Game 29: Milwaukee Bucks (10-18) @ Phoenix Suns (12-16)

[Calvin Klein]

can we tank already? what's the point of going through this only to mayyyyyybe get demolished and embarrassed by the Warriors?

I've never embraced tanking, but this season, there's no point.

So your suggestion is to start losing games on purpose? We are already losing games, but now we should make it obvious?

not really. But I don't see a point in Chandler or PJ Tucker getting minutes on thisteam.

[lilfishi22]

I'm still not sold that Bledsoe is good enough to be the starting PG on a legit playoff contender. Yeah, he can run a non-playoff team and put up great stats, but I'm just not yet sold he can take this team to the promised land as the lead guard.

He can be a starting PG on a legit playoff contender. He can't be the #1 (or #2 in my opinion) option on this legit playoff contender.

[KLEON]

Tonight, 12/7/2 4-4 2-2 2-3.

Tucker is TRASH plain and simple. Booker and Warren bring more to the team. For the love of God why does Jeff keep bringing in Tucker in crunch time? He can't shoot or play defense so again what does he bring to this team?

Knight,Jeff and Keef need to go

Meh, that's just your opinion. Tucker rebounds, defends, and boxes out. GMAT went through a whole thing about this stuff. Tucker is a role player, and he only has trouble when he tries do stuff outside his skill set. Warren and Booker are getting their minutes. I really don't see why people are bitching so much.

Tucker hustles he not a good defender

[Cutter]

Starting immediately and at a minimum, Hornacek should move Knight to the bench in a Jason Terry type role. Knight would still get 30+ mpg but would play more minutes against opposing bench players where he could possibly beast. This would open up the start SG spot for Booker. Booker would get about 18 mpg at SG, but could rotate to SF for about 8-10 mpg .

[RunDogGun]

can we tank already? what's the point of going through this only to mayyyyyybe get demolished and embarrassed by the Warriors?

I've never embraced tanking, but this season, there's no point.

So your suggestion is to start losing games on purpose? We are already losing games, but now we should make it obvious?

not really. But I don't see a point in Chandler or PJ Tucker getting minutes on thisteam.

We need Chandler because Len seems to only be good ever other game, and Tucker is our best wing defender. Until that changes we need both.

[batsmasher]

Tucker hustles he not a good defender

Breathtaking analysis.

[Saberestar]

I'm still not sold that Bledsoe is good enough to be the starting PG on a legit playoff contender. Yeah, he can run a non-playoff team and put up great stats, but I'm just not yet sold he can take this team to the promised land as the lead guard.

I am not a big believer in solely looking at stats. The only thing I care about in basketball is wins and losses. This is the third straight with Bledsoe at the helm and the team has gotten worse each year. He is supposed to be the best player on the team. Hornacek said during the preseason that this is far and away the most talented roster he has had since he was hired. So how is it possible that the team sucks so badly? Maybe it is because the players leading the team are just not that good.

It's gonna be really difficult to change/trade a lot of players on our roster, so we probably won't trade both Knight and Bledsoe.

I think that Bledsoe is clearly the better player, so I prefer to trade Knight. He is not a reliable option, he is hot or frozen and not a solid player by any means. His usage is unreasonable too.

Talking about roster moves now, I would be happy trading Markieff for an expiring and a late teen pick and Knight for some young plwyer with potential and a filler. Just that.

[AtheJ415]

Tonight, 12/7/2 4-4 2-2 2-3.

Tucker is TRASH plain and simple. Booker and Warren bring more to the team. For the love of God why does Jeff keep bringing in Tucker in crunch time? He can't shoot or play defense so again what does he bring to this team?

Knight,Jeff and Keef need to go

Meh, that's just your opinion. Tucker rebounds, defends, and boxes out. GMAT went through a whole thing about this stuff. Tucker is a role player, and he only has trouble when he tries do stuff outside his skill set. Warren and Booker are getting their minutes. I really don't see why people are bitching so much.

