Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto

[BeautifulShy]

I got my tickets for the Suns vs Kings game tonight at 7pm. It should be fun.

I almost thought you were near Sac, then I looked up the game and they playing in Phoenix.

I was definitely just joking about the Lakers.
only 2 teams have played and lost so far, so this may be the last time I can say Lakers are dead last in the league. (unless Utah can upset on Friday) LOL

I guess I should of flipped the teams around to distinguish between away and home for next time.  I wish I lived in North California. I miss California. 

[BeautifulShy]

On my way down to the game!!

[ejamer]

On my way down to the game!!

So lucky!  Enjoy it!

[broodwars]

Thunder - 95
Jazz - 100

The New Look Jazz finally find their defense and get a win behind a 32 point night from Donovan Mitchell.

Not a pretty night, but I'll take a win where I can get one. Some small takeaways:

- Mike Conley had an absolutely atrocious night, scoring 5 points & 5 assists on 1/16 shooting. We built our entire new team around him, so between the preseason and tonight he needs to step up.

- Bogdanovic didn't have the best 3 point shooting night, but he looked great and it's very much clear that just having him on that floor is making life so much easier for Donovan.

- Royce O'Neal is stepping up nicely in replacing Favors as Starting PF. If he keeps this up, he's going to get a nice new contract at the end of the season.

- The Jazz may have finally found a quality backup PG in Emmanuel Mudiay, who easily outplayed Conley tonight. Coach Snyder certainly seems to have faith in him.

- The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a terror. They are going to have a long and possibly prosperous future if they build around him.

On a side note, the All Star Game is finally coming back to Salt Lake City in 2023. Maybe people will shut up about the "night life" this time.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm glad the Jazz (outside of Conley) looked good tonight.
Now bring it (including Conley this time) against the Lakers on Friday, and suck the wind of LeDavis' sails.

[BeautifulShy]

Suns beat the Kings 124 to 95.
It was pretty fun going to my first ever Suns game. They has a fan fest sort of thing a few hours before the game started and I caught the tail end of it because I had to get ready for the game and I had an early morning today with the forum here and going out to South Phoenix for an event earlier in the day. 

So yeah the game. Rubio was a difference maker and for a good chunk of the game he made the right pass. Looking at his assist to turnover ratio it was 11/4 which is solid. He was also jumping for loose balls and getting steals. He had a double double with 11 points and 11 assists with 6 boards. 

Ayton was pretty dominate down low as he had 18 points and 11 boards and he was getting in the right position to cut or just post up on the high block and do some moves to get him inside.

Booker was very solid with his scoring and passing but it wasn't like last season where it was PointBook where he would facilitate the offense. Tonight it was just him being in a good position to make a smart pass and someone scoring. Booker led Sun scorers with 22.  Buddy Hield had 28.

Oubre Jr was very solid with the scoring with 21 and was a pest with defense on Barnes and Bogdan Bodanovic.

Starting lineup for the Suns is what you might of expected in Rubio, Booker, Oubre Jr Saric and Ayton.   Bench was Kaminski, Baynes, Jevon Carter, Mikal Bridges, Tyler Johnson.  Okobo, Cheick Diallo and Jared Harper played the last 2 mins of the game.

But yes my fave player on the Suns over Booker, Rubio, Oubre Jr and Ayton is Mikal Bridges.  He didn't score much tonight but he was steller on defense and using that extra pass to get to the open man and making good reads in the passing lanes to get fast breaks going.    I went into the Team Shop before the game and the only merch they had of Mikal Bridges was a 110 dollar jersey.  Ridiculous. At least would have been nice to have a tee with his number on it but no.

One other thing I noticed was how the Suns played team defense by covering each other so players can get where they need to be and calling out  assignments as they were heading back on D. 

Solid game.  Next game I am going to try and make it to is the Pelicans game next month. I have to see how Lonzo, Ingram and Hart are playing. Maybe Zion will be back by then.

Here was the view from my seat.

[ejamer]

...
- The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a terror. They are going to have a long and possibly prosperous future if they build around him.
...

Agreed - I think that kid has a bright, bright future ahead of him. Looks great on both ends, plays hard and seems way more composed than I typically expect for someone his age.

[BeautifulShy]

Here is a podcast from The Timeline a Phoenix Suns Podcast about the first game of the season. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIJbVchpoio

[BlackNMild2k1]

Man, Kyrie had to put up 50 in the season opener against the TWolves just to barely lose in OT.

I bet he can't WAIT till next season starts. Lol

[BeautifulShy]

So this is a weird 24 hours. Ayton was tested and he had a positive testing for a durietic. Ayton said he was trying to lose weight but used the wrong thing. That got him a 25 game suspension. Tradionally a durietic is used for rapid weight loss but there are times where they can be used by drug abusers to hide the presence of a more worse drug in the system.  Then there was another test on Ayton that showed there was no presence of any other banned substance. So that 25 game suspension is going to fasttracted through the NBPA to push for a reduction asap.   Also in practice Ty Jerome sustained a right ankle sprain and there is no time table for return but will be reevaluated over the next 2 to 4 weeks.

