Preseason Game 3: Portland Trail Blazers @ Phoenix Suns

[gaspar]

As far as building a balanced roster goes, McDonough has proven that he can't find his ass with both hands and a flashlight. It's like he's a fantasy league fanboy with tourette's. One year, he gets a bunch of point guards - this year he uses assets and all the cap room to snag 3's.

Canaan looks like utter ****, can't attack to save his life **and he's the best 1 we've got**. How embarrassing is it that *none* of our 1's can make a post-entry pass?

I can only pray that McDonough is getting in on the Butler trade to snag Tyus Jones and to get rid of Harrison and Okobo - the latter of which looks like watching a f-ing slideshow while he herks & jerks with a team built to run. I swear I'll go Vesuvius if we ever get another Frenchman on the roster.....

There will be 10 starting caliber point guards available in free agency next summer. What's the rush to waste assets to get a mediocre PG right now? To win 33 games instead of 28? Our team will look MUCH better when Booker comes back.

[Revived]

I'm so glad this game wasn't televised so most non Suns fans missed it hopefully.

No one is watching the Suns except super die hard fans, and they should certainly be used to this.

If they are not expecting a bunch of blowout bad losses this year, I am not sure what to tell them.

We will be competitive sometimes and maybe surprise but we are going to look bad a lot. We are picked to finish with like the 3rd or 4th worst record, and while I think we very well could be better, it is going to be a tough season for us...not as tough as last, or probably the last 3, but tough....especially if we don't have a pg emerge or get traded for.

We are still really young. It will be interesting to see how engaged a guy like Ariza stays or if he will want to get traded around the deadline.

I certainly expected this team to finish with like 10th-12th seed in the West this season.

[Fo-Real]

Ayton had a good start but getting in foul trouble took him out of the game. After that we HAD NO NBA PLAYERS on the court.

[Revived]

I tihnk Ariza is a real pro but I have to wonder how long he can keep his sht together with this team

I love Ariza so far and I hope the fact that the Suns give him a crap ton of money can keep him happy and motivated even through a difficult season.

[lilfishi22]

Melton might actually be closer to our Pat Bev than Shaq

[bwgood77]

Seriously, I don't want JJ initiating any offense unless it's in transition

Disagree... JJ to Ayton pick and roll is nasty.

Ohh against the 29th ranked defense Kings sure. Against the NZ Breakers, sure.

Any halfway decent NBA team. Please no
He's racked up 5 TO's to find just 6 assists

Yeah, Ayton made it easy to look good against bad competition. If he can't make it look easy in preseason against a pretty good team, not a good recipe.

Still a work in process.

[ATTL]

I like seeing Melton getting these reps.

[bwgood77]

Ayton looked great there on offense but I hate seeing the lane open and him turning around to watch a guy dunk. It basically erases his good play.

[lilfishi22]

As far as building a balanced roster goes, McDonough has proven that he can't find his ass with both hands and a flashlight. It's like he's a fantasy league fanboy with tourette's. One year, he gets a bunch of point guards - this year he uses assets and all the cap room to snag 3's.

Canaan looks like utter ****, can't attack to save his life **and he's the best 1 we've got**. How embarrassing is it that *none* of our 1's can make a post-entry pass?

I can only pray that McDonough is getting in on the Butler trade to snag Tyus Jones and to get rid of Harrison and Okobo - the latter of which looks like watching a f-ing slideshow while he herks & jerks with a team built to run. I swear I'll go Vesuvius if we ever get another Frenchman on the roster.....

There will be 10 starting caliber point guards available in free agency next summer. What's the rush to waste assets to get a mediocre PG right now? To win 33 games instead of 28? Our team will look MUCH better when Booker comes back.

I don't even care about win totals. I care about improving as a team. Do you think we're improving as a team without a PG who can run an NBA offense? Do you think guys like JJ won't regress by having to take on more of a playmaking/shot creating role when he should be doing more of the other things. Do you think guys like Bender won't actually be somewhat productive if he had a PG who can initiate offense to get him better shots?

Regression is a real thing.

Sorry I'm frustrated

[Kerrsed]

Melton might actually be closer to our Pat Bev than Shaq

Thats what ive been saying, and why PatBev would be a perfect mentor to him this season.

[ATTL]

I cant take more shots

[Kerrsed]

..............still not wearing his Puma's. He has to break them in first.

[SwingMan1938]

Sucks you are not a fan of Frenchmen...as for finding his ass, flashlight isn't real helpful. I guess with mirror maybe.