If Tucker didn't rebound, defend, and box out, he wouldn't even be in the league. That's why people are upset. He is an entirely one way, 30+ year old seeing a ton of minutes on a rebuilding team despite only having 1 year left on his deal, and he's in the game during situations in which he has no business being in the game, like on a possession where you must score a bucket or your team loses. Why is that? I'm sure Tucker is a coach's favorite due to his hustle and whatnot. And maybe that's the coach's fault (I think it is), but it is still frustrating as hell to watch a guy who cannot help you win on the offensive end of the court in games when you must score buckets when in many people's views he shouldn't be on the roster. Tucker is not an awful player, but he has infinitely more value to a true veteran contender than this team.

He also doesn't endear himself to fans when he goes driving with a 23% BAC, resulting in a type of DUI most have never heard of before, the year he signs an extension. It also ruins any view of him as a locker room leader. Same thing happened with Markieff when he went out and punched some people.

[RunDogGun]

Starting immediately and at a minimum, Hornacek should move Knight to the bench in a Jason Terry type role. Knight would still get 30+ mpg but would play more minutes against opposing bench players where he could possibly beast. This would open up the start SG spot for Booker. Booker would get about 18 mpg at SG, but could rotate to SF for about 8-10 mpg .

Until we can free up Booker and get him consistent shots, we seem to waste him out there. Plus lately he has been passing up open shots. Knight is having trouble getting things going the last few games. If he stays in the starting lineup, we need to make quick changes if guys are playing poorly. No one on the team should go 1-6 or 1-7.

[Barkley_34]

One of the biggest issues of this team is the lack of a scorer player inside, not have anyone to open space for our guards, which leaves our Attack vulnerable and predictable. Hornacek need to leave, these players need a more experienced coach.

[Saberestar]

can we tank already? what's the point of going through this only to mayyyyyybe get demolished and embarrassed by the Warriors?

I've never embraced tanking, but this season, there's no point.

So your suggestion is to start losing games on purpose? We are already losing games, but now we should make it obvious?

not really. But I don't see a point in Chandler or PJ Tucker getting minutes on thisteam.

I don't care the player's age, but the most important thing about those two is that they are playing bad. Plain and simple.

At this point they deserve 15-18 minutes per game, not more than that.

[RunDogGun]

Tucker is TRASH plain and simple. Booker and Warren bring more to the team. For the love of God why does Jeff keep bringing in Tucker in crunch time? He can't shoot or play defense so again what does he bring to this team?

Knight,Jeff and Keef need to go

Meh, that's just your opinion. Tucker rebounds, defends, and boxes out. GMAT went through a whole thing about this stuff. Tucker is a role player, and he only has trouble when he tries do stuff outside his skill set. Warren and Booker are getting their minutes. I really don't see why people are bitching so much.

If Tucker didn't rebound, defend, and box out, he wouldn't even be in the league. That's why people are upset. He is an entirely one way, 30+ year old seeing a ton of minutes on a rebuilding team despite only having 1 year left on his deal, and he's in the game during situations in which he has no business being in the game, like on a possession where you must score a bucket or your team loses. Why is that? I'm sure Tucker is a coach's favorite due to his hustle and whatnot. And maybe that's the coach's fault (I think it is), but it is still frustrating as hell to watch a guy who cannot help you win on the offensive end of the court in games when you must score buckets when in many people's views he shouldn't be on the roster. Tucker is not an awful player, but he has infinitely more value to a true veteran contender than this team.

He also doesn't endear himself to fans when he goes driving with a 23% BAC, resulting in a type of DUI most have never heard of before, the year he signs an extension. It also ruins any view of him as a locker room leader. Same thing happened with Markieff when he went out and punched some people.

GMAT already went through this with you the other night. I see no need to go through it again with you. I don't need your opinions, I would rather go off the data GMAT provided for you, but you dismissed and chose not to read. have a good night AJ.

[letsgosuns]

I think Tucker is awful but he is not the main problem with the team. However, anyone defending him needs to face facts. There is a scoring machine named Warren that Tucker is holding back the development of which is asinine.

This is Tucker's fourth year on the Suns. This is also his worst year statistically. He is averaging 6 pts, 5 rbs, and 1 ast on 40% fg, 28% 3 pts, and 71% ft shooting in 27 minutes. Does anyone think his stats are worthy of being a starting small forward who plays 27 minutes a game? I do not.

