Isaiah Thomas' Interview "I want to show them guys they made a mistake."
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As I've been reading through various Phoenix Suns fan forums, surprisingly (maybe not) there are already questions about Isaiah's locker room presence and tendency to play hero ball. According to some, this has turned off his teammates to the point where the body language has taken a turn for the worst, especially during their last game against Memphis. One poster went as far as to bring up the possibility of IT being a cancer and Boogie having a good reason to dislike him.
He's not wrong. The Kings are playing really, really well, but this could turn back around into something bad real fast.
I'n thoroughly enjoying this good stretch of basketball while its here, but am I confident in this team moving forward? hell no. The team still has issues, but they are playing so well that its hiding them. And it's possible that they are this good. We just don't know yet.
I'n thoroughly enjoying this good stretch of basketball while its here, but am I confident in this team moving forward? hell no. The team still has issues, but they are playing so well that its hiding them. And it's possible that they are this good. We just don't know yet.
I'm worried about having Sessions line up across Isaiah. Sessions has been atrocious, especially defensively. The bench better be ready to bring it on defense or Isaiah is going to shred them apart.
I wonder how much longer Sessions' leash runs. Ray McCallum is waiting in the wings and looks ready to contribute. If things turn south quickly against Isaiah, I can see Ray Mac getting a lot of burn to cover IT.
Should be a good game, but I think the Kings win. Phoenix doesn't have the frontcourt to defend Cousins, and our backcourt defense has solid this year with Collison and McLemore.
I wonder how much longer Sessions' leash runs. Ray McCallum is waiting in the wings and looks ready to contribute. If things turn south quickly against Isaiah, I can see Ray Mac getting a lot of burn to cover IT.
Should be a good game, but I think the Kings win. Phoenix doesn't have the frontcourt to defend Cousins, and our backcourt defense has solid this year with Collison and McLemore.
Says every player who has ever been traded.
I'm never going to say anything negative about IT, simply for the support he showed Sac through all the BS. But when its all said and done, we were not winning ball games and our best player in a decade was not happy with the way the team was being ran from the PG spot. He also was and still is a liability on defense. In a perfect world, he really would be the perfect first guy off the bench. He doesn't want to be that guy. Phoenix will see that eventually. I'm totally ok with IT not accepting that role, if he believes he can be an everyday starting point guard on a contending team, good for him.
When its all said and done, every GM in the league would choose making their 6'10'' superstar big man happy over their 5'9'' scrappy point guard. Simple as that.
I'm never going to say anything negative about IT, simply for the support he showed Sac through all the BS. But when its all said and done, we were not winning ball games and our best player in a decade was not happy with the way the team was being ran from the PG spot. He also was and still is a liability on defense. In a perfect world, he really would be the perfect first guy off the bench. He doesn't want to be that guy. Phoenix will see that eventually. I'm totally ok with IT not accepting that role, if he believes he can be an everyday starting point guard on a contending team, good for him.
When its all said and done, every GM in the league would choose making their 6'10'' superstar big man happy over their 5'9'' scrappy point guard. Simple as that.
Good for him if he wants to drop 50 on us.
That's been the easy way to stop this team in the past. Let IT score, because he won't get anyone else involved. As long as the Kings understand they're playing the Suns, and not IT, I think we'll be fine. They are guard heavy, which could create a problem (as shown by Denver when Lawson and Robinson started attacking), but as long as our guards focus on denying penetration, we should be OK. I'm more concerned about them having to defend our frontcourt.
I feel like this has the potential to go just like our games vs. Denver - I'm just not sure which one, yet.
That's been the easy way to stop this team in the past. Let IT score, because he won't get anyone else involved. As long as the Kings understand they're playing the Suns, and not IT, I think we'll be fine. They are guard heavy, which could create a problem (as shown by Denver when Lawson and Robinson started attacking), but as long as our guards focus on denying penetration, we should be OK. I'm more concerned about them having to defend our frontcourt.
I feel like this has the potential to go just like our games vs. Denver - I'm just not sure which one, yet.
When the Suns go to their three point guard look, I'd like to see DC, Ben, and Ray Mac out there to counter with Cuz and Rudy as the two bigs. Accounts for each guard defensively and still gives us ample opportunity to demolish Plumlee/Len/Morris inside.
With all due respect to the Suns, I have more confidence that our two stars will blow the Suns up inside than their three PGs all being able to wreak havoc on our team. Especially if IT gets too IT-ey.
With all due respect to the Suns, I have more confidence that our two stars will blow the Suns up inside than their three PGs all being able to wreak havoc on our team. Especially if IT gets too IT-ey.
"Hey IT, you just lost against the Grizzlies, how do you feel?"