Not since Boris Diaw got his fat deal and physically matched it by turning into Croissant Boy who passed when he was 6 inches from the rim. And now Okobo, who plays at one speed - below medium and head down. So no - no more Frenchmen on this team.

Okobo is a rookie who has played in what, 3 games? Not many minutes....these extreme early judgements...don't really understand it, though I guess I'm used to severe overreactions.

That's how he plays - both in pre-season and summer league. He's not going to speed up and he's not going to grow instincts. He just doesn't have it in him to run an offense. He doesn't play heads-up, can't improvise and, like the other three 1's on the roster, can't make a post-entry pass to save his life.

I've been harping since before the draft - we need a true distributor at the 1. No, Patrick 'Microfracture at 30' Beverly isn't it - no Kemba 'Bledsoe-lite' Walker isn't it. T.J. McConnel, Tyus Jones or Spencer Dinwiddie would make a nice first step on a long road towards redeeming the 1 spot. You know - players that can pass, distribute and switch on the fly without tripping over themselves.....

[lilfishi22]

Disagree... JJ to Ayton pick and roll is nasty.

Ohh against the 29th ranked defense Kings sure. Against the NZ Breakers, sure.

Any halfway decent NBA team. Please no
He's racked up 5 TO's to find just 6 assists

Yeah, Ayton made it easy to look good against bad competition. If he can't make it look easy in preseason against a pretty good team, not a good recipe.

Still a work in process.

I'm actually talking more about JJ's playmaking. Even against the Breakers he logged 7 TO's. I'm just not comfortable with his playmaking.

[SlovenianDragon]

LOL bender

[JMac1]

Ohh against the 29th ranked defense Kings sure. Against the NZ Breakers, sure.

Any halfway decent NBA team. Please no
He's racked up 5 TO's to find just 6 assists

Yeah, Ayton made it easy to look good against bad competition. If he can't make it look easy in preseason against a pretty good team, not a good recipe.

Still a work in process.

I'm actually talking more about JJ's playmaking. Even against the Breakers he logged 7 TO's. I'm just not comfortable with his playmaking.

Ok. I was just specifically talking about the PnR with Ayton. JJ and Bender have head issues more than ability issues.

[Kdab]

Hope these shots going in builds Bender's confidence.

[lilfishi22]

Yeah, Ayton made it easy to look good against bad competition. If he can't make it look easy in preseason against a pretty good team, not a good recipe.

Still a work in process.

I'm actually talking more about JJ's playmaking. Even against the Breakers he logged 7 TO's. I'm just not comfortable with his playmaking.

Ok. I was just specifically talking about the PnR with Ayton. JJ and Bender have head issues more than ability issues.

He's had some nice alleyoop to Ayton looks but overall, I don't like him creating from the perimeter. I think he's a good secondary passer, as in someone else initiates the offense, moves the defense around and he receives the ball to make the assist pass. I think he's good at that. But creating from the beginning, I don't think he's there yet.

[Kerrsed]

Ayton: 19/14 with 3 blocks, an assist and a steal. 7-13FG, 5-6FT

Doncic: 11/6 with 3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. 4-11FG, 0-3 3PT, 3-6FT

[SwingMan1938]

As far as building a balanced roster goes, McDonough has proven that he can't find his ass with both hands and a flashlight. It's like he's a fantasy league fanboy with tourette's. One year, he gets a bunch of point guards - this year he uses assets and all the cap room to snag 3's.

Canaan looks like utter ****, can't attack to save his life **and he's the best 1 we've got**. How embarrassing is it that *none* of our 1's can make a post-entry pass?

I can only pray that McDonough is getting in on the Butler trade to snag Tyus Jones and to get rid of Harrison and Okobo - the latter of which looks like watching a f-ing slideshow while he herks & jerks with a team built to run. I swear I'll go Vesuvius if we ever get another Frenchman on the roster.....

There will be 10 starting caliber point guards available in free agency next summer. What's the rush to waste assets to get a mediocre PG right now? To win 33 games instead of 28? Our team will look MUCH better when Booker comes back.

For starters, to, you know, get the team acclimated to how an offense is actually run. To show the rest of the team that getting good position is **not** hopeless because your "point guards" are incapable of getting you the damn ball.

T.J. McConnell would be a perfect start and, with Fultz looking like a contributor, he could likely be had for cheap. Or, getting in on the Butler trade and getting Tyus Jones back. *Someone* who can run like their shoes aren't tied together.....