2023 Playoffs: Suns-Nuggets Round 2 News Thread

[ShelC]

Game Schedule (to be updated)
Game 1: Suns @ Nuggets, Saturday April 29th @ 5:30pm PST/8:30pm EST on TNT

Game 2: Suns @ Nuggets, Monday May 1st @ 7pm PST/10pm EST on TNT

Game 3: Nuggets @ Suns, Friday May 5th @ 7pm PST/10pm EST on ESPN

Game 4: Nuggets @ Suns, Sunday May 7th @ 5pm PST/8pm EST on TNT

*Game 5: Suns @ Nuggets, Tuesday May 9th, Time TBA, TV Channel TBA

*Game 6: Nuggets @ Suns, Thursday May 11th Time TBA, TV Channel TBA

*Game 7: Suns @ Nuggets, Sunday May 14th Time TBA, TV Channel TBA

Suns Stories
Devin Booker’s redemption tour crosses off 1st stop, Suns advance
https://arizonasports.com/story/3521597 ... s-advance/

Clippers can give Suns perspective of NBA’s fleeting success
https://arizonasports.com/story/3521618 ... g-success/

[ShelC]

Thanks Chuck

[Flagrant Fowl]

I mean, he picked the Clippers like 10 days ago...

My early take is that Jamal Murray will be the difference maker for the Nuggets if they go on to win the series. I think this is going to be a long series and it's going to get pretty chippy, much more so than the Clippers series. Aaron Gordon has always been a talker against the Suns and I'm sure a lot of those guys want to get revenge for the Suns in 4 stuff.

[Mori Chu]

I actually think we match up pretty well against the Nuggets. Ayton certainly can't stop Jokic, but he's one of the best bigs in the league at defending him and slowing him down. KD can mostly keep up with Aaron Gordon. And we can throw Okogie or Craig at Murray. I'm not super worried about Porter, but again we can use Craig to slow him down. On the flipside I don't think they really have a KD stopper nor a Booker stopper. The Nugs'll be formidable opponents, but I feel good about the matchup overall.

[Split T]

Ayton defended Jokic great in 2021, but he’s been torched by him in the regular season since then. 2021 Ayton better show up.

I really hope we start Okogie. I don’t want Craig on Murray. That feels like a recipe for Murray to go off. Craig doesn’t get around screens well and I think he’d die on a lot of those Jokic/Murray DHO’s. If we start Craig I think we have to put Book on Murray and I don’t love that.

Gotta imagine KCP takes Book and AG on KD. That’s solid, but think we’ll see CP3/Ayton pnr will make Murray/Jokic work. I like that

[ShelC]

Yea I don't want to jinx anything but I think the playoffs are about matchups and I think we just match up better with the Nugs. The Clips' wing depth and 3pt shooting was always going to give us problems. DA's done well with Jokic, we can rotate guys onto Murray, and MPJ can score but not defend. If KCP and Gordon beat us, so be it. But I think we can hide CP on KCP, maybe start Okogie and throw him on Murray or just stick Book on Murray and let KD and Craig split between MPJ and AG.

Reggie Jackson and Thomas Bryant could be good depth pieces for them but they haven't been playing.

[carey]

Three days off between games 2 & 3 is sweet. May 1st to May 5th.

[Mori Chu]

My half-baked theory about the current Suns team is that two types of teams have given us fits:

1) Teams with infinite wings, tons of guys who can drain 3s, who go 5-out on offense and just bomb 3s at us the whole game. Often led by some dynamic initiator who draws defensive gravity and gets guys open. Classic example of this type of team is the Mavs, who always just massacre us despite being a mediocre general team. This year's Celtics may also be an example of this type, though they don't have the initiator.

2) Teams that are huge and strong, with a combination of muscle and athleticism. These kinds of teams crash the basket, draw a bunch of fouls on us, outmuscle us for rebounds, and just generally overpower us. Classic example of this type of team is the 2022 Pelicans. Another current example is maybe the Lakers, though they are a bit slower and older. The Bucks are also sort of in this category.

Both of the above are pre-KD, so maybe having KD changes the dynamic somewhat. But I still think those are the types of teams that we struggle against. When I look at the possible matchups ahead of us, I think the toughest matchup for us would come from either of the Eastern teams likely to make the Finals, the Celtics or Bucks. But if we make it to the Finals, I'll be very happy and I'll take whoever is waiting for us.

[Split T]

Clips were kind of a combination of both those. More accurately is that Lue probably picked up on the suns weaknesses and attacked them. They hurt us on the glass and used a bunch of wings to switch and play physical defense on the perimeter. Just didn’t have enough talent.

