Game Day: Suns (48-19) @ Lakers (37-30), Sun 5/9/21

[Superbone]

Ayton getting out scored 29-2 and it doesn’t even bother him. Still playing at the same passive speed he started out at. Dude just doesn’t like competition

And what Sun has come out ready to play tonight besides Cam Payne?

<crickets>

I knew we were in trouble when Paul turned the ball over the first two or three possessions of the game.

[Superbone]

Why does Caruso get such a friendly whistle?

Because he’s a Laker. He was like a superstar out there tonight. He got a foul call on every drive.

[Superbone]

Cam Payne just said fuck it I’m going to try and get it all back myself. Good for him! Show some fire

And then they took him out.

[Split T]

I am seeing some people on Twitter saying that we threw this game. That we would never single cover AD so long after it was obvious he was torching us. That we didn't really run our offense. That Monty didn't want to show LA what we can really do.

Do you buy it? I find it highly doubtful and think we just plain got beat, by a depleted Lakers team no less. Our bigs had a horrible night, and the only reason it was close was due to a furious comeback run led by Payne.

It didn’t look like our typical offense, but I’m not sure if that was just LA taking away what we wanted to do. We weren’t creating good looks from 3. The offense got going late because Payne just started beating people off the dribble.

The Lakers stay home on shooters well, they limit dribble penetration, and they have huge bodies in the way when you do get inside. We needed to do a better job of spreading them out. Lakers weren’t worried about Craig, Kaminsky, Saric. They trapped CP3 and Book in the PNR and our secondary guys couldn’t penetrate effectively. They will be very tough.

[Superbone]

I am seeing some people on Twitter saying that we threw this game. That we would never single cover AD so long after it was obvious he was torching us. That we didn't really run our offense. That Monty didn't want to show LA what we can really do.

Do you buy it? I find it highly doubtful and think we just plain got beat, by a depleted Lakers team no less. Our bigs had a horrible night, and the only reason it was close was due to a furious comeback run led by Payne.

I do not.

[Split T]

This just needs to be a quick pass to Crowder in the corner. You don’t want to let the opposing team completely take your guys out of the game, but you have to make them pay for doubling.

[Superbone]

This just needs to be a quick pass to Crowder in the corner. You don’t want to let the opposing team completely take your guys out of the game, but you have to make them pay for doubling.

I remember that. It’s like he didn’t even see him. Booker has a lot of room for improvement for how to handle double teams.

[Shabazz]

This just needs to be a quick pass to Crowder in the corner. You don’t want to let the opposing team completely take your guys out of the game, but you have to make them pay for doubling.

I remember that. It’s like he didn’t even see him. Booker has a lot of room for improvement for how to handle double teams.

A few too many jump passes with no plan tonight.

[JustWinBaby]

Ok

If we do play the Lakers we are not going to win a grind out game against these guys. We cannot continually foul them and put them to the line. I doubt that they can keep up with us for four quarters so let them score. Yeah that's right let them score and run it back at them 7 seconds or less style. I am sure that is what Brooklyn will do against them if they play them. You have to wear them down with our speed. Contend their shots but just do not foul them. We cannot give them 41 foul shots and have a chance for victory. This is what makes their defense so good.

We cannot and will not beat them in a slow down foul shooting contest. It just is not going to happen.

Oh, it would be nice if we could choose the refs.

[ShelC]

[ShelC]

I watched most of the 1st half but could tell we just didn't have it and couldn't stop AD. Suns Twitter seems pretty confident we can beat the Lakers, that Monty is holding back his playbook, etc but I'm not so sure. We have no answer for AD, can't keep Drum off the boards and they were playing without some guy named LeBron. So call me someone with a loser mentality, but I'll take that loser mentality to the 2nd or 3rd round rather than tell myself we can beat the Lakers in a 7 game series and lose 4-1 in the first round.

[ShelC]

Ayton going to shoot this half or is going to wait and take one the second half?

He was pretty much invisible for most of the game.

DA also stands for Disappearing Act.

