Game Day Playoff Edition — WCF, Game 5 — Los Angeles Clippers @ Phoenix Suns, Monday 6/28/2021

[JeremyG]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

[Indy]

Payne needs more than 13 minutes.

But he gets hunted on defense. If he isn't 100% and killing it on offense, he is a liability out there.

I think we need to get the other Cam more minutes. Jae is not doing well, and Mikal has been good defensively, but not offensively.

3 Point Shooting This Series

99 7/26 in 156 minutes (26.9%)
25 6/23 in 164 minutes (33.3%)
23 9/16 in 119 minutes (56.3%)

Also, Cam has been able to do something off the dribble/corner catch more than Mikal this series.

[Indy]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

[iLLmatic]

Tuned in at work with us up 62 - 61 I believe when George made his funny step layup....

That's called a traveling violation, but I'm sure you already know that.

If only the refs knew that…

I was a broken record at the game last night yelling travel. Since when was taking 3 steps allowed? I hate the modern NBA.

[Indy]

Oh, and I think it is sacrilegious for Suns fans to agree with Greg Anthony on anything.

[iLLmatic]

Oh, and I think it is sacrilegious for Suns fans to agree with Greg Anthony on anything.

Cheap shot ***hole. Coming out in street clothes hitting KJ. F**k Greg Anthony.

[JeremyG]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

[Indy]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

And I think the stakes are high enough to skip this as a “learning” game. I’m pretty sure that behind closed doors, the coaching staff already tried during the season to find out what he can do. No need to revisit it on national TV during Game 6 of the WCF. That reporter on the other hand, could be just finding out how the Suns looks like.

[JeremyG]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

Plenty. If he scores 50% of the time, that's more effective than our guards have been.

[Indy]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

And I think the stakes are high enough to skip this as a “learning” game. I’m pretty sure that behind closed doors, the coaching staff already tried during the season to find out what he can do. No need to revisit it on national TV during Game 6 of the WCF. That reporter on the other hand, could be just finding out how the Suns looks like.

Yeah, you don't change your offense now. I think it was David Nash that kept tweeting: "Just run your stuff!"

[Indy]

Greg Anthony agrees with me. It's not Ayton's fault that he isn't dominating their small lineup if we don't let him touch the ball: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/2021062 ... djustments

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

Plenty. If he scores 50% of the time, that's more effective than our guards have been.

So CP3 and Book and Monty are just trying to lose now, instead of going to a sure thing. Got it.

[Charlie Smithy!]

They smacked us early and often in the 1st qtr. We did a piss poor job adjusting to Morris posting up Book. Need to handle that switch better and/or send a double - which is not ideal for a player like Morris. But can't let him start 5-6 or 8-9 or whatever it was. We know George and Reggie Jackson are going to get theirs at this point, but we can't let a 3rd guy get going - whether it's Morris, Beverley, Mann, etc.

Another game where mostly everyone looked flat. CP looks slower and still hesitant and indecisive. DA was on cruise control, Bridges and Jae couldn't shake loose for open shots - Jae had some open looks early but bricked them.

Everyone thought it would be so easy to pound them in the paint with their smaller lineup but DA isn't a punishing big down low and that's not our style. He's being drawn out of the paint in their small lineup and then Boogie is punishing our smaller lineup because he has that ability. I think we can outplay them small lineup vs small lineup but that would mean sitting DA for longer stretches.

It was a good sign seeing Book get his offense going and Cam Johnson was a major bright spot. I was hoping he'd finish out the game but Monty went back to the starters and we started sinking again. Craig hasn't had much juice lately and he's usually been able to bring a spark off the bench. Nader may need to not play the rest of the way. I still think Jevon should've been seeing some minutes in this series to be our PatBev and just annoy the shit out of the Clips' guards.

Momentum is back with the Clips. I still don't think they're the better team, we just need to get back to how we play.

I hope you're right, shel. Between the Clippers' adjustments, whatever's going on with CP3, and the officiating, I've probably never felt more unsure of a 3-2 lead. Im glad we have at least we have two shots to take them out, cuz we've been thoroughly outplayed during this series, imo.

[JeremyG]

He has no post moves. He can't catch the ball 12 feet out and do something. He has been GREAT these playoffs when catching the ball on the move/roll. Or when going and getting O-boards. But he just wasn't active last night at all.

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

Plenty. If he scores 50% of the time, that's more effective than our guards have been.

So CP3 and Book and Monty are just trying to lose now, instead of going to a sure thing. Got it.

No, they've been almost losing because of the lack of touches for Ayton all season/postseason and now it's finally hurting them. But because ignoring him has worked out okay all year (most games) and they've gotten away with it (barely, many times--see Game 4), they keep doing it.

If they don't win a championship, the only reason will be because they won't use their center that they're about to give a max contract to.

And it's not just "dumping it into him in the post," as I pointed out with specific video clips from the 4th quarter of Game 4, where he was even open at the rim for lobs and Paul refused to throw it to him with Zubac switched onto Paul.

You really think he can't score over Patrick Beverley?

[Indy]

Give him the ball (especially the numerous times he called for it), and find out what he can do. You can't know what his moves would have been if he didn't get the ball.

How many times have you seen him be effective in his first 3 years in this league playing as a "dump the ball into him in the post" type center?

Plenty. If he scores 50% of the time, that's more effective than our guards have been.

So CP3 and Book and Monty are just trying to lose now, instead of going to a sure thing. Got it.

No, they've been almost losing because of the lack of touches for Ayton all season/postseason and now it's finally hurting them. But because ignoring him has worked out okay all year (most games) and they've gotten away with it (barely, many times--see Game 4), they keep doing it.

If they don't win a championship, the only reason will be because they won't use their center that they're about to give a max contract to.

And it's not just "dumping it into him in the post," as I pointed out with specific video clips from the 4th quarter of Game 4, where he was even open at the rim for lobs and Paul refused to throw it to him with Zubac switched onto Paul.

You really think he can't score over Patrick Beverley?

Well for whatever reason, against their bigs (Zubac, Cousins, Morris, Batum) he is shooting 62%.

against their smalls (Beverly, Jackson, Rondo) he is shooting 40% (obviously in smaller sample size).

He likes going against big guys and big names. And when he doesn't have that to get hyped up against, he disappears.

[Superbone]

Payne needs more than 13 minutes.

Maybe he's a little more banged up than we realize or he's letting on? If not, he absolutely needs more minutes.

I don't know man, I was at the game and during warm ups he was catching lobs for alley-oops. I can't even do that shit with an unsprained ankle.

No Payne, no gain. Let's go!

[Superbone]

Oh, and I think it is sacrilegious for Suns fans to agree with Greg Anthony on anything.

Cheap shot ***hole. Coming out in street clothes hitting KJ. F**k Greg Anthony.

At least he toned down his fashion choices.

[Indy]

Poor Indy.

Those tickets weren't cheap

probably the worst 828 i've ever spent

[ShelC]

This is the kind of thing that's been happening all series. He carved up the Nuggets with this FT line jumper, but has been hesitant. Maybe it's his hand that's bothering him but he's gotta take this

[JeremyG]

Paul seems a step slow both physically and mentally. I wonder if the virus affected him neurologically.