NBA Playoffs WCSF, Game 7: Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns (3-3), Sunday 15/05/22

[Superbone]

He’s gone

Yep.

Monty should be happy he wanted to stay in and compete.

And there was no reason to pull DA first, when he was one of the only ones still competing in the minutes before he benched him.

The only reasonable explanation is that Sarver, Jones, and Monty (and possibly Paul, who shouldn't be running the org at 38 years old next season), had already decided to sign-and-trade him.

Dude, seriously? You thought Ayton was competing?

[Flagrant Fowl]

I just gave him a 'heart' and moved on. I've given up.

[Superbone]

All you guys that said CP3s minutes weren’t a problem are eating a ton of shit.

Rather CP3 is worn out. Or he fucking sucks when we need him the most. Not only is he ineffective playing. His leadership was trash. His entire team has forgotten their offensive system. Pure panic. And he’s not setting them up or settling them down.

Get this team fresh blood. CP3 gotta go or not be relied on so much. He can’t last a postseason and I don’t give two shits about regular season success.

Just pathetic showing. A failed season. Waste of time. Anyone that is okay with regular season success and makes an appreciation thread is part of this organizational problem of being bad for so long that participation trophies are okay. Meanwhile GS, LA, and other organizations just rack up championships every few years.

Dude, not the time. Don’t take it out on the fans.

Classic. It’s not a problem it’s not a problem it’s not a problem!

……it’s a problem……


Dude! Not now! Wait till next year when we repeat that it’s not a problem!

What in the hell are you talking about? The fans are the ones at fault and causing problems?

[Superbone]

Book had the wrong strategy coming into this game, that’s for sure.

[Superbone]

I really want more on this Monte/Ayton confrontation. Ayton only played 17 minutes in the game. Booker, Bridges and Paul all played over 30.

He was a walking foul with no production. How could he think he should play more?

Nobody did anything in the first half! Nobody. They had 27 points at halftime. Why single out Ayton?

I’m not. Just saying he has no room to complain.

[specialsauce]

I really want more on this Monte/Ayton confrontation. Ayton only played 17 minutes in the game. Booker, Bridges and Paul all played over 30.

He was a walking foul with no production. How could he think he should play more?

Nobody did anything in the first half! Nobody. They had 27 points at halftime. Why single out Ayton?

I’m not. Just saying he has no room to complain.

I rewatched the first few minutes of the second half and DA didn’t bother to run back on offense, then didn’t bother to close out on Brunson when he hit a wide open 3. Stood under the basket and just watched him. Was his rotation. That’s why he got yanked. He quit.

[bajanguy008]

Yea this is a tough one
I had to leave home for work with couple minutes left in the half when the writing was already on the wall tbh. Still didn't expect to see that we didn't score 30pts

This is like the worst scenario
I wanted our "potential young core" to show up because even in a loss despite the bitter pill there would have been something to take away. Going into the off season with any discussion about the young core balled out but CP3 wasn't the same and they came up short would have been fine by me

I obviously don't have reason to watch the 2nd half and haven't even looked at the box score but safe to say everyone probably stink up the joint. Which leads us with so many question marks going forward and that's not a comforting feeling at all

Like I said earlier, I have been in so many arguments/discussions about Book skillset and status in the league....
Just would never expect him to be so disastrous
Suns fans basically talked up yung fella to anybody who would listen that's he our MVP and deserve league wide recognition.

Were these two last games after he was announced 4th in voting or was it before Game 5 because if it's just these last two games after that came out......
Would be hard pressed to find a worst way for him to "validate" those votes

[specialsauce]

All you guys that said CP3s minutes weren’t a problem are eating a ton of shit.

Rather CP3 is worn out. Or he fucking sucks when we need him the most. Not only is he ineffective playing. His leadership was trash. His entire team has forgotten their offensive system. Pure panic. And he’s not setting them up or settling them down.

Get this team fresh blood. CP3 gotta go or not be relied on so much. He can’t last a postseason and I don’t give two shits about regular season success.

Just pathetic showing. A failed season. Waste of time. Anyone that is okay with regular season success and makes an appreciation thread is part of this organizational problem of being bad for so long that participation trophies are okay. Meanwhile GS, LA, and other organizations just rack up championships every few years.

Dude, not the time. Don’t take it out on the fans.

Classic. It’s not a problem it’s not a problem it’s not a problem!