[jonh]

I hope someone sits Ayton down before the playoffs and tells him that he stands to lose tens of millions of dollars if he repeats this kind of performance in the playoffs.

[Split T]

I’ll just be rooting for the Lakers to win out now. If they do that, which is possible if they win the Knicks game on Tuesday(Hou/Ind/NO the other 3) and the blazers lose 2(they close Uta/Phx/den) LA will move back to 6

[Indy]

Caruso with the successful box out on a lob pass. Should be a foul, but can't call that on Alex Caruso.

Meh..maybe, but there was minor contact...Ayton can’t let a 6’4 guard get his hand on that ball

Softest 7 footer in the league

He's only 6-11.

[Indy]

Ayton going to shoot this half or is going to wait and take one the second half?

He was pretty much invisible for most of the game.

DA also stands for Disappearing Act.

That play where Caruso boxed him out of the lob attempt, jfc. Then that play in the 4th when we had a pretty decent comeback--Ayton had a great tip on a pass and quickly got the ball to Paul, but then just stood there and walked back up the court. It wasn't like it was a fast break and it was a clear dunk. He never got back in the frame of the camera on that play. Just so fucking lazy. I forget who said this, but in the games where he is like this, he literally picks the slowest guy/last guy back to stay next to so he doesn't have to run.

[Split T]

Ayton going to shoot this half or is going to wait and take one the second half?

He was pretty much invisible for most of the game.

DA also stands for Disappearing Act.

That play where Caruso boxed him out of the lob attempt, jfc. Then that play in the 4th when we had a pretty decent comeback--Ayton had a great tip on a pass and quickly got the ball to Paul, but then just stood there and walked back up the court. It wasn't like it was a fast break and it was a clear dunk. He never got back in the frame of the camera on that play. Just so fucking lazy. I forget who said this, but in the games where he is like this, he literally picks the slowest guy/last guy back to stay next to so he doesn't have to run.

It drives me crazy...like AD is 5 feet in front of him and he’ll be like, nah, let me just pick up Wesley Matthews here in transition. Just get back, if AD beats you down, ok, but then at least you might be in position to help when AD is posting up Cam Payne, instead he’s 30 feet away watching the play.

[Superbone]

I hope someone sits Ayton down before the playoffs and tells him that he stands to lose tens of millions of dollars if he repeats this kind of performance in the playoffs.

Good idea. Hit him where it hurts. That second contract he's so worried about.

[specialsauce]

Ayton going to shoot this half or is going to wait and take one the second half?

He was pretty much invisible for most of the game.

DA also stands for Disappearing Act.

That play where Caruso boxed him out of the lob attempt, jfc. Then that play in the 4th when we had a pretty decent comeback--Ayton had a great tip on a pass and quickly got the ball to Paul, but then just stood there and walked back up the court. It wasn't like it was a fast break and it was a clear dunk. He never got back in the frame of the camera on that play. Just so fucking lazy. I forget who said this, but in the games where he is like this, he literally picks the slowest guy/last guy back to stay next to so he doesn't have to run.

It drives me crazy...like AD is 5 feet in front of him and he’ll be like, nah, let me just pick up Wesley Matthews here in transition. Just get back, if AD beats you down, ok, but then at least you might be in position to help when AD is posting up Cam Payne, instead he’s 30 feet away watching the play.

No excuse for that. Unbelievable.
Nobody played well last night other than Payne and Bridges in spurts , but at least I can just say that Book, Paul and co just flat out sucked. DA was the same old passive lazy shit, just simply didn’t care enough to show up.

[Indy]

I can understand having games where you are trying but miss a lot of shots or just a bit slow/behind the plays. That happens. That is what Paul and Book looked like. It is the IDGAF attitude that pisses me off. I think many of our players have shown that at least a couple times this year, but man DA did that for a lot of the first half of the season. It almost went completely away for a while... now is not the time for it to come back.

And Jones didn't do anything to secure another big body for the playoffs. I love that we paid for Craig and it didn't cost us any players or a bad contract, but he isn't a big.