Game 77: Memphis Grizzlies (30-45) at Phoenix Suns (17-59), Saturday, Mar 30, 10PM

[lilfishi22]

The death of a Bender apologist.

He's only 21, has a high bbiq, plays better team D than Ayton, can handle the ball, can hit 3's, can pass, he hasn't been used the right way. Potential, potential, potential.

These are the thoughts that kept me on the Dragan train. I'm now willing to take the risk he will torch us while playing for someone else. Bummer. I was clinging to the possibility that we did not completely blow that draft.

FWIW plenty of no name players have torched us. Bender, if he ever has a good game against us will just be one in a long line of fringe NBA players who have good games

[lilfishi22]

Congratulations for escaping the train before the clash.

Yeah, there is a slim chance he torches us in a random game where he doesn't suck, which is usually 1 of 10. Same for Alex Len. I can't believe people fear from that. This guy will probably play in Europe soon enough, after some NBA team gives him chance, and he proves again to be a role player at best.

Just watching the game, on that play where he turned the ball over he should have simply passed to Bridges. Showed lack of skill and BBIQ on a simple play, but some people here act like it's on Doncic's level for example.

His BBIQ evolved into a talking point but there is less to support that claim as time goes on. You don't pass up open shots in the lane with a team like we have and you are 7 feet tall.

Yeah, both his skills and BBIQ have always been overrated. On that particular discussed play, he faked Valanciunas and drove to the basket, but Mikal's defender closed the line, so he either should have shot it off the dribble, which I don't think he has ever done in Suns game(?) - lack of skill. Or passed to Bridges as the obvious choice - lack of BBIQ. Bridges was open and would have launched a 3, or passed for an open corner 3 if covered by Melton's (or Daniel's) defender. He has done a few nice passes here or there, but also too many mechanical passes, which suggest he has been thought how to play in Europe(no improvement since then at all), but it doesn't come that naturally to him. His game is just not NBA suited, unlike the other euro young player I mentioned in Luka, who has thrieved in the more one on one oriented NBA style.

I actually think he probably above average BBIQ just seeing some of the nice passes, smart plays he's able to see and attempted over time but he's just so deficient in virtually all areas of basketball that it completely diminishes what smarts he may (or may not) have.

[lilfishi22]

Everyone still too focused on Bender despite being outclassed by the bigger-more talented Valenciunnas. What I really want to know is "where was Okobo in the 2nd half". He was the only thing that came remotely close to a PG(great court vision, made some 'wow' passes and took care of the ball) yet we had Jamal Crawford out there?

Let's be more realistic and not create myths about players like Bender and Okobo. He's best suited as a backup scoring guard at the moment. He can't create offense for others yet and is a bad defender, the reasons he's behind the other two in the rotation. I don't remember any 'wow' passes for the season, other than a few alley-oops I guess. JC had 8 assists, two good passes to Booker in the post. Okobo 0 assists in 7 minutes.

Then you must have not been watching the entire 2nd quarter. He literally had a no look bounce pass between 3 defenders that was an open layup and I believe it was Bridges(could be wrong) that took it back out. Also had a cross court pass to an open shooter that was MISSED. In the littlebit of time he had he actually played PG. Only reason Melton plays more is his defense and spot up shooting. Other than that Melton is a horrible PG.

I've watched enough of Okobo, even pre-draft, to know that he's a SG that's trying to (unsuccessfully imo) transition to a PG and trying to do it at the NBA level no less. He's had a few games where he's had some high assist counts but you give any NBA guard the job of just creating for the team and they'll have occasionally have some high assist games. But make no mistake, he's not a good PG even if sometimes he has some tricky passes. The reason Melton plays more is certainly because of his defense but it's also because Okobo isn't an improvement over Melton has a PG either.

[SunsLyf3]

Let's be more realistic and not create myths about players like Bender and Okobo. He's best suited as a backup scoring guard at the moment. He can't create offense for others yet and is a bad defender, the reasons he's behind the other two in the rotation. I don't remember any 'wow' passes for the season, other than a few alley-oops I guess. JC had 8 assists, two good passes to Booker in the post. Okobo 0 assists in 7 minutes.