……it’s a problem……


Dude! Not now! Wait till next year when we repeat that it’s not a problem!

What in the hell are you talking about? The fans are the ones at fault and causing problems?

No. But it’s time to admit that maybe chasing the regular season record instead of resting your old fragile ass PG was the wrong move. All for nothing. Wasn’t a memorable season. Won’t ever be. Will be completely forgotten if not live in infamy for the epic collapse.

Was yelling for the last 20 games of the year that playing Paul 35-40 minutes in meaningless games just to get a regular season W was a horribly rookie move.

[Superbone]

All you guys that said CP3s minutes weren’t a problem are eating a ton of shit.

Rather CP3 is worn out. Or he fucking sucks when we need him the most. Not only is he ineffective playing. His leadership was trash. His entire team has forgotten their offensive system. Pure panic. And he’s not setting them up or settling them down.

Get this team fresh blood. CP3 gotta go or not be relied on so much. He can’t last a postseason and I don’t give two shits about regular season success.

Just pathetic showing. A failed season. Waste of time. Anyone that is okay with regular season success and makes an appreciation thread is part of this organizational problem of being bad for so long that participation trophies are okay. Meanwhile GS, LA, and other organizations just rack up championships every few years.

Dude, not the time. Don’t take it out on the fans.

Classic. It’s not a problem it’s not a problem it’s not a problem!

……it’s a problem……


Dude! Not now! Wait till next year when we repeat that it’s not a problem!

What in the hell are you talking about? The fans are the ones at fault and causing problems?

No. But it’s time to admit that maybe chasing the regular season record instead of resting your old fragile ass PG was the wrong move. All for nothing. Wasn’t a memorable season. Won’t ever be. Will be completely forgotten if not live in infamy for the epic collapse.

Was yelling for the last 20 games of the year that playing Paul 35-40 minutes in meaningless games just to get a regular season W was a horribly rookie move.

Agreed. I don’t think anybody here would argue with you about this.

[specialsauce]

Dude, not the time. Don’t take it out on the fans.

Classic. It’s not a problem it’s not a problem it’s not a problem!

……it’s a problem……


Dude! Not now! Wait till next year when we repeat that it’s not a problem!

What in the hell are you talking about? The fans are the ones at fault and causing problems?

No. But it’s time to admit that maybe chasing the regular season record instead of resting your old fragile ass PG was the wrong move. All for nothing. Wasn’t a memorable season. Won’t ever be. Will be completely forgotten if not live in infamy for the epic collapse.

Was yelling for the last 20 games of the year that playing Paul 35-40 minutes in meaningless games just to get a regular season W was a horribly rookie move.

Agreed. I don’t think anybody here would argue with you about this.

Fucking short-sighted lot of idiots on the coaching staff and management. Chasing victories that will all be forgotten instead of focusing on what actually matters

[Superbone]

Classic. It’s not a problem it’s not a problem it’s not a problem!

……it’s a problem……


Dude! Not now! Wait till next year when we repeat that it’s not a problem!

What in the hell are you talking about? The fans are the ones at fault and causing problems?

No. But it’s time to admit that maybe chasing the regular season record instead of resting your old fragile ass PG was the wrong move. All for nothing. Wasn’t a memorable season. Won’t ever be. Will be completely forgotten if not live in infamy for the epic collapse.

Was yelling for the last 20 games of the year that playing Paul 35-40 minutes in meaningless games just to get a regular season W was a horribly rookie move.

Agreed. I don’t think anybody here would argue with you about this.

Fucking short-sighted lot of idiots on the coaching staff and management. Chasing victories that will all be forgotten instead of focusing on what actually matters

Showed our lack of championship experience. Teams like the Warriors know you don’t win anything in the regular season and they save it for the postseason.

[Wally_West]

[Shabazz]

The silver lining is that Robert Sarver deserves this.

This is the only solace I’m taking from all this. Hopefully we cleanse our franchise of his toxic ownership this summer.

[Wally_West]

[Flagrant Fowl]

We also need to talk about coaching. Kidd had his team prepared the right way and Monty didn’t as much as it pains me to say.

The clip TNT ran of him coaching the defense from the sideline in the first half said it all.

I was too pissed to watch it. What did he say?

