NBA Playoffs WCSF, Game 7: Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns (3-3), Sunday 15/05/22

[Split T]

I like them in their role. They need to be 4th/5th men though. And I’d like to see them let it fly more. Especially Cam. I know we try to get the best look possible, but sometimes a slightly contested 3 is better than an open midrange shot.

[The Bobster]

Can't wait for the 2022-23 "Revenge Tour."

[Uncle_Gene]

I'm still in disbelief. Mavericks played great defense while making the Suns play half court. Monte Williams made no adjustments. Period.

[Split T]

Offensively it was tough to adjust with the version of CP3 we got. I think Dallas figured out Paul wasn’t much of a threat and just started trapping Book. Book has never been great when he gets trapped and we didn’t have an outlet for him. If I recall correctly they started that in game 5, but they over helped on outlets like Crowder and Bridges and that got the ball moving. They stopped helping and Bridges/Crowder just aren’t good enough to score consistently.

Defensively I have no idea why we didn’t try more things. Not sure it would’ve mattered, but why didn’t we trap Luka? The let Luka get his and contain everyone else worked for 3 games, but you’ve got to shut everyone else down. Dinwiddie showing up for game 6 and 7 was killer. I just think Luka was too comfortable the whole series.

Ultimately way too many things went wrong in our 4 losses. Hard to say that any 1 adjustment would’ve mattered. We got trounced in all of them.

[Split T]

I mean he’s not wrong, but why are all the Wolves players coming for us? Pat Bev I get, but Edwards? Why is anyone even asking them?

[ShelC]

It's open season on the Suns today. I'd avoid social media and ESPN until tomorrow if you value your mental health.

[Split T]

[LVSunsFAN]

The way we ended the season and the way we struggled against the Pels' defense, length and athleticism made me skeptical of our run this year. I don't recall any playoff game last year where we looked as bad as we did in some games this postseason. Even as hard fought as the Clips series was, we always played with confidence and toughness. Just wasn't the case this year.

By the end of game 4 I had my doubts that, even if we won this series, we wouldn't stand a chance against the Warriors in the next round...

[Split T]

Warriors have their problems too, but we’d have been swept by Boston

[AmareIsGod]

I emotionally checked out on the team after Game 6. Game 7, I had recorded and took my daughter swimming with my wife. My friend text me while I was there around halftime and said "this is pathetic". When I got home, I fast forwarded to live. We were down by 40 at that point. I laughed and told my wife "well, it's over". She kept asking what happened and what went wrong. We looked so great. I told her our guards were just exhausted and didn't have any juice left, especially Chris Paul.

Game 6 hurt. Game 7 was just more of the same so I knew what that shock felt like already. There's always 2039.

[LazarusLong]

Have not seen a Suns' coach get outcoached in the playoffs to this extent since Cotton Fitzsimmons torched John MacLeod in 1981.

A few other observations:
Paul was hurting again, and the Mavs knew it.
Booker was punked by Doncic
Bridges, who is a nice player, shrank during big moments
Cam Johnson's 38-point game seems decades ago
Enough people have piled on Ayton, so there's that ...
Crowder was the only Sun playing to potential vs. Mavs
As others have said, Suns need a third weapon/offensive option
Management's lackluster moves at trade deadline bit the team in the @$$

Most telling, this morning in a radio interview, Al McCoy, the most loyal Sun ever, admitted the loss was not a surprise, only the margin of defeat. He saluted Jason Kidd's adjustments, and noted the Monty's lack of adjustments.

[ShelC]

Regarding CP's injury, I wonder how much it affected the rest of the team's confidence and morale - maybe knowing about the injury and seeing him in practice, they knew he was done and it just mentally took them out of it?

[LazarusLong]

Regarding CP's injury, I wonder how much it affected the rest of the team's confidence and morale - maybe knowing about the injury and seeing him in practice, they knew he was done and it just mentally took them out of it?

good observation

[Nodack]

This is the time of year this place turns into the blame game and trade everyone place. So we want Paul, Ayton, Crowder, Payne, Shamet, Craig and Monty for sure gone and once we do that we will have our Championship team? So now let’s spend all summer talking about all the trades that need to happen and all those Championship pieces we are going to attract by getting rid of those guys. The Sarver scandal will certainly attract a few candidates as well.

Everyone will need to take a chill pill for a little while and process the loss. It’s still just a game that someone else is playing.

[Nodack]

Regarding CP's injury, I wonder how much it affected the rest of the team's confidence and morale - maybe knowing about the injury and seeing him in practice, they knew he was done and it just mentally took them out of it?

Most plausible explanation yet.

[Superbone]

We also need to talk about coaching. Kidd had his team prepared the right way and Monty didn’t as much as it pains me to say.

The clip TNT ran of him coaching the defense from the sideline in the first half said it all.

I was too pissed to watch it. What did he say?

<redacted>

Thanks. That was weird. Sounded like a grade school game coach.

[Superbone]

Offensively it was tough to adjust with the version of CP3 we got. I think Dallas figured out Paul wasn’t much of a threat and just started trapping Book. Book has never been great when he gets trapped and we didn’t have an outlet for him. If I recall correctly they started that in game 5, but they over helped on outlets like Crowder and Bridges and that got the ball moving. They stopped helping and Bridges/Crowder just aren’t good enough to score consistently.

Defensively I have no idea