Ghost of Kleine wrote:Having/maintaining optimism as some still do on here is important and of course encouraging, as long as it doesn't cross over to overrationalizing and diluding themselves to unecessary losses that are critical in "tiebreaker" situations and seeding determinations. I for my part understand that this was just another game against a team playing really good basketball at the right time. And I also understand that the game was somewhat close up until the middle of the 4th. Lastly, I also understand that we didn't have Beal yet again and weren't at full strength.
BUT.................... Here's what else I and others who are rightfully frustrated and concerned understand too:
1- The suns STILL HAVE THE WORST 4TH QUARTER NET RATING in the entire league after 2/3 of the season.
2- We still aren't closing out key games that could imminently affect our seeding as well as any potential ability to exercise even a modicum of load management heading into the postseason.
3- This may have just been another close loss against a good team that's playing really well! BUT again, legit contenders close out key games and now that's just another western conference rival that has taken the season series from us and will own the "tiebreaker" when positions are determined.
4- People use coping mechanisms to delude the facts and rationalize our underwhelming losses. But, These losses aren't just a result of losing a close game to a "hot team playing great basketball at the right time". Our 4th quarter and the Mavs gaining the upper hand are representative of THE SAME LINGERING ISSUES that we had and apparently still haven't remedied going all the way back to the start of the season. We've given away far too many winnable games just by the virtue of lackluster effort, taking other teams for granted and thinking we'll just coast to a win! And then getting embarrassed. Consistently making the exact same basic mistakes that were prevalent issues at the start of the season too. How many legit championship teams or legit contenders do these things and casually give away games or series matchups?? And if we're not true championship contenders, then what was the trade really for???
5- Again........why did we MORTGAGE OUR FUTURE OVER THE NEXT DECADE ???? What was our fanbase sold on all summer post trades?? Was it to be a pretty good team that can win a bunch of games and maybe make the playoffs as a 1st or 2nd round exit? Or was it to be a LEGIT CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER. Injuries or not, We could still actually choose to ............ REBOUND, ROTATE AND DEFEND THE PERIMETER, NOT BE SO CARELESS WITH THE BALL,
PUT FORTH SOMETHING BETTER THAN A HALF AZZ DISINTERESTED EFFORT!!!.
This game was lost not just because we struggled to score (yet again in the 4th). But moreoverby yet again being careless with the ball, going small against their bigger frontcourt players and losing possessions that resulted in 2nd chance points and threes. AND worst of all, our defense on the perimeter sagging off their shooters continually to double and triple Luka and then NOT PUTTING FORTH THE EFFORT to recover and challenge better on the perimeter, often passively standing there and daring them to shoot!
So it's not that the sky is falling at all but rather that people are really frustrated to see professional basketball players commit the same mistakes over and over again without any consistent improvement, then put out mediocre apathetic efforts when we we sold on this team being a LEGIT CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER!! But contenders close out key games (especially with playoff seeding ranmnifications). All season we've been seeing the distimct difference from teams that ARE actually contenders playing to the level expected of them and not folding or giving away games. I'm not frustrated about them not winning the title this year, because I for my part know they're once again not legit contenders and will most likely get booted in the first or second round due to intentionally unaddressed positional depth issues, AND lack of size, athleticism, and physicality that is prevalent in the playoffs. I've excepted all of this already. However I do and will get upset or frustrated at experienced vet players and superstar level players making the same dumb mistakes over and over again all season, putting in poor effort in key moments in the games, and not figuring out even basic fundamentals of basketball after already 2/3 of the season have passed.
The sky isn't falling at all, but it's perfectly reasonable to be upset about this team being/playing like they're a full tier below actual contention considering all that was given up to sell the fanbase on them being LEGITIMATE CONTENDERS. They can be better, play better, and just need to decide to be that instead of what they're showing everyone.
Such a low IQ team. Beal should help to some degree, but he's an ISO minded player too so not that much. 