From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

[trekfan]

Team Preview: Warriors

By Sam Gray

The Warriors were given the best shot of every team all season long but were finally dethroned by the Thunder in seven games. Golden State’s loss set off a chain-reaction this offseason as they watched Kevin Durant return to Seattle; they got back nothing.

Over the summer, free of Durant’s cap hold, the Warriors had a bit of room to breath and re-signed Jordan Bell to a three-year deal with a significant pay raise. They renegotiated with Iggy an Shaun Livingston, freeing up cap space and avoiding the luxury tax, but the biggest looming issue is Draymond Green’s contract — Green is not planning to take a paycut and wants a max deal and the Warriors, barely above the luxury tax as it is, can’t afford to dive back into it next season without severely limiting their options.

The Warriors are aiming for a title, plain and simple, but there are many in the organization who believe this year will be the last with Curry, Thompson, and Green — Green is likely to be a free agent next summer and one of the biggest fish out there. Even if Golden State wins a title, Green could still move, and the Warriors are bracing for that possibility.

[trekfan]

Team Preview: Wizards

By Sam Gray

The Wizards were a good team last season in year one of Wall and Boogie, but were dismantled in the playoffs again by Boston, going down 4-1 in round one.

Over the summer, the Wizards brought back Satoransky on a big deal, added in Boban Marjanovic as a key backup, and brought over eurostash player Paciani, whom the Wizards feel could be a big bench player moving forward. Washington is in the luxury tax and in year one of John Wall’s massive extension, so expect the Wizards to move on from Otto Porter if they’re suffering at the trade deadline.

The goal of the Wizards will be to get back to the postseason and get past the round one. Avoiding the Celtics would be best for that, but there’s no telling where Washington will end up from year to year, as inconsistency continues to be the only consistency this franchise has to offer.

[RMJH4]

KD to Seattle is really gonna help you. I think you will give the Warriors a run for their money now. The West is gonna open up a lot now. And with Seattle getting a solid roster, they will cause a few upsets along the way, hopefully not to the Suns though!

[georgiafan]

great job as always with the team previews and hitting making each team seem interesting.

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by georgiafan

great job as always with the team previews and hitting making each team seem interesting.

Thanks! The write-ups are a bit time consuming, but are a great way to keep track of all the things that have changed in just one season in the NBA. The league is constantly evolving and it's important to keep that in mind.

[trekfan]

Ch. 6

It was his second season in the league and he felt like he had been validated as a player. Here he was, on his second ever opening night, and he felt like last season was longer than a year ago.

It’s different this time.

The schedule makers had given them a road game against the Kings to open the 2019-20 season, yet another snub for Phoenix — rather than allowing them to celebrate the beginning of a new season on their home floor, they sent them to Sacramento to face one of the league’s worst teams. Sure, Omar wasn’t going to complain about a cupcake in game one, but it certainly felt like the league was sleeping on them.

“OP, this place is decked out,” Brian said from beside him. The two had lockers right next to one another and Brian was geeking out over the various new things in the newest NBA arena, the Golden 1 Center. “They have Starbucks here.”

Omar just shook his head. “It’s overrated. Dunkin’ is where it’s at.”

“You’re tripping. I think your haircut shaved off a few IQ points.”

Omar pointed at Brian’s face. “And your weak-*ss goatee has made you a lot more punchable. I guarantee you’re going to get clobbered by WCS in the post.”

“You willing to bet on that?”

“You willing to lose like last year?”

Brian cringed and waved off his comment. “No, nevermind, I don’t feel like getting up at the buttcrack of dawn just to get owned by you.”

“You’re not very ambitious. You got to train like the best to be best.”

Brian cracked a grin. “My role model is Dirk, not Kobe.”

Omar press a finger against the side of his head. “Mamba mentality, baby.”

It was a new year, with new teammates, but it was the same game; to be the best, he had to beat them.

He’d start tonight.

[trekfan]

Rapid Reaction: Suns 113, Kings 96

By Sam Gray







The Suns started the season off with a win as they went into Sacramento and dominated three out of the four quarters. Blake Griffin, in his debut as a Phoenix Sun, was exactly as advertised; the big man passed, posted, and knocked in a few deep threes to show off the wide variety of skills that made him so popular a player. Griffin finished the game as the second leading scorer with 24 points and ten boards. Omar Pope picked up where he left off as he lit into the Kings for 32 points and Malcolm Brogdon added 22 of his own (along with 10 dimes) to round out the effort in a win that should have the Phoenix faithful feeling good about the new season.

[trekfan]

Rapid Reaction: Suns 127, Nuggets 109

By Sam Gray

The Suns moved to 12-3 while the Nuggets fell to 8-9 as Phoenix welcomed Denver to their house and treated them like a doormat; the game wasn’t initially shaping up to be a runaway, though as both teams came out and shot brick after brick. At the half, Phoenix only led by two points as the Nuggets were living off the three to make up for their terrible inside game. But in the third, after a shaky start, the Suns came alive thanks to an 8-0 run courtesy of Blake Griffin. BG started the Suns off hot after the half and OP came on from that point, treating the Nuggets defense like a revolving door. The fourth saw the Suns run away with things as the Nuggets got into foul trouble and lost their composure.