Suns News: Week 16 (1/31 to 2/5)

[bajanguy008]

As we are always talking about how Book is viewed - All-star starter ?!? MVP Consideration ?!?

Wonder how the TNT panel would answer this

[bajanguy008]

[Split T]

As we are always talking about how Book is viewed - All-star starter ?!? MVP Consideration ?!?

Wonder how the TNT panel would answer this

Sometimes people try way too hard to have a unique opinion.
It’s stuff like this that causes Booker to be underrated. Lots of nba fans don’t watch the suns at all and if they see something like this they think someone like Bridges or Ayton is actually more valuable than Booker. Living in Utah, there are a lot of jazz fans here who think exactly that.

[Indy]

I think Harden is a better player than Book right now, but that probably changes very soon. I think the rule changes helped a Book a lot, but Harden made himself an MVP by figuring out how to use the rules in his favor. He might figure it out again.

Book needs to get his efficiency back up. That’s the one thing holding him back a bit. His drop in assists is pretty easily explainable by CP3 taking over most of the playmaking, but you’d think that’d free up Book to be more efficient. His problem is he doesn’t get to the rim or draw enough fouls. That’s what’s keeping him below guys like Butler, Luka, Harden, Ja, etc. He either needs to find more easy buckets/fouls or he needs to ramp his 3 point shooting up.

I know it has been talked about a little, but something we don't talk about enough is how good Book and Paul are at avoiding getting hit. Crowder and Payne hit the court 9 times a game. Yeah it costs some efficiency points from the FT line, but how much does it save their bodies? I will take 3-4 FTA/game from rip throughs than 6 FTA/game from getting hit going for a layup. I will take 3 ppg less from Book by avoiding collisions under the basket if it means more games played (especially in the playoffs). I don't think it is a coincidence that Book is taking less shots at the rim since Chris got here. He is so good at taking things from others and incorporating it into his game.

Paul this year is at 3%. Early in his career he got up to 34%. But he is shooting 49% from the field this season, and he shot only 43% when he was taking 30% at the rim.

<11% of Book's shots are coming at the rim. The season before Paul got here it was 23%. The issue with Book's efficiency is that he is taking more 3s than ever (except for the Earl Watson days).

[bajanguy008]

[Split T]

I think Harden is a better player than Book right now, but that probably changes very soon. I think the rule changes helped a Book a lot, but Harden made himself an MVP by figuring out how to use the rules in his favor. He might figure it out again.

Book needs to get his efficiency back up. That’s the one thing holding him back a bit. His drop in assists is pretty easily explainable by CP3 taking over most of the playmaking, but you’d think that’d free up Book to be more efficient. His problem is he doesn’t get to the rim or draw enough fouls. That’s what’s keeping him below guys like Butler, Luka, Harden, Ja, etc. He either needs to find more easy buckets/fouls or he needs to ramp his 3 point shooting up.

<11% of Book's shots are coming at the rim. The season before Paul got here it was 23%. The issue with Book's efficiency is that he is taking more 3s than ever (except for the Earl Watson days).

Taking more 3s should help his efficiency, especially since he is shooting significantly better than the last couple years. The issue is he went from 54% on 2s each of the last 3 years and he’s at 48% this year. He’s increased his frequency and percentage on long shots(beyond 16 feet) and decreased his frequency and percentage on all shots under 16 feet.

[Indy]

Book replaced rim shots with pull up 3s. Taking more pull-up 3s and less at the rim doesn't help your efficiency. There is a reason EVERY player in the top 5 eFG% this year is a Center and only Jokic is a guy that takes 3s.

[Flagrant Fowl]

As we are always talking about how Book is viewed - All-star starter ?!? MVP Consideration ?!?

Wonder how the TNT panel would answer this

(removed Tweet about ESPN nonsense)

Sometimes people try way too hard to have a unique opinion.
It’s stuff like this that causes Booker to be underrated. Lots of nba fans don’t watch the suns at all and if they see something like this they think someone like Bridges or Ayton is actually more valuable than Booker. Living in Utah, there are a lot of jazz fans here who think exactly that.

This is just what ESPN does. More often than not, they put a recognizable name or face on TV and tell them to disagree. Takes, not opinions.

I only talk NBA with a few people in Korea because the pond is much smaller over here. Most of the time it's just about their favorite team or player because they don't try to watch the whole league. I don't concern myself with the rubes (casuals, nephews) of the NBA Internet as much as previously. The barrier to entry into the conversation is an Internet connection, which obviously has nothing to do with paying attention to actual NBA games.