"I want to beat the Kings on Friday."
"Hey IT, you're playing the Kings on Friday."
"I want to show the Kings they made a mistake."
"Hey IT, are you 'freezing' out Dragic on offense?"
"I want to beat the Kings on Friday and show them they made a mistake."
I feel like this game has been on IT's mind for a while.
"I want to beat the Kings on Friday."
"Hey IT, you're playing the Kings on Friday."
"I want to show the Kings they made a mistake."
"Hey IT, are you 'freezing' out Dragic on offense?"
"I want to beat the Kings on Friday and show them they made a mistake."
I feel like this game has been on IT's mind for a while.
Because players are competitors. Virtually every player that's been traded, not re-signed etc takes it as a personal slight and makes it a point to go out and prove it to their old team. IT went from the last pick of the draft to the Kings starting PG, beat out everyone the Kings brought in to try and supplant him with and averaged 20 ppg last season. I think he felt he'd done everything he needed to do to earn a big payday from the Kings and instead they basically let him walk out the door. Not hard to see the motivation.
And the reporters were clearly baiting him to say something exactly along those lines so they could write the story that was already in their heads.
And the reporters were clearly baiting him to say something exactly along those lines so they could write the story that was already in their heads.
This was a pretty typical traded player going back to his old team interview. the "I want to play well, but us winning the game is most important, and they're playing good basketball" The OP chose to cherry pick the one quote that could be construed negatively for the title, even though it's not really all that negative.
Reporters clearly were baiting a quote for the whole "revenge" angle too. Even had the one guy come out and say "we're trying to fit an angle that you don't seem to put much thought into."
Reporters clearly were baiting a quote for the whole "revenge" angle too. Even had the one guy come out and say "we're trying to fit an angle that you don't seem to put much thought into."
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The guy is an amazing scoring talent and a good passer, but like many great scorers, he just can't wait to get the ball back. Defense just prolongs his wait for another offensive possession. He's an asset to the right team, but a team that already has to world class isolation offensive players just has no use for him -- at least not in the starting line-up. But given that defense has been the King's biggest problem for years, to me, there was no place for him at all. He'd have been perfect for a defensive juggernaut with offensive disability like Chicago or Indiana, except that those coaches would never put up with his mockery of the less glamorous side. A lot of people think he struggles defensively because of his size. It's not true. He just doesn't care.
There are a lot of reasons the Kings are playing better basketball. Demarcus and Gay had a full training camp together. They also both benefited greatly from playing in Spain together. The team has more veterans with play-off experience. The coach is no longer a rookie, and the returning players are now more acquainted with his system. The front office has completely changed the culture. But those people underestimating what a difference having a point guard who applies some defensive effort makes, are making a big mistake. It doesn't matter that Collison's not a lock down defender. He's willing to show up on that end. Isaiah wasn't. Good riddance.
There are a lot of reasons the Kings are playing better basketball. Demarcus and Gay had a full training camp together. They also both benefited greatly from playing in Spain together. The team has more veterans with play-off experience. The coach is no longer a rookie, and the returning players are now more acquainted with his system. The front office has completely changed the culture. But those people underestimating what a difference having a point guard who applies some defensive effort makes, are making a big mistake. It doesn't matter that Collison's not a lock down defender. He's willing to show up on that end. Isaiah wasn't. Good riddance.
I've said all summer long that Isaiah is going to try to light us up, and I think more than try: I think he will. I'm just not convinced that that will be that great for the Suns, but he's going to come after us in a big way. Remember what Reke did to us last year? And he doesn't even have the personality for it. Isaiah absolutely does.
I hope he tries so hard it completely wipes out their gameplan. Go ahead and freeze out the rest of your team buddy.
Suns have been awful against teams with a decent front court. We only have the best big in the league right now and everybody else is playing great.
I hope IT goes for 50 while we hold them to under 100 and wipe the floor with them.
Suns have been awful against teams with a decent front court. We only have the best big in the league right now and everybody else is playing great.
I hope IT goes for 50 while we hold them to under 100 and wipe the floor with them.
There are still many urgent issues, but thing is they seem to start getting figured out:
- bench starts to find a way to score through Casspi's and Landry's effort mainly for now, but it's a start. Maybe once in a while they can run a series of screens for Nik to get him a truly open shot.
- Cousins showed his sharp jumper since Clippers game, so when Kings face Grizzlies or Warriors again Boogie doesn't have to drive into the teeth of superior defense on every possession
- Raptors' style Rudy seems to become rarer and rarer an occurrence
- Ben shows minor signs of offensive life
- Omri settles down a bit.