Ayton's response.

"I want to apologize to my family, the entire Suns organization, my teammates, partners, our fans and the Phoenix community. This was an unintentional mistake and unfortunately I put something in my body that I was completely unaware of. I do understand the unfortunate impact that this has on so many others, and for that I am deeply sorry. I’m extremely disappointed that I’ve let my team down. I will continue to work with the NBPA to go through arbitration and am hopeful of a positive resolution.

Story on Ayton. https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2019/10/24/20931460/woj-ayton-could-be-suspended-25-games-phoenix-suns

[ejamer]

Oh, I came to lament Ayton and Bagley both being out for a while, but am glad to hear that maybe one of those issues isn't as serious as it first sounded.  (Unfortunately, I don't think there can be any arbitration for a broken thumb.)

[BeautifulShy]

Oh, I came to lament Ayton and Bagley both being out for a while, but am glad to hear that maybe one of those issues isn't as serious as it first sounded.  (Unfortunately, I don't think there can be any arbitration for a broken thumb.)

Sorry about Bagley I did see one of the Kings player go down after a play which resulted in a basket for the Suns.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Oh Warriors....

I can't say I'm familiar with 80% of the people on my team on the floor for 70% of the game.
It's just game 1. We will have some breakouts. Improvements will be made. LOL
They gonna have LOTS of "tape' to watch tomorrow.

Hopefully we show some much needed correction in the game vs CP3 and the Thunder on Sunday.

[BeautifulShy]

Oh Warriors....

I can't say I'm familiar with 80% of the people on my team on the floor for 70% of the game.
It's just game 1. We will have some breakouts. Improvements will be made. LOL
They gonna have LOTS of "tape' to watch tomorrow.

Hopefully we show some much needed correction in the game vs CP3 and the Thunder on Sunday.

I know the Warriors front court isn't the best right now but Zubac scored a double double in 17 minutes.  That shouldn't be happening. He did have some flashes of that last season with the Lakers but it wasn't a consistant thing.  I am not worrying about the Clippers right now but if they play the Jazz and dominate Gobert or some strong team defense like the Pacers and then I am going to start to worry.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Our defense was ****.
rotations on both defense and offense looked like work in progress.
Draymond was looking a little frustrated out there, but this is a mostly new group, so it's gonna take us some time. A rookie(?) was out there being bold, intercepting passes meant for D-Lo and holding the ball at the end of the 2nd when Steph was calling for it.... but I'm hoping the chemistry comes with a little more time.

I really hope WCS is almost back, because we really need a large presence with experience down in the paint.

But as I told my boy last night, this is game 1 of a new season with a new team in a new stadium against the season favorites (who are still missing PG13 :/). It's the next game vs the Thunder where I'm looking for improvements to the chemistry and corrections to the formula.

[BeautifulShy]

Yeah I think the teams which didn't have much turnover as far as the roster goes is going to be better situated to start off better than other teams that don't have that like say the Nuggets, Jazz, Clippers and Raptors are going to have a leg up on the competition.

[BeautifulShy]

Listening to the Suns play the Nuggets on the radio and I can hardly believe that they are up 37 to 25 with five mins left in the half.  I for sure thought that Ayton being out would have caused a collapse but Baynes and Kamenski is holding their own.

[BeautifulShy]

Okay wow Suns are up at the half with the score of 45 to 39. The Nuggets came back a little but the Suns held their own thus far.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Suns are RISING!!!

[BeautifulShy]

Now it is the start of the 4th quarter and it is closer. Suns and Nuggets are tied 64.

[BeautifulShy]

Watching the Lakers on espn.com via stream and it is a low scoring and slow paced game thus far. 14 to 12 Lakers with about 5 mins left in the 1st quarter.

[BeautifulShy]

This lineup of Davis, Green, Howard, KCP and Lebron is doing nicely.

[broodwars]

Unfortunately, the Jazz are short-handed tonight without Bogdanovic. He sprained his ankle early in the game against the Thunder. He came back to finish the game strong, but apparently that was just a temporary measure.

[BeautifulShy]

Suns are in a nail biter at the end of the 4th quarter. 90 to 89 Nuggets with 43.1 seconds left.

Rubio got fouled at the 3 point line and sent it into overtime making all 3 free-throws to tie it up 95 all.

[BeautifulShy]

Unfortunately, the Jazz are short-handed tonight without Bogdanovic. He sprained his ankle early in the game against the Thunder. He came back to finish the game strong, but apparently that was just a temporary measure.

That is unfortunate. Sorry to hear that.   Jazz are keeping things competitive though. 36 to 35 Lakers nearing the end of the 1st half.