PGT: Suns tank better than we do

[j0Shi]

The first half was pretty wild, but after we cut down on TOs the Suns showed why they own the second worst record in the West.

As I said yesterday the upside of Dirk and Kamans absence is that we're seeing extended play of Wright and Sarge. Sarge led the team in rebounding percentage yesterday and came in second behind Wright today, recorded his second great game in a row. Wright also came back after that horrible 4th yesterday and finished this on better.

Mayo only 1-for-5 in the 4th (Mike James 0-for-2, Brand 0-for-1), but rest of the team came up for it, 11-for-16.

In my eyes Collison continues to settle in and improve, had a great 4th and overall was our best player. Speaking of PGs: I'm in complete disbelief that Mike James got the backup minutes today, especially since Roddy played really well yesterday. It's not major, but so obviously wrong that, barring any injury, I simply don't get it.

James continues to be a complete disaster. Every metric ranks him as the worst Mavericks player this season (outside Curry, who played only 25 minutes) and when you watch him play you get why. His shooting is one thing, but he even makes more 'rookie' mistakes than Roddy (two silly fouls in the bonus + TOs today). He somehow manages to put together nice +/- stats, but since he is contributing crap it's not really meaningful in my eyes. Today he played with Carter, Wright and Sarge most of the time, who all had great games and dragged him to that +/-.

[grndmstr_c]

I was likewise baffled by Booby not getting off the bench today. Still wondering if I'm going to wake up tomorrow to learn that he was held our tonight because he's being included in a trade or something. I sure can't see anything on the court during game time to justify the benching, unless it was just that Rick feels like he has to depend on Vince more to initiate the offense when Roddy's out there, and was loathe to do as much of that on the second night of a back-to-back.

[j0Shi]

Yeah or an injury bothered him. Mavs are strangely quiet around Booby anyway. Carlisle briefly expressed concerns on his health earlier this season when he couldn't crack the rotation and since then he is strangely in and out although clearly being the best option at the backup point.

One assumption on my part is that there are health issues which keep him out of some games, but the Mavs don't want to hurt his trade value and so take the "DNP-CD" or "inactive" route.

I figure this is a wild guess, but I'm running out of explanations. He came into January with the backup gig, suddenly disappeared for three games during the homestand (with one appearance on the inactive list), had that great game against the Spurs and after another decent game yesterday suddenly it's Mike James again?

[Kante]

Did not see the game but saw M. James with 1-9??? B-b-b-ut he's a veteran and should start said markus...

[oilfieldtrash]

But can the Suns go from champs to lottery in two years? We beat them in tanking too.

[nowhereman]

Not sure whether to be happy or sad.