfold

[carey]

this is so depressing i'm really starting to lose interest in the NBA I can only take so much losing and the Suns have past that threshhold tenfold

Haha, are Suns fans spoiled or what? You would have probably killed yourself if you were a Raptors, Kings, Grizzlies, Wizards or Bobcats fan.

[Calvin Klein]

this is so depressing i'm really starting to lose interest in the NBA I can only take so much losing and the Suns have past that threshhold tenfold

Haha, are Suns fans spoiled or what? You would have probably killed yourself if you were a Raptors, Kings, Grizzlies, Wizards or Bobcats fan.

Yeap. I don't understand these people "giving up" on the season just because we're losing. Where's the **** loyalty that's supposed to be when you support a team?

It's not like we have many championships either...

[JohnVancouver]

tough game to watch - we looked decent for a while and then just fell apart. But this has been a weird season, with two big roster shakeups, so I'll wait a while longer before I wig out.

Some good defensive sequences, I liked Gortat with Nash, some other things ...

the 4th was a nightmare - don;t even want to think about it right now

let's just go cream the lakers and everything will be right in the world

[DRK]

Disappointing result. So far we haven't faired well, against the "weak teams" of the NBA. Losses to the Clippers, Kings, and the 76er's is the evidence of the harsh reality that the Suns are on par, or below their level.

Sorry to input doom and gloom in this thread, but I do not relaly see much of a situation where things can get much better for us this season.

[JohnVancouver]

Disappointing result. So far we haven't faired well, against the "weak teams" of the NBA. Losses to the Clippers, Kings, and the 76er's is the evidence of the harsh reality that the Suns are on par, or below their level.

Sorry to input doom and gloom in this thread, but I do not relaly see much of a situation where things can get much better for us this season.

I think we can settle down and become a better defensive team, and ge the rotations optimized - but how could that makes us? Sixth to eighth seed and i dont see us going anywhere past the first round. Never say never, but thats' the way to bet it.

The team we loved was dismantled, then the new team that overachieved and won our hearts was gutted with losing Amar'e and Lou and that whole lost period for the first 20-some games trying to work Hedo and the other new guys in (and without a center, to top it off.)

But things can turn around in a hurry - we just need to find the right trade and thanks god we got some draft picks to use one way or the other.

but I'm ready for this year to be like the Porter one, strangled in the crib