Markeiff and Marcus Morris Twin Playmakers Help Keep The Suns Brightening In As Forwarded By Suns 94, Pelicans 88 Win By Van Stone frontpagenews1@yahoo.com
It was not pretty. It was not very entertaining. But the Suns’ 94-88 win over the New Orleans Pelicans was still a win. And that is all that matters at this point in the season.
We’ll start with the bad. The Suns gave up 44 points in the paint to a Pelicans team that was missing Anthony Davis.
Davis sat out the game with back spasms, but that didn’t stop New Orleans from dominating around the rim. Rookie Jeff Withey led the Pelicans with 17 points, nearly all of which came on uncontested dunks and layups.
The Suns’ defense was so lacking that in the second quarter, New Orleans shot 78% from the floor. Miles Plumlee was totally absent as a rim protector, recording no blocks and grabbing only six rebounds.
New Orleans was missing all but one of their opening day starters, yet Phoenix’s porous defense allowed the Pelicans’ reserves to score 53 of the team’s 88 points and made guys like Anthony Morrow and Luke Babbitt look like All Stars. Tonight’s game was just another example of the Suns playing down to the level of their competition. Luckily the Suns have three tough opponents coming up, so Coach Hornacek won’t need to worry about his team’s nasty habit for another week.
Offensively, Phoenix played well aside from some poor shot selection by the Morris twins and continued hesitancy from Channing Frye. Goran Dragic captained the ship well throughout the game, keeping the team afloat with 20 points and nine assists and steadying the ship every time the home team threatened to put the Suns in a hole.
P.J. Tucker was a rock, as usual, scoring 15 points on just nine shots and grabbing a team-high nine boards.
Overall, the Suns shots nearly 49% from the floor, hit nine of their 19 attempts from downtown, and turned the ball over just 12 times.
But it was not an offensive performance they’ll be rushing to watch on film anytime soon.
The Morris’ were a combined 7-of-20 and struggled with indecisiveness all game. (But you have to be on the court to actually know what indecisiveness is).
The Morris Twins made the right plays when the team needed them to do so most. That's why they are the forward playmakers of the NBA 2014 year. Every player has their ups and downs. But, when you put Markeiff or Marcus on the clock and on the basketball court floor usually, they eat up the opponent and not the other way around.
If there was a six man recognition award for two people who play the game of hoop as if they are one man, Markeiff and Marcus Morris Twins would get it this year. Hands down.
Markieff and Marcus are at their best when they pull up for jumpers with confidence or drive strong to the rim seeking contact. Neither brother did much of either in this game. Instead they forced awkward, off-balance drives and took contested jumpers. And as for Channing Frye, his cold streak continues.
Channing was very hesitant offensively. Aside from a nice jump hook in the first quarter, he did not look confident on a single shot. Frye has struggled at various points this year, but his current slump has kept him below 50% shooting for seven straight games. He has hit only six threes over that stretch, with four of them coming in the loss to the Clippers. The Suns will need Frye to figure it out soon if they want to hold onto a playoff spot.
It was not pretty. It was not very entertaining. But the Suns’ 94-88 win over the New Orleans Pelicans was still a win. And that is all that matters at this point in the season.
We’ll start with the bad. The Suns gave up 44 points in the paint to a Pelicans team that was missing Anthony Davis.
Davis sat out the game with back spasms, but that didn’t stop New Orleans from dominating around the rim. Rookie Jeff Withey led the Pelicans with 17 points, nearly all of which came on uncontested dunks and layups.
The Suns’ defense was so lacking that in the second quarter, New Orleans shot 78% from the floor. Miles Plumlee was totally absent as a rim protector, recording no blocks and grabbing only six rebounds.
New Orleans was missing all but one of their opening day starters, yet Phoenix’s porous defense allowed the Pelicans’ reserves to score 53 of the team’s 88 points and made guys like Anthony Morrow and Luke Babbitt look like All Stars. Tonight’s game was just another example of the Suns playing down to the level of their competition. Luckily the Suns have three tough opponents coming up, so Coach Hornacek won’t need to worry about his team’s nasty habit for another week.
Offensively, Phoenix played well aside from some poor shot selection by the Morris twins and continued hesitancy from Channing Frye. Goran Dragic captained the ship well throughout the game, keeping the team afloat with 20 points and nine assists and steadying the ship every time the home team threatened to put the Suns in a hole.
P.J. Tucker was a rock, as usual, scoring 15 points on just nine shots and grabbing a team-high nine boards.
Overall, the Suns shots nearly 49% from the floor, hit nine of their 19 attempts from downtown, and turned the ball over just 12 times.
But it was not an offensive performance they’ll be rushing to watch on film anytime soon.
The Morris’ were a combined 7-of-20 and struggled with indecisiveness all game. (But you have to be on the court to actually know what indecisiveness is).
The Morris Twins made the right plays when the team needed them to do so most. That's why they are the forward playmakers of the NBA 2014 year. Every player has their ups and downs. But, when you put Markeiff or Marcus on the clock and on the basketball court floor usually, they eat up the opponent and not the other way around.
If there was a six man recognition award for two people who play the game of hoop as if they are one man, Markeiff and Marcus Morris Twins would get it this year. Hands down.
Markieff and Marcus are at their best when they pull up for jumpers with confidence or drive strong to the rim seeking contact. Neither brother did much of either in this game. Instead they forced awkward, off-balance drives and took contested jumpers. And as for Channing Frye, his cold streak continues.
Channing was very hesitant offensively. Aside from a nice jump hook in the first quarter, he did not look confident on a single shot. Frye has struggled at various points this year, but his current slump has kept him below 50% shooting for seven straight games. He has hit only six threes over that stretch, with four of them coming in the loss to the Clippers. The Suns will need Frye to figure it out soon if they want to hold onto a playoff spot.
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