Game 11: Atlanta Hawks (4-6) @ Phoenix Suns ( 6-4)

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

After tonight's game Dario earned himself a new contract somewhere around 4 years/25 mill. You've earned it young fella.

I don't think he will settle for that. If so, sign me up.

You dont think so? He settled for 4y/10 mill with Philly. What changed?

Saric's first contract was a rookie scale contract. Could have had that Bogdan Bogdan money had he waited just one more year to sign. Pretty sure he's looking to get $13mm+ with this next deal.

[bigfoot]

I am damn loving this...they played an okay game and still won big

The team is having fun...they are gelling...and they play hard all game long.....

Feels good, right? It's been almost a decade of wishful thinking.. can't believe it took this long.

Thing is it didn't have to be decade of suffering. The idea of tanking and creating a team with mostly inexperienced players was the problem. James Jones solved the problem in one season by bringing in quality role players.

[irish22022]

I don't think he will settle for that. If so, sign me up.

You dont think so? He settled for 4y/10 mill with Philly. What changed?

Saric's first contract was a rookie scale contract. Could have had that Bogdan Bogdan money had he waited just one more year to sign. Pretty sure he's looking to get $13mm+ with this next deal.

Yeah, no way a starting PF signs for less than 4/46 or so. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll have saric next season. We obviously have to keep baynes, and aytons contract is around the corner. And didn't we only sign oubre to a 2 year deal? We have a lot of guys we need to keep. Saric getting a fresh deal for starting PF money is tricky... Unless mikal starts hitting 3s or cam becomes a starting caliber wing, we really need oubre.

[MathiasPW]

I now watch the games, sleep on the result and check the boards on the next day only, while procrastinating at work.

It says a lot about our team that we managed to win even though we had TERRIBLE games from Baynes and Booker (this is the second game in a row where he strongly departed from the 0.5s mentality. There was a lot of ball-pounding and pointless dribbling. And then all those turnovers!) and also a poor performance from Rubio.

Our defensive effort overall was pretty bad, or it just seemed that way because Trae might be so fast it's just impossible to stay in front of him. But even with poor defense and poor offensive games from both our playmakers, we had enough shooting and playmaking from the wings and bench to outscore the Hawks. We have so many options to throw at opponents, it's scary to think how we''ll look when they are all clicking.

On a side note, we also were helped by the refs. I hate to see it, even when in our favor.

Highlight of the game will be the hair-discussion sidetrack going on.

[Saberestar]

I now watch the games, sleep on the result and check the boards on the next day only, while procrastinating at work.

It says a lot about our team that we managed to win even though we had TERRIBLE games from Baynes and Booker (this is the second game in a row where he strongly departed from the 0.5s mentality. There was a lot of ball-pounding and pointless dribbling. And then all those turnovers!) and also a poor performance from Rubio.

Our defensive effort overall was pretty bad, or it just seemed that way because Trae might be so fast it's just impossible to stay in front of him. But even with poor defense and poor offensive games from both our playmakers, we had enough shooting and playmaking from the wings and bench to outscore the Hawks. We have so many options to throw at opponents, it's scary to think how we''ll look when they are all clicking.

On a side note, we also were helped by the refs. I hate to see it, even when in our favor.

Highlight of the game will be the hair-discussion sidetrack going on.

Come on, Booker did not play a terrible game at all. He had some bad TOs, but other than that he played pretty well.

I understand that we have risen expectations for Book, but saying that he played TERRIBLE after winning the game and putting 27 point and 7 assists on a 50% shooting it is too much.

[bwgood77]

I now watch the games, sleep on the result and check the boards on the next day only, while procrastinating at work.

It says a lot about our team that we managed to win even though we had TERRIBLE games from Baynes and Booker (this is the second game in a row where he strongly departed from the 0.5s mentality. There was a lot of ball-pounding and pointless dribbling. And then all those turnovers!) and also a poor performance from Rubio.

Our defensive effort overall was pretty bad, or it just seemed that way because Trae might be so fast it's just impossible to stay in front of him. But even with poor defense and poor offensive games from both our playmakers, we had enough shooting and playmaking from the wings and bench to outscore the Hawks. We have so many options to throw at opponents, it's scary to think how we''ll look when they are all clicking.

On a side note, we also were helped by the refs. I hate to see it, even when in our favor.

Highlight of the game will be the hair-discussion sidetrack going on.

Come on, Booker did not play a terrible game at all. He had some bad TOs, but other than that he played pretty well.

I understand that we have risen expectations for Book, but saying that he played TERRIBLE after winning the game and putting 27 point and 7 assists on a 50% shooting it is too much.

I haven't thought Booker has played as poorly as some have stated in a couple of game threads, but I hope he doesn't revert too much to ball pounding and getting out of Monty's offense, or taking what could be quarter ending shots with 5 seconds left. But 7 assists along with 7 turnovers is not good. A turnover is much worse than an assist. While an assist may lead to points, you may have scored anyway, or say you had a 40-50% chance regardless. A turnover not only takes away that 40-50% chance but gives it to the other team. It's a very bad trade off, and he makes some awful passes.

