Suns @ Kings 10/10, 7pm

[HereWeBoogie]

my favorite part of this game was. NO playing time for Garcia! thank the lord i think the coach has finally realized he shouldnt be out there

 

[rainmaker]

Guys are playing well. We should be better with MT taking the shots with this lineup rather than Salmons, and moving Salmons to the bckup 3 and JJ into the starting lineup.

 

[jcwkings]

T Rob is so hungry for the boards and just active in general. A great addition to our bench, and potential starter once he polishes his game and adjusts to the NBA game

 

[HereWeBoogie]

we need to see a lineup with Evans at the 2 and Johnson at the 3. smart better not split their minutes at the 3

 

[Entity]

Robinson looks so much better when he isn't be force feed and asked to be the best on the court ala summer league

 

[HereWeBoogie]

someone needs to tell Salmons he's out there for defense, not shooting............

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

sorry Salmons, i think your job is taken. JJ is a baller!

He should be our starting SF...period.

Starting. 5:

Cousins
JT
Johnson
Evans
Brooks

But doubt Smart has the same vision as I.

 

[cuad]

Jimmer's getting destroyed by Kendall freakin' Marshall.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

^ill accept that, but rather see IT at the point

 

[Henkel]

Robinson looks so much better when he isn't be force feed and asked to be the best on the court ala summer league

He gives you a lot without the ball, which is perfect for this team. Put Johnson in that category as well.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

i dont think Jimmer is going to see the court alot once the real season starts

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

my favorite part of this game was. NO playing time for Garcia! thank the lord i think the coach has finally realized he shouldnt be out there

I'll take Garcia over Salmons three hundred sixty-five days out of the year. Outlaw, too. Hell, I'd take him over Fredette, but that's just my personal bias.

 

[Kings Faithful]

Our globe trotters offense won't be half bad if we get the lineup problem worked out... Our defense looked really good with the hustle players out there though.

 

[Henkel]

i dont think Jimmer is going to see the court alot once the real season starts

I hope Brooks and Outlaw can step up and take Jimmer and Salmons out of the rotation.

 

[The_Jamal]

Robinson and JJ were terrific together. They changed the whole dynamic of the game with their defensive intensity and overall hustle. It was also nice to see IT-Reke-Thornton-Cousins have success together on both ends of the court in the 3rd quarter

 

[jcwkings]

I knew T Rob would look better when playing with actual NBA players. Man that Summer league squad was atrocious

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I still think Thornton would be better suited as our 6th man, and Brooks starting but I'm probably in the minority.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

I knew T Rob would look better when playing with actual NBA players. Man that Summer league squad was atrocious

i said the same exact thing when everyone was freaking out during summer league

 

[twslam07]

I still think Thornton would be better suited as our 6th man, and Brooks starting but I'm probably in the minority.

I would prefer Brooks and Fredette to get a combined 10-15 minutes of action (most of it going to Brooks).

Thomas (27 min)/Evans (11 min)/Brooks (7 min)/Fredette (3 min)
Evans (20 min)/Thornton (28 min)
Johnson (28 min)/Outlaw (14 min)/Evans (6 min)

(Evans = 37 min total)

By limiting Brooks and Fredette's minutes, it would only force us to play Evans at SF for 6 min a game. If we give Brooks 15-18 min a game...

Thomas (27 min)/Brooks (18 min)/Fredette (3 min)
Evans (20 min)/Thornton (28 min)
Johnson (28 min)/Evans (17 min)/Outlaw (3 min)

(Evans = 37 min total)

We force Evans to play almost half his minutes at a position that makes him a weaker player.

The major problem right now is our sixth man plays the same position as one of our star players. You don't see this on other teams. It would be the same situation if Thornton had a sixth man role on the Lakers. Kobe starts, but when Thornton comes in, who is going to play where? Can Thornton play PG? Nope. Can Thornton play SF? Nope. Sorry Kobe looks like we are going to have to play you at PG or SF considering you are more versatile.

Everyone complains about Evans being played out of position, but it isn't a coaching or rotation problem. It is a roster problem which falls on Petrie.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I would prefer Brooks and Fredette to get a combined 10-15 minutes of action (most of it going to Brooks).

Thomas (27 min)/Evans (11 min)/Brooks (7 min)/Fredette (3 min)
Evans (20 min)/Thornton (28 min)
Johnson (28 min)/Outlaw (14 min)/Evans (6 min)

(Evans = 37 min total)

By limiting Brooks and Fredette's minutes, it would only force us to play Evans at SF for 6 min a game. If we give Brooks 15-18 min a game...

Thomas (27 min)/Brooks (18 min)/Fredette (3 min)
Evans (20 min)/Thornton (28 min)
Johnson (28 min)/Evans (17 min)/Outlaw (3 min)

(Evans = 37 min total)

We force Evans to play almost half his minutes at a position that makes him a weaker player.