Warren should be starting and playing 30-35 minutes EVERY GAME and Tucker can have what is left over. Warren only averages 22 minutes a game. That is ridiculous.

[bwgood77]

Suns threw the game away and played poorly.

Literally throwing it away.

Weren't they down 4 at that point? That was pathetic. I don't think the drawn play had anything to do with stupid inbound passes. I doubt Hornacek drew up a play to throw it out of bounds. I can't really defend him too much any more and I expect he probably gets fired if we lose to Utah tomorrow. Our last three games in December are extremely tough too. But, the positive news is that we might have a reasonable shot at the 7th worst record which gives us a 15% chance at top 3 and over a 4% chance at Ben Simmons.

[AtheJ415]

One of the biggest issues of this team is the lack of a scorer player inside, not have anyone to open space for our guards, which leaves our Attack vulnerable and predictable. Hornacek need to leave, these players need a more experienced coach.

Len can be that guy imo. He's just not used that way consistently. Everyone blames our guards for it, but it's not all on them, it's also the offensive sets themselves. I'm not sure people quite realize but there's a few times a game where our guards have to demand our bigs post up, and often end up just going one on one because it takes too long to develop. And then they get termed "selfish".

[bwgood77]

Now he puts Bookers in.

He was 1-5 and 0-3 from three, what's the deal dude?

Not paying attention. Though I'm sure all those who said to play Warren and Booker more whether or not that leads to losses will be really happy. No, actually they still won't.

[bwgood77]

can we tank already? what's the point of going through this only to mayyyyyybe get demolished and embarrassed by the Warriors?

I've never embraced tanking, but this season, there's no point.

I think we are subtly tanking.

[batsmasher]

I think Tucker is awful but he is not the main problem with the team. However, anyone defending him needs to face facts. There is a scoring machine named Warren that Tucker is holding back the development of which is asinine.

This is Tucker's fourth year on the Suns. This is also his worst year statistically. He is averaging 6 pts, 5 rbs, and 1 ast on 40% fg, 28% 3 pts, and 71% ft shooting in 27 minutes. Does anyone think his stats are worthy of being a starting small forward who plays 27 minutes a game? I do not.

Warren should be starting and playing 30-35 minutes EVERY GAME and Tucker can have what is left over. Warren only averages 22 minutes a game. That is ridiculous.

If you're basing your judgement of PJ's performance off his numbers, you're doing it wrong.

With that being said, he has definitely declined offensively.

[bwgood77]

Do some of you guys see now why I say to get rid of Bledsoe and Knight. They are both idiots. There is no other way to say it. To hell with their so called talent. They are morons. They have no clue how to play winning basketball. Their individual execution down the stretch tonight was pathetic. The Suns were winning the game before Bledsoe came back in for Booker.

Bottom line, since the Suns went ahead with Bledsoe as the main point guard last year, they have been horrible. He is a stat padder. His IQ is very low. Knight's IQ is very low. IQ is not something that is taught. You either have it or you do not. Booker has it. 19 years old and his basketball acumen is higher than Bledsoe's and Knight's combined.

Yes, their IQ's leave a lot to be desired. I'm not sure how many great pass first high IQ point guards are available via trade, but I'm guessing not many. I hope they become better at not turning the ball over. If they can JUST figure that out, I'd be ok with them.

[RunDogGun]

I think Tucker is awful but he is not the main problem with the team. However, anyone defending him needs to face facts. There is a scoring machine named Warren that Tucker is holding back the development of which is asinine.

This is Tucker's fourth year on the Suns. This is also his worst year statistically. He is averaging 6 pts, 5 rbs, and 1 ast on 40% fg, 28% 3 pts, and 71% ft shooting in 27 minutes. Does anyone think his stats are worthy of being a starting small forward who plays 27 minutes a game? I do not.

Warren should be starting and playing 30-35 minutes EVERY GAME and Tucker can have what is left over. Warren only averages 22 minutes a game. That is ridiculous.

If you're basing your judgement of PJ's performance off his numbers, you're doing it wrong.

With that being said, he has definitely declined offensively.

He doesn't take many shots. It's hard to make a dent on offense if people only look at the stats, if you don't shoot that much.