Game Day: Suns (21-32) @ Lakers (39-12), Mon 2/10/20

[Indy]

The bench hasn’t been scoring lately and with Ayton out and Cam kind of in a funk getting back and Oubre on fire it seems to make sense for Cam to play with the starters and Oubre to be the fireplug off the bench. I didn’t mind that even of he didn’t miss the bus.

The Suns starting center, backup center, starting power forward and backup power forward gone for the game against the Lakers and their bigs in LA. I was pretty proud of them Suns ton start. I figured the Lakers would punish us inside but, the Suns doubled anything that got near the paint and forced them for the most part to shoot jumpers. That seemed to work until Rondo entered the game and went on a tear single handedly giving them a big lead.

EJ was saying the Suns needed a special game from Booker and he has been off. Everybody has been speculating what the deal is with him. I think he really wanted to have a good year with his team winning and him going to the All Star game. He was on a total tear. Maybe he was making a push for an All Star position and when he was snubbed again he might be deflated. All the bigs on his team are hurt. Kobe just died and they are playing in LA. His mind may be elsewhere at this point. An All Star break where he gets some rest and gets to stew about being snubbed might be just the thing for him.

Yeah, Booker has been off lately, with the exception of the Rockets game that was overshadowed by Oubre. It could be one of or any combination of the following:
1. Might be deflated by All-Star snub.
2. Could be being in LA for the first time after his idol and friend Kobe passed away. Playing in the arena with Kobe's numbers in the rafters made it solemn.
3. Maybe it was knowing his friends were playing in their first game together that night, had his mind in another place.
4. Could be that missing all the bigs, put the entire game plan of the Lakers to stop Devin. They collapsed on him in the paint, just daring him to shoot it in their so they could swat it away, and with no gravity from Diallo, it didn't take any pressure off of Booker. The Lakers were essentially face guarding him the whole game and didn't even act like they would help off of him.
5. Could be that Devin, seeing how injured the team is, just is attempting to make sure that he goes into the break healthy to recharge and should usurer in a time where the team gets healthy after the break.
6. It could be the deflation of knowing that Deandre was out just prior and Oubre missing the bus just took the wind out of his sails.

I'm just hoping that he gets back to normal after the break and goes on a tear.

Or, in the most likely scenario, he and Oubre tore through West Hollywood 2 nights ago.

exactly. You don't miss the bus because your phone alarm didn't go off. You were too impaired to hear it.

[Nodack]

It’s still all speculation.

[Indy]

It’s still all speculation.

agreed, but if you were getting paid 200k per gig, you wouldn't sleep through your alarm.

[virtual9mm]

Sounds like Barkley and the Houston strip clubs dammit. At least there is a better excuse for Booker and Oubre. And they didn't cost the Suns a title most likely.