Playoffs Round 1, Game 5: New Orleans Pelicans @ Phoenix Suns (2-2), Tues 4/26/22

[Split T]

Seemed like Mikal got that matchup more tonight…Crowder got in foul trouble and kinda forced that…but Shamet held up pretty good on CJ in those minutes. I might start Shamet if Book doesn’t play and keep Mikal on BI and Shamet on CJ. Let Jae take Hayes

[Wally_West]

Looking forward to the ‘Bone game report.

[SunsRIt]

When was the last time we had a 26 page game day thread? This one was very active.

[Superbone]

I’m ready.

Sec. 114, Row 12, Seat 8?

Wow, pretty close! Sec. 114, Row 15, Seats 9 and 10.

[Superbone]

I’m ready.

Nice seats. Hope it’s a nice result for you as well!

I had a heck of a time! A little hoarse though.

[Superbone]

Prediction

Suns 109
Pels 99

Suns control tempo and muck it up a bit. Would love to see Aaron Holiday get mins. Cam and Mikael with breakout games...

Wow, not bad. 112-97. Suns lead from the tip. Holiday gets minutes. Big game from Mikal and Cam a difference maker. Big dunk and rebound after subbing in for the fouled out Payne. Nice!

[Superbone]

KEEP. THAT. SAME. ENERGY.

It was electric in the arena from start to finish!

[Superbone]

MIKAL

POG.

[Superbone]

Ok, big Payne 3 to finish the 3rd…now are 48-0 or whatever it is record is in play

It was 49-0, now 50-0.

[Superbone]

Crowd working on the jinx from last year, oof.

Yes, I did not like that! I was unable to stop them!

[Superbone]

Looking forward to the ‘Bone game report.

It was awesome! So incredible to be surrounded by a sea of nothing but Suns fans and Suns shirts. I seriously did not see one single Pelicans' fan in the arena. The energy in the building was palpable from start to finish. It was amazing. I think we chanted "Defense!" on every single defensive possession. I was so glad to see Monty add some wrinkles with the two bigs and giving Holiday some playing time. Bridges was amazing. Good to see the "others" hit some threes. Still not as consistent as we'd like but it's a start. I'm finally starting to get that good feeling about Suns basketball again after struggling with some doubt. And then to hear rumors at the back of this thread about a possible return of Book has me over the moon. I just hope he's not rushing himself back for possible further injury if true. But it would be storybook for him to come back and finish off the Pelicans in NO.

When was the last time we had a 26 page game day thread? This one was very active.

You guys brought your A game tonight with intense commentary from start to the end. Great job! I couldn't believe it was 26 pages when I saw it.

[Nodack]

Nice win! Glad to see the “others” finally show up. Saw them talking about the others on TNT. Is that the new catch phrase now? Freaking Bridges! They really needed someone to score without Booker and with Paul getting fatigued. The other others are starting to heat up slightly. The Pelicans have some great talent. They are only going to get better.

[ShelC]

[ShelC]

Great win, felt like we had more juice and were looking more like ourselves. Payne brought great energy and rim pressure even with all the foul trouble. He's stil such an x-factor for us and we're a lot better when he's got that bounce in his step. I wonder if the shimmy and yammering early on put the refs off to where they wanted to calm him down with fouls. Someone else mentioned - the refs didn't hit everyone with fouls last night, just loaded up on certain guys like Payne and Jae which is still BS. Even after Monty's comments and fine, the Pels still shot 15 more FTs than us.

Love seeing Jae find some rhythm, came up big in the 3rd with those shots and continued doing a bit more around the rim not to mention his defense. Also thought Landry was very solid most of the night handling some ballhandling duties and playing solid defense. They were working him on switches with BI which was hurting us tho. CamJ still looks a little off to me, doesn't seem like the same player before that quad injury but he's quietly been doing work on the boards which has been huge. CP looked better, don't think he's injured just needs to keep picking his spots. Wish he's recognize full court pressure earlier and either push it himself or just move the ball upcourt to someone else.

Heavy minutes on the starters so we'll see if that bites us in NOLA but I also felt like the Pels didn't have much bounce last night. Wondering (hoping) they're maybe hitting a wall after the play-in games and these first few games. CJ's been hounded defensively all series, BI looked flat last night and Jones was quiet too. Reggie was talking up their rooks but besides Alvarado, Jones and Murphy were nowhere to be seen.

[bajanguy008]

When I finished watching on replay, I was like let me peep the Game Day thread and make a couple comments.
Then I saw 25+ pages and I sheepishly grinned lol, really cool to see how active it was in here last night

[bajanguy008]

I'm still nervous about Book
Part of me would love to see him back as the stone cold assassin he is, just dropping buckets and talking ish while we eliminate them

Still ideally I wish he would come back for Round 2
Well to be continued

[Split T]

This was a heck of a play to save this ball to Javale by Mikal

[Indy]

[Indy]

it is rare for me to:

• Be home for a game
• Get to watch it live
• Not have to stop for family stuff
• Have my computer while I watch

I guess when that happens I run my mouth a lot and post every possession. I will try and control myself next time.

[Indy]

Listening to those Al highlights on his 89th birthday just makes me wish that I am able to just *think* as fast as Al can watch and absorb and describe what is happening in real time while watching such a quick sport.