One major problem is still backup PG position. In between two games Nuggets bothered to look at Sessions' stats this season and decided not to foul him, which turned him back into a ghost. Here though the very next game might be decisive: I don't think anyone doubts, that IT will come from the bench guns blazing on offense and trying at least a modicum of pressure on D, so, I think, if Sessions is useless on both ends vs IT, which is entirely possible he might not end even 2nd quarter bench stint after being replaced by RayMac.
The other problem, that just doesn't have an obvious solution is Reggie Evans as a backup C, who gets scored on with relative ease by guys with height of a...center, but we will have to live with this for a while, I'm afraid.
- bench starts to find a way to score through Casspi's and Landry's effort mainly for now, but it's a start. Maybe once in a while they can run a series of screens for Nik to get him a truly open shot.
- Cousins showed his sharp jumper since Clippers game, so when Kings face Grizzlies or Warriors again Boogie doesn't have to drive into the teeth of superior defense on every possession
- Raptors' style Rudy seems to become rarer and rarer an occurrence
- Ben shows minor signs of offensive life
- Omri settles down a bit.
One major problem is still backup PG position. In between two games Nuggets bothered to look at Sessions' stats this season and decided not to foul him, which turned him back into a ghost. Here though the very next game might be decisive: I don't think anyone doubts, that IT will come from the bench guns blazing on offense and trying at least a modicum of pressure on D, so, I think, if Sessions is useless on both ends vs IT, which is entirely possible he might not end even 2nd quarter bench stint after being replaced by RayMac.
The other problem, that just doesn't have an obvious solution is Reggie Evans as a backup C, who gets scored on with relative ease by guys with height of a...center, but we will have to live with this for a while, I'm afraid.
Right now Pho is dealing with the issue if IT's ball dominance and as of now, Dragic can't get going and Bledsoe has been hot/cold. Dragic has been moved off the ball while IT is on the floor, negating his impact almost completely. Some of their fans are rightly concerned. Same issue we had here in that he's so ball dominant it prevents others from getting into a rhythm. When IT is hot, it could work and they'll win some games. But when he isn't, he's still controlling the ball and taking Dragic/Bledsoe out of the game to an extent. Then there's the defensive issue where Dragic/Bledsoe is a clearly superior defensive backcourt than any lineup featuring IT.
Oh well, not our problem anymore.
Whether we win on Fri or not IMO has little to do with IT. If we keep our defensive intensity and move the ball, play through Rudy and Cuz, Pho can't stop us. They can't handle us inside. And with Collison running the point for us, I'm far more confident we'll stick to our game plan than I've been in years. I don't think anyone has used this term to describe our team in years but we have some veteran savvy out there now.
I'm interested to see Ben vs Bledsoe btw. Ben's quote after the game last night, basically "my goal is to be one of the top defensive SG's in the league" is promising to see from a mental standpoint. If he's going into games with the mindset to prove himself defensively and attempting to make a point with his defense every night, that gets me excited. I'm a defensive guy and that mentality fires me up, especially when I can see tangible improvement from Ben on that end.
Also, I'd put Ray on IT when DC isn't out there. Ray knows IT's game far better than Sessions does obviously.
Oh well, not our problem anymore.
Whether we win on Fri or not IMO has little to do with IT. If we keep our defensive intensity and move the ball, play through Rudy and Cuz, Pho can't stop us. They can't handle us inside. And with Collison running the point for us, I'm far more confident we'll stick to our game plan than I've been in years. I don't think anyone has used this term to describe our team in years but we have some veteran savvy out there now.
I'm interested to see Ben vs Bledsoe btw. Ben's quote after the game last night, basically "my goal is to be one of the top defensive SG's in the league" is promising to see from a mental standpoint. If he's going into games with the mindset to prove himself defensively and attempting to make a point with his defense every night, that gets me excited. I'm a defensive guy and that mentality fires me up, especially when I can see tangible improvement from Ben on that end.
Also, I'd put Ray on IT when DC isn't out there. Ray knows IT's game far better than Sessions does obviously.
I've said numerous times I'm not sure what Phoenix was thinking. He just doesn't see other guards on his own team as teammates, rather they are competition. I don't see any indication that mentality has changed.
Let him shoot all he wants. The more he shoots, the more dragic fumes. Had the same effect on Rudy and Boogie. I'd rather lose tomorrow if it disrupts PHX in the long term. Playoffs won't be decided tomorrow. Let them be the ones having players only meetings. Good riddance.
Really glad it's not our problem anymore.
Let him shoot all he wants. The more he shoots, the more dragic fumes. Had the same effect on Rudy and Boogie. I'd rather lose tomorrow if it disrupts PHX in the long term. Playoffs won't be decided tomorrow. Let them be the ones having players only meetings. Good riddance.
Really glad it's not our problem anymore.
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