Then you must have not been watching the entire 2nd quarter. He literally had a no look bounce pass between 3 defenders that was an open layup and I believe it was Bridges(could be wrong) that took it back out. Also had a cross court pass to an open shooter that was MISSED. In the littlebit of time he had he actually played PG. Only reason Melton plays more is his defense and spot up shooting. Other than that Melton is a horrible PG.

I've watched enough of Okobo, even pre-draft, to know that he's a SG that's trying to (unsuccessfully imo) transition to a PG and trying to do it at the NBA level no less. He's had a few games where he's had some high assist counts but you give any NBA guard the job of just creating for the team and they'll have occasionally have some high assist games. But make no mistake, he's not a good PG even if sometimes he has some tricky passes. The reason Melton plays more is certainly because of his defense but it's also because Okobo isn't an improvement over Melton has a PG either.

I wouldn't call him a SG by any means. He can score sure but it's not just about the assist. Just watch him bring the ball up the court he is literally the only one that remotely resembles a PG. Having high assist is nice but sometimes is just about making the right pass and not acting like the ball is a hot potato when it's in your hands. His dribble can get him anywhere on the floor and has an ok shot. He shows poise. BUT he is a 21 year old rookie that got drafted from a league that tends to favor veterans cause no one tanks overseas. He didn't get starter minutes until the 3rd year with Bordeux. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he's the savior but he's the player that most closely resembles a PG and we only see him run 6-7 in the 1st/2nd. Yet we get Jamal Crawford in the 4th who literally gives us nothing. I'm not even saying take Meltons minutes but we can definitely give him more of a run at PG.

[lilfishi22]

Then you must have not been watching the entire 2nd quarter. He literally had a no look bounce pass between 3 defenders that was an open layup and I believe it was Bridges(could be wrong) that took it back out. Also had a cross court pass to an open shooter that was MISSED. In the littlebit of time he had he actually played PG. Only reason Melton plays more is his defense and spot up shooting. Other than that Melton is a horrible PG.

I've watched enough of Okobo, even pre-draft, to know that he's a SG that's trying to (unsuccessfully imo) transition to a PG and trying to do it at the NBA level no less. He's had a few games where he's had some high assist counts but you give any NBA guard the job of just creating for the team and they'll have occasionally have some high assist games. But make no mistake, he's not a good PG even if sometimes he has some tricky passes. The reason Melton plays more is certainly because of his defense but it's also because Okobo isn't an improvement over Melton has a PG either.

I wouldn't call him a SG by any means. He can score sure but it's not just about the assist. Just watch him bring the ball up the court he is literally the only one that remotely resembles a PG. Having high assist is nice but sometimes is just about making the right pass and not acting like the ball is a hot potato when it's in your hands. His dribble can get him anywhere on the floor and has an ok shot. He shows poise. BUT he is a 21 year old rookie that got drafted from a league that tends to favor veterans cause no one tanks overseas. He didn't get starter minutes until the 3rd year with Bordeux. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he's the savior but he's the player that most closely resembles a PG and we only see him run 6-7 in the 1st/2nd. Yet we get Jamal Crawford in the 4th who literally gives us nothing. I'm not even saying take Meltons minutes but we can definitely give him more of a run at PG.

I focus on him A LOT when he's the primary PG on the floor. He just doesn't do anything with the ball. He dribbles, dribbles, dribbles and doesn't do jack with it even when he passes. He looks so much better playing next to Booker when Booker creates and he just shoots the 3 ball. When he wants to score and that's his goal, I think he does a respectable job but as a PG, he's rubbish. Right now, he's a significantly better scorer (as a 2 guard) than he's a PG. He just doesn't do enough as a PG for me or quite frankly you, to conclude that he's competent PG. It's fine if that's your opinion, I just don't think there's anything to back it up.

I'm not even sure he's better than Crawford and I think Crawford is washed.

[SunsLyf3]

I've watched enough of Okobo, even pre-draft, to know that he's a SG that's trying to (unsuccessfully imo) transition to a PG and trying to do it at the NBA level no less. He's had a few games where he's had some high assist counts but you give any NBA guard the job of just creating for the team and they'll have occasionally have some high assist games. But make no mistake, he's not a good PG even if sometimes he has some tricky passes. The reason Melton plays more is certainly because of his defense but it's also because Okobo isn't an improvement over Melton has a PG either.