His scoring has been so good and so efficient that overall I'm happy with his play, especially with more defensive effort.

When he used to pound the ball, take teammates out of ryhthm (though I know he had many bad teammates), was not effiicient from 3, and ignored D, it was rarely pretty to me but overall he's taken a huge step in my eyes this year.

[MathiasPW]

I now watch the games, sleep on the result and check the boards on the next day only, while procrastinating at work.

It says a lot about our team that we managed to win even though we had TERRIBLE games from Baynes and Booker (this is the second game in a row where he strongly departed from the 0.5s mentality. There was a lot of ball-pounding and pointless dribbling. And then all those turnovers!) and also a poor performance from Rubio.

Our defensive effort overall was pretty bad, or it just seemed that way because Trae might be so fast it's just impossible to stay in front of him. But even with poor defense and poor offensive games from both our playmakers, we had enough shooting and playmaking from the wings and bench to outscore the Hawks. We have so many options to throw at opponents, it's scary to think how we''ll look when they are all clicking.

On a side note, we also were helped by the refs. I hate to see it, even when in our favor.

Highlight of the game will be the hair-discussion sidetrack going on.

Come on, Booker did not play a terrible game at all. He had some bad TOs, but other than that he played pretty well.

I understand that we have risen expectations for Book, but saying that he played TERRIBLE after winning the game and putting 27 point and 7 assists on a 50% shooting it is too much.

I haven't thought Booker has played as poorly as some have stated in a couple of game threads, but I hope he doesn't revert too much to ball pounding and getting out of Monty's offense, or taking what could be quarter endind shots with 5 seconds left. But 7 assists along with 7 turnovers is not good. A turnover is much worse than an assist. While an assist may lead to points, you may have scored anyway, or say you had a 40-50% chance regardless. A turnover not only takes away that 40-50% chance but gives it to the other team. It's a very bad trade off, and he makes some awful passes.

His scoring has been so good and so efficient that overall I'm happy with his play, especially with more defensive effort.

When he used to pound the ball, take teammates out of ryhthm (though I know he had many bad teammates), was not effiicient from 3, and ignored D, it was rarely pretty to me but overall he's taken a huge step in my eyes this year.

Booker has been playing outstanding ball. He is on the MVP ladder, ffs. But he played a poor game. I don't associate good shooting and scoring points to playing well, anymore. I evaluate mostly his decision-making (meaning he could still play well even if he misses a lot of shots, if they were good shots, for example) and it was really poor yesterday. The turnovers, some of the shots (even though he made them) an the lack of ball movement was just bad basketball. On defense he also didn't contribute as much, so overall, yes, I'd say it was a terrible game. Could always be worse, though

[Qwigglez]

I only mentioned Booker had a few bad plays in the first quarter. I’m hoping he cuts down on his bone headed plays so he can be in the MVP conversation. Not saying he is top 5 but maybe he can be top 10 MVP candidate by the end of the season.

[grumpysaddle]

The only issue I really had with this game was the terrible high arc entry passes to the post that got picked off about 10 times. There'd be 4 Hawks' players and multiple Suns' players would try to toss a slow entry pass up high. It made no sense.

That and letting Alex **** Len go off. But, they still blew them out, so good for Alex, I guess.

[grumpysaddle]

I only mentioned Booker had a few bad plays in the first quarter. I’m hoping he cuts down on his bone headed plays so he can be in the MVP conversation. Not saying he is top 5 but maybe he can be top 10 MVP candidate by the end of the season.

He was in the honorable mentions on nba.com for their MVP list this last one.

[ATTL]

Lots of butt hurt hawks fans on twitter mad at EJ for literally everything.

[El Hespiritu]

As good of a basketball player Baynes is does it feel like he picked the wrong profession? He would've looked nice in the Game of Thrones.

Well, El Hespiritu does refer to him as Tormund.

Mmmh...

He was born at Gibson (New Zealand) but his family moved to Australia when he was a kid.

Guess which Australian state(*) they lived in?








(*) I'm not versed in autralian names but I guess it's unappropiate call it "region"... the same it's unappropiate to call Catalunya a "region". Better they call it "The Shire", if any.

[SunsRback4Good]

As good of a basketball player Baynes is does it feel like he picked the wrong profession? He would've looked nice in the Game of Thrones.

Well, El Hespiritu does refer to him as Tormund.

Mmmh...

He was born at Gibson (New Zealand) but his family moved to Australia when he was a kid.

Guess which Australian state(*) they lived in?








(*) I'm not versed in autralian names but I guess it's unappropiate call it "region"... the same it's unappropiate to call Catalunya a "region". Better they call it "The Shire", if any.

What brings you to our almighty board, George R. R. Martin?

[El Hespiritu]

What brings you to our almighty board, George R. R. Martin?

That's an easy question:

He did it: