Let’s go Kangz!!!
So much for sucking! And now, grades!
Harrison Barnes (B)
Harrison came out of the gates playing like it was still overtime in Denver, providing a bulk of the good plays that led to our big lead to start the game. His production sort of tailed off after that although he kept crashing the boards hard and, more importantly, provided that switchability that is so vital to Rex's defensive schemes, sorta occupying the Paul George role from the Clippers defense last year. While he has still yet to hit an outside shot this season, this is the sort of game that justifies paying Barnes the contract that Vlade gave him.
Marvin Bagley (B-) -
Randomly stupid Kings fans-generated moping controversy aside, Marvin had another solid night. As he always had when healthy, Marvin hits the glass hard and his elite athleticism leads to him simply grabbing balls before other guys even react to them. Bagley's added bulk has also helped him on the defensive side of the ball, with him matching up physically with the bigger Ayton without an issue for most of the night (a lot of this also has to do with Ayton being softer than a baby's bum when not on the PEDs). On offense, Marvin has yet to hit an outside shot but shoots them with enough confidence that you assume he'll hit one sooner or later. Most of his baskets came off of assists but I'd honestly rather have him be a finisher than initiator when Fox or Haliburton are on the floor. Got benched for Holmes in crunch time but that was by no fault of his own.
Richaun Holmes (C+) -
This was the toughest guy to grade tonight. Pretty much any way you look at it, Holmes was our worst big for around 42 minutes of the game, turning the ball over, fouling anything that moved, struggling to stay with guys on defense, getting caught on switches pretty much anytime the Suns had the ball. This was headed towards failing grade territory. And then, despite the fact that the Bagley/Barnes/Haliburton/Buddy/Fox lineup was working well enough and featured the guys most of us actually want to see play basketball, Walton randomly decided to bench Bagley and get Holmes and CoJo back in, a decision that was immediately justified as Richaun had a stretch that roughly went defensive board, offensive board, two made free throws, incredible hustle play for an offensive board, more made free throws, great defense on a Booker PnR with Fox, rebound as Holmes almost singlehandedly put the Suns away for us. While the bad stretch of play is super concerning, you keep a high energy player like Holmes around for that last stretch. Him being able to hit his free throws while Bagley and Hassan spent most of the night shooting free throws like their hands had gone numb only helped matters.
Buddy Hield (C) -
Buddy absolutely didn't have his shot going tonight. In past seasons, this would have largely rendered him ineffective but in this season and new defensive system, shotless Buddy still had a relatively effective game. Though his remarks about not needed to be an all-NBA defender raised some eyebrows in the preseason, Buddy has started the season as a net positive player on that end. On offense, he still hustled off the ball and the mere threat of him as a shooter still gave Fox and friends space to work inside.
De'Aaron Fox (A)-
A simple star turn from the 23-year old Kentucky product. In a night featuring the best PG of the prior generation and Devin Booker, Jake from State Farm possessed by the ghost of Mamba, De'Aaron spent most of the game looking like the best player on the floor. On offense, his perimeter shot was falling early, opening up most of his other tools for the rest of the night. He had 5 turnovers on the night but I honestly don't remember more than one or two of them really being his fault and CoJo clanked two or three wide open threes which would have boosted De'Aaron's assist numbers past their customary 7. Defense was where Swipa really shined tonight, as in crunch time, the newly swole point guard bodied up Devin Booker better than almost anyone I can remember and generally disrupted the Suns offense seemingly every single time they had the ball. Max contract player moves.
***
Cory Joseph (D)
Tyrese Haliburton (B)
Nemanja Bjelica (B)
Hassan Whiteside (B-)
Glenn Robinson III (B-)
So much for sucking! And now, grades!
Harrison Barnes (B)
Harrison came out of the gates playing like it was still overtime in Denver, providing a bulk of the good plays that led to our big lead to start the game. His production sort of tailed off after that although he kept crashing the boards hard and, more importantly, provided that switchability that is so vital to Rex's defensive schemes, sorta occupying the Paul George role from the Clippers defense last year. While he has still yet to hit an outside shot this season, this is the sort of game that justifies paying Barnes the contract that Vlade gave him.
Marvin Bagley (B-) -
Randomly stupid Kings fans-generated moping controversy aside, Marvin had another solid night. As he always had when healthy, Marvin hits the glass hard and his elite athleticism leads to him simply grabbing balls before other guys even react to them. Bagley's added bulk has also helped him on the defensive side of the ball, with him matching up physically with the bigger Ayton without an issue for most of the night (a lot of this also has to do with Ayton being softer than a baby's bum when not on the PEDs). On offense, Marvin has yet to hit an outside shot but shoots them with enough confidence that you assume he'll hit one sooner or later. Most of his baskets came off of assists but I'd honestly rather have him be a finisher than initiator when Fox or Haliburton are on the floor. Got benched for Holmes in crunch time but that was by no fault of his own.
Richaun Holmes (C+) -
This was the toughest guy to grade tonight. Pretty much any way you look at it, Holmes was our worst big for around 42 minutes of the game, turning the ball over, fouling anything that moved, struggling to stay with guys on defense, getting caught on switches pretty much anytime the Suns had the ball. This was headed towards failing grade territory. And then, despite the fact that the Bagley/Barnes/Haliburton/Buddy/Fox lineup was working well enough and featured the guys most of us actually want to see play basketball, Walton randomly decided to bench Bagley and get Holmes and CoJo back in, a decision that was immediately justified as Richaun had a stretch that roughly went defensive board, offensive board, two made free throws, incredible hustle play for an offensive board, more made free throws, great defense on a Booker PnR with Fox, rebound as Holmes almost singlehandedly put the Suns away for us. While the bad stretch of play is super concerning, you keep a high energy player like Holmes around for that last stretch. Him being able to hit his free throws while Bagley and Hassan spent most of the night shooting free throws like their hands had gone numb only helped matters.
Buddy Hield (C) -
Buddy absolutely didn't have his shot going tonight. In past seasons, this would have largely rendered him ineffective but in this season and new defensive system, shotless Buddy still had a relatively effective game. Though his remarks about not needed to be an all-NBA defender raised some eyebrows in the preseason, Buddy has started the season as a net positive player on that end. On offense, he still hustled off the ball and the mere threat of him as a shooter still gave Fox and friends space to work inside.
De'Aaron Fox (A)-
A simple star turn from the 23-year old Kentucky product. In a night featuring the best PG of the prior generation and Devin Booker, Jake from State Farm possessed by the ghost of Mamba, De'Aaron spent most of the game looking like the best player on the floor. On offense, his perimeter shot was falling early, opening up most of his other tools for the rest of the night. He had 5 turnovers on the night but I honestly don't remember more than one or two of them really being his fault and CoJo clanked two or three wide open threes which would have boosted De'Aaron's assist numbers past their customary 7. Defense was where Swipa really shined tonight, as in crunch time, the newly swole point guard bodied up Devin Booker better than almost anyone I can remember and generally disrupted the Suns offense seemingly every single time they had the ball. Max contract player moves.
***
Cory Joseph (D)
Tyrese Haliburton (B)
Nemanja Bjelica (B)
Hassan Whiteside (B-)
Glenn Robinson III (B-)
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GO BENCH MOB!