I wouldn't call him a SG by any means. He can score sure but it's not just about the assist. Just watch him bring the ball up the court he is literally the only one that remotely resembles a PG. Having high assist is nice but sometimes is just about making the right pass and not acting like the ball is a hot potato when it's in your hands. His dribble can get him anywhere on the floor and has an ok shot. He shows poise. BUT he is a 21 year old rookie that got drafted from a league that tends to favor veterans cause no one tanks overseas. He didn't get starter minutes until the 3rd year with Bordeux. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he's the savior but he's the player that most closely resembles a PG and we only see him run 6-7 in the 1st/2nd. Yet we get Jamal Crawford in the 4th who literally gives us nothing. I'm not even saying take Meltons minutes but we can definitely give him more of a run at PG.

I focus on him A LOT when he's the primary PG on the floor. He just doesn't do anything with the ball. He dribbles, dribbles, dribbles and doesn't do jack with it even when he passes. He looks so much better playing next to Booker when Booker creates and he just shoots the 3 ball. When he wants to score and that's his goal, I think he does a respectable job but as a PG, he's rubbish. Right now, he's a significantly better scorer (as a 2 guard) than he's a PG. He just doesn't do enough as a PG for me or quite frankly you, to conclude that he's competent PG. It's fine if that's your opinion, I just don't think there's anything to back it up.

I'm not even sure he's better than Crawford and I think Crawford is washed.

That's the thing, there are 0 competent PGs on the active roster. NONE. Tyler Johnson was the closest thing we've had all season. Melton is definitely not even close to competent HOWEVER his 3&D makes up for some of it. I agree that Melton currently brings more to the table(3&D mentioned) but I would much rather give our ROOKIE the minutes of a Jamal Crawford in a LOST SEASON. Crawford was average at getting Ayton the ball in PnR and thats about it.

[lilfishi22]

I wouldn't call him a SG by any means. He can score sure but it's not just about the assist. Just watch him bring the ball up the court he is literally the only one that remotely resembles a PG. Having high assist is nice but sometimes is just about making the right pass and not acting like the ball is a hot potato when it's in your hands. His dribble can get him anywhere on the floor and has an ok shot. He shows poise. BUT he is a 21 year old rookie that got drafted from a league that tends to favor veterans cause no one tanks overseas. He didn't get starter minutes until the 3rd year with Bordeux. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he's the savior but he's the player that most closely resembles a PG and we only see him run 6-7 in the 1st/2nd. Yet we get Jamal Crawford in the 4th who literally gives us nothing. I'm not even saying take Meltons minutes but we can definitely give him more of a run at PG.

I focus on him A LOT when he's the primary PG on the floor. He just doesn't do anything with the ball. He dribbles, dribbles, dribbles and doesn't do jack with it even when he passes. He looks so much better playing next to Booker when Booker creates and he just shoots the 3 ball. When he wants to score and that's his goal, I think he does a respectable job but as a PG, he's rubbish. Right now, he's a significantly better scorer (as a 2 guard) than he's a PG. He just doesn't do enough as a PG for me or quite frankly you, to conclude that he's competent PG. It's fine if that's your opinion, I just don't think there's anything to back it up.

I'm not even sure he's better than Crawford and I think Crawford is washed.

That's the thing, there are 0 competent PGs on the active roster. NONE. Tyler Johnson was the closest thing we've had all season. Melton is definitely not even close to competent HOWEVER his 3&D makes up for some of it. I agree that Melton currently brings more to the table(3&D mentioned) but I would much rather give our ROOKIE the minutes of a Jamal Crawford in a LOST SEASON. Crawford was average at getting Ayton the ball in PnR and thats about it.

Yeah that's fair. I don't really like watching Crawford play but honestly, I don't like watching Melkobo play either. Last few games of the season is probably going to be a TOUGH watch if Ayton is sitting the majority of the remaining games or all of them and we don't get TJ back at all (which I'm not expecting to have him back).

[RunDogGun]

Diaw would pass up open layups to an outside player, it didn't make him a low BBIQ player.

Bender was stuck to the bench all year until we just didn't have enough players. Now we expect him to guard every big perfectly?

I am only surprised he hasn't ball hogged it like other players searching for the next contract. He remains getting points in the flow of the offense.

I still want to sign him this summer, just hopefully for cheap.