[ShelC]

[ShelC]

Great season, shit ending. I think you have to seriously question a lot of things when a 64 win team comes out and loses a Game 7 like we just did. Literally the biggest game of the year and the team didn't show up. Maybe it was nerves, maybe mental/physical burnout, maybe it was something larger hanging over the team (Sarver related?) but I don't think anyone could've predicted that kind of blowout and meltdown. Just not characteristic of the team we've watched the past 2 seasons. I wasn't even confident in us necessarily winning but no one could've predicted that. We totally folded.

Monty could've made better (any?) adjustments? I don't know how you don't mix up coverage on Luka. DA shouldn't have been left on an island on the perimeter as much as he was. How many times does Luka need to hit a step back 3 before you make a change. We've got our best defenders, Mikal and Jae, switching off to stand next to guys like Bullock and DFS. Just not acceptable. And if CP was really that hurt, Monty should've sat him down. Even with last year's shoulder injury, at least he could move on the court and act as a threat. The last 4 games we were playing 4 on 5 - he really hurt us. But with Monty, "I'd rather have 50% CP than no CP". I don't want Monty fired and I think coaches can get better just like players but this is a tough one. Not having the team ready to start Game 7 falls on Monty.

It's on CP to acknowledge he's hurt too and do what's best for the team, even if that means sitting. And next year, if there is a next year with him, we have to limit his minutes and games in the regular season, even if it means a lower seed. No more records, no more ego, no more proving anything.

Book - still a star but not a generational talent. Not a lot of players are generational, but Luka is. That's the difference.

DA - Saw another tweet about the interaction with Monty where Monty asked him if he wanted to play and DA said "nope". That seemed to signal the end of his night. I can understand him being frustrated feeling like he wasn't getting touches and being featured in such an important game but you can't have a guy like DA quitting on the team like that (if that was the case). We never seemed to take advantage of him in the post or in PnR but, as has been the case in the past, DA wasn't aggressive or making his presence felt in the post. Tough to say how this plays out.

Throughout the series, the Mavs roleplayers stepped up while ours didn't. Dinwiddie was their Cam Payne, Kleber was their Saric, DFS/Bullock/Bertans were their Mikal/Crowder/CamJ. We had no x-factors in this series.

The way we ended the season and the way we struggled against the Pels' defense, length and athleticism made me skeptical of our run this year. I don't recall any playoff game last year where we looked as bad as we did in some games this postseason. Even as hard fought as the Clips series was, we always played with confidence and toughness. Just wasn't the case this year.

[ShelC]

Jae Crowder shot 31% from 3 in the playoffs. He doesn’t rebound. He doesn’t score in the paint.

You have got to get more production out of your starting 4. They should have made some moves at the trade deadline and we all knew it would bite them in the playoffs. Don’t be a bunch of idiots and make the same mistake in the off-season.

Forget about loyalty. We need production. Go get a legit starting 4.

He also shot 43% from 3 against the Mavs and was one of the few guys who showed up to play each game. I don't disagree we need to upgrade at the 4 but Jae's been doing exactly what we signed him to do. I'd still much rather have him than not.

I think a bigger question is what to do with Cam Johnson, who was likely viewed as the future PF but doesn't give us the size, length, rebounding or interior defense we need at the position. What's his role going forward? (no pun intended)

[Split T]

Johnson was looking like our 3rd best player for a moment there, before he got hurt. His finish to the season and playoff performance probably didn’t help his contract situation, but I’d still extend him this summer. Hopefully you can get him for more like 4/70 instead of 4/90. Still need to find a 3rd creator/2nd creator to take over for CP3 soon. I don’t see Cam or Bridges ever really taking on that role.

Ideally you have 3 starters that can create with the ball. Or at least have one off the bench.

1. CP3
2. Booker
3.
4. Bridges
5. Cam J

Ayton wasn’t that 3rd guy. Bridges has shown the most flashes of being it, but needs to be able to get to the rim. He can create a midrange shot, but teams will live with that, it’s not putting any pressure on the D to help.

Cam gets to the rim better than Mikal, but he only flashes it occasionally. Really hope Ayton can bring back that guy in a trade.

[ShelC]

The injurey from the Knicks game derailed Cam's season. He just didn't look like the same player when he got back. 70 over 4 seemed more than reasonable before the playoffs, today feels more like 55-60 over 4 but it's kind of splitting hairs.

Johnson and Mikal are two great young wings who can defend and shoot but can't be relied on to generate offense for themselves or others. Both have improved their offense, but I'd rather them be great at what they do rather than being forced or expected to do things they're not good at. They're perfect running mates for Book and we should keep that trio together.