[ShelC]

My half-baked theory about the current Suns team is that two types of teams have given us fits:

1) Teams with infinite wings, tons of guys who can drain 3s, who go 5-out on offense and just bomb 3s at us the whole game. Often led by some dynamic initiator who draws defensive gravity and gets guys open. Classic example of this type of team is the Mavs, who always just massacre us despite being a mediocre general team. This year's Celtics may also be an example of this type, though they don't have the initiator.

2) Teams that are huge and strong, with a combination of muscle and athleticism. These kinds of teams crash the basket, draw a bunch of fouls on us, outmuscle us for rebounds, and just generally overpower us. Classic example of this type of team is the 2022 Pelicans. Another current example is maybe the Lakers, though they are a bit slower and older. The Bucks are also sort of in this category.

Both of the above are pre-KD, so maybe having KD changes the dynamic somewhat. But I still think those are the types of teams that we struggle against. When I look at the possible matchups ahead of us, I think the toughest matchup for us would come from either of the Eastern teams likely to make the Finals, the Celtics or Bucks. But if we make it to the Finals, I'll be very happy and I'll take whoever is waiting for us.

I'm starting to worry about the Knicks. They fit into the second category and if they're starting to peak, they can come out of the East.

[carey]

I’ll believe that when I see it.

[Superbone]

I think Lue and the Clips helped prepare us for round 2. I don't think Denver's defense is going to be as good. And Barkley's take is laughable to me. He equates Gordon to Durant. As if that matchup and the Book/Murray are even and then Jokic/Ayton puts them over the top. We have a big advantage in the Durant/Gordon matchup.

[Superbone]

My half-baked theory about the current Suns team is that two types of teams have given us fits:

1) Teams with infinite wings, tons of guys who can drain 3s, who go 5-out on offense and just bomb 3s at us the whole game. Often led by some dynamic initiator who draws defensive gravity and gets guys open. Classic example of this type of team is the Mavs, who always just massacre us despite being a mediocre general team. This year's Celtics may also be an example of this type, though they don't have the initiator.

2) Teams that are huge and strong, with a combination of muscle and athleticism. These kinds of teams crash the basket, draw a bunch of fouls on us, outmuscle us for rebounds, and just generally overpower us. Classic example of this type of team is the 2022 Pelicans. Another current example is maybe the Lakers, though they are a bit slower and older. The Bucks are also sort of in this category.

Both of the above are pre-KD, so maybe having KD changes the dynamic somewhat. But I still think those are the types of teams that we struggle against. When I look at the possible matchups ahead of us, I think the toughest matchup for us would come from either of the Eastern teams likely to make the Finals, the Celtics or Bucks. But if we make it to the Finals, I'll be very happy and I'll take whoever is waiting for us.

I'm starting to worry about the Knicks. They fit into the second category and if they're starting to peak, they can come out of the East.

Hey, if we can make it to the Finals, I'll take whomever we get.

[Mori Chu]

I'm not afraid of the Knicks. If we get to the Finals and the Knicks are there waiting for us, we are 100% winning the title. We would have the best 2 players in the series, maybe even best 3.

[Flagrant Fowl]

IDK how you can say that after watching Brunson torch the Suns last year. He can be the best player on the court in any given game.

The Knicks are certainly a sleeper. They defend really well and have two reliable shot creators.

[Superbone]

IDK how you can say that after watching Brunson torch the Suns last year. He can be the best player on the court in any given game.

The Knicks are certainly a sleeper. They defend really well and have two reliable shot creators.

KD.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Preseason was a split, before KD Nuggets barely won 1 and blow out in the second with Ayton, Booker and Paul out...after KD they lost both. Chuck voted for the Nuggets, good sign. Hmmmm....

[Aztec Sunsfan]

IDK how you can say that after watching Brunson torch the Suns last year. He can be the best player on the court in any given game.

The Knicks are certainly a sleeper. They defend really well and have two reliable shot creators.

Two shot creators versus two elite scorers, yeah, I take the Suns for this one. Too bad NYK would be the most outlier finalist.

[Flagrant Fowl]

IDK how you can say that after watching Brunson torch the Suns last year. He can be the best player on the court in any given game.

The Knicks are certainly a sleeper. They defend really well and have two reliable shot creators.

Two shot creators versus two elite scorers, yeah, I take the Suns for this one. Too bad NYK would be the most outlier finalist.

Not saying I wouldn't pick the Suns, just that the Knicks shouldn't be underestimated.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

IDK how you can say that after watching Brunson torch the Suns last year. He can be the best player on the court in any given game.

The Knicks are certainly a sleeper. They defend really well and have two reliable shot creators.

Two shot creators versus two elite scorers, yeah, I take the Suns for this one. Too bad NYK would be the most outlier finalist.

Not saying I wouldn't pick the Suns, just that the Knicks shouldn't be underestimated.

I think we are estimating them correctly. They are not getting out of the East.