[Split T]

Book replaced rim shots with pull up 3s. Taking more pull-up 3s and less at the rim doesn't help your efficiency. There is a reason EVERY player in the top 5 eFG% this year is a Center and only Jokic is a guy that takes 3s.

Yes I agree with that, he replaced the wrong shots with 3s. You’d be hard pressed to find a star guard that takes a smaller percentage of their shots at the rim than Booker(besides Paul)

Though you’d have a tough time finding a guard that has a more diverse jump shot profile than Booker.

[Indy]

As we are always talking about how Book is viewed - All-star starter ?!? MVP Consideration ?!?

Wonder how the TNT panel would answer this

(removed Tweet about ESPN nonsense)

Sometimes people try way too hard to have a unique opinion.
It’s stuff like this that causes Booker to be underrated. Lots of nba fans don’t watch the suns at all and if they see something like this they think someone like Bridges or Ayton is actually more valuable than Booker. Living in Utah, there are a lot of jazz fans here who think exactly that.

This is just what ESPN does. More often than not, they put a recognizable name or face on TV and tell them to disagree. Takes, not opinions.

It is high school debate class, with middle school logic, and elementary school decorum.

[Indy]

Book replaced rim shots with pull up 3s. Taking more pull-up 3s and less at the rim doesn't help your efficiency. There is a reason EVERY player in the top 5 eFG% this year is a Center and only Jokic is a guy that takes 3s.

Yes I agree with that, he replaced the wrong shots with 3s.

You’d be hard pressed to find a star guard that takes a smaller percentage of their shots at the rim than Booker(besides Paul)

Though you’d have a tough time finding a guard that has a more diverse jump shot profile than Booker.

a) Maybe the 'wrong shots' for his efficiency, but maybe not the wrong shots for his longevity.

b) So besides the first ballot HOF guard he plays with.

And Derozan is having an amazing season, talked a lot about as top 10 MVP candidate, and is at 16%.
Curry is <13%
Mitchell is at 14%

[Split T]

Derozan is the one guy who probably takes more midrange shots than Paul and Book and he makes up for his lack of rim and 3pt attempts by getting to the line a ton. Curry and Mitchell both take way more 3s than Book. They’re also much smaller, Book should be getting more rim shots. I’m not saying he needs to take 30% there, but he’s basically been between 17-22% every other year of his career. I’d like him back in that range.

[Indy]

Even though 12% of his shots in our last 10 games have come at the rim, 32% are coming in the paint. And he is shooting 51% on those. I think I would rather that than having most of those come at the rim even at 65% FG if it means he hits the ground a few more times a game.

[Split T]

Even though 12% of his shots in our last 10 games have come at the rim, 32% are coming in the paint. And he is shooting 51% on those. I think I would rather that than having most of those come at the rim even at 65% FG if it means he hits the ground a few more times a game.

51% on paint shots total? Or 51% on non rim paint shots?

[Indy]

total. 59% on rim shots (which is not where you want it to be)

[Split T]

Also I updated my current list:

Tier 1A

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2. Nikola Jokic
3. Kevin Durant
4. Joel Embiid
5. LeBron James

Tier 1B

6. Steph Curry
7. Jimmy Butler
8. Luka Doncic
9. Ja Morant
10. Kawhi Leonard(Out)

Tier 2

11. Chris Paul
12. Trae Young
13. James Harden
14. Anthony Davis
15. Paul George
16. Devin Booker
17. Karl-Anthony Towns

[Indy]

It is crazy that Lebron James has been this good for this long. I mean, Kareem only had one season after he turned 30 that he got to 25ppg, and he never missed games during that time. He still played a ton of minutes, but just didn't have those same kind of dominating stats.

[Indy]

I think I agree with most of your list. The one that sticks out the most to me is Jimmy Butler. Maybe I just don't watch him enough, but I just don't see him as a top 10 player in the league. He feels like more attitude over production. But again, I don't watch a ton of him.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I'd probably swap Jimmy Butler and Chris Paul's tier. They're very similar, but Butler has been missing a lot of games while Paul has become more durable as he gets older.

[bajanguy008]

This has clearly been a game plan thing
Book hot starts = CP3 coasting then stabilizing things to start the 2nd quarter