The major problem right now is our sixth man plays the same position as one of our star players. You don't see this on other teams. It would be the same situation if Thornton had a sixth man role on the Lakers. Kobe starts, but when Thornton comes in, who is going to play where? Can Thornton play PG? Nope. Can Thornton play SF? Nope. Sorry Kobe looks like we are going to have to play you at PG or SF considering you are more versatile.

Everyone complains about Evans being played out of position, but it isn't a coaching or rotation problem. It is a roster problem which falls on Petrie.

Eh, it's still partially a coaching problem: Smart isn't compelled to play Evans at SF, regardless of what personnel he has.

 

[Hoovtrain]

i said the same exact thing when everyone was freaking out during summer league

How did he look? Game wasnt on for me.

 

[twslam07]

Eh, it's still partially a coaching problem: Smart isn't compelled to play Evans at SF, regardless of what personnel he has.

Well if you look at the minute crunch it doesn't give him much choice. We can always reduce Evans or Thornton's minutes so Evans doesn't have to play SF (which is essentially what you're suggesting), but what does that solve? I would rather have our 2nd and 3rd best player out there even if one of them is out of position.

Now if we redistribute the player value (via trade) to a complimentary position, then Evans will finally be free to settle in, but again that starts with Petrie.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Eh, it's still partially a coaching problem: Smart isn't compelled to play Evans at SF, regardless of what personnel he has.

So I wonder why he doesn't feel more compelled to start JJ at SF and move Evans to his more natural SG position?? It baffles my mind how someone could honestly look at Tyreke as a starting SF with his skillset.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Well if you look at the minute crunch it doesn't give him much choice. We can always reduce Evans or Thornton's minutes so Evans doesn't have to play SF (which is essentially what you're suggesting), but what does that solve? I would rather have our 2nd and 3rd best player out there even if one of them is out of position.

Now if we redistribute the player value (via trade) to a complimentary position, then Evans will finally be free to settle in, but again that starts with Petrie.

I just don't get the discombobulation Smart provides in his starting 5...and yes I know its preseason, and its time to experiment a bit, but I think 4 of the starting 5 should be no brainers:

C: Cuz
PF: JT
SF: Johnson
SG: Evans

PG is probably Thomas, but I do think Brooks will make a run. But the other 4 are all taylor made for their starting slots.

 

[twslam07]

I just don't get the discombobulation Smart provides in his starting 5...and yes I know its preseason, and its time to experiment a bit, but I think 4 of the starting 5 should be no brainers:

C: Cuz
PF: JT
SF: Johnson
SG: Evans

PG is probably Thomas, but I do think Brooks will make a run. But the other 4 are all taylor made for their starting slots.

Totally agree with the starting lineup and having Evans at SG. I would have Evans play SG every time he steps on the floor if I could, but our team is assembled in a way that is going to force Evans to play SF. The only way to prevent that is to slash someone's minutes (Thomas, Thornton, Evans).

 

[UK_King]

Cuz was shooting threes? Ok, well he hit the same amount as Jimmer! So can't complain.

Won't get to see this game but going off the highlights/stats seems like T-Rob was active.

 

[xyrin]

I'm all for trading Tyreke at this point for a piece that fits our team better. His shot didn't look improved, and if one noticed, he seemed to shoot better in pre-game warmups and then revert to a version of his terrible form during the game. I think this is a mental problem that he'll never get past. More and more he is appearing to be a one-trick pony, and hopefully all his value isn't diminished by now. I'm rooting for him to surprise me and prove me wrong, but after 3 years you grow a bit impatient.

 

[Flopi]

I'm all for trading Tyreke at this point for a piece that fits our team better. His shot didn't look improved, and if one noticed, he seemed to shoot better in pre-game warmups and then revert to a version of his terrible form during the game. I think this is a mental problem that he'll never get past. More and more he is appearing to be a one-trick pony, and hopefully all his value isn't diminished by now. I'm rooting for him to surprise me and prove me wrong, but after 3 years you grow a bit impatient.

Trading Tyreke after the very first pre season game.
Woaw, that didn't take long

 

[Bricklayer]

Trading Tyreke after the very first pre season game.
Woaw, that didn't take long

that particular poster has never stopped.

Tyreke actually looked pretty good after half. But he and Thornton together out there don't mesh.

 

[xyrin]

Trading Tyreke after the very first pre season game.
Woaw, that didn't take long

This wasn't after just one game. This is his 4th year. I was his biggest fan after his rookie season and thought he could return us to the promised land. I honestly haven't seen any progress since then. Say what you will about his shot, but the one he uses in pregame warmups isnt the shot he uses in the game. He just can't get it together mentally, and if he can't do it after 4 years in the NBA, you gotta wonder if he ever will. At some point you need to give up and try to get as much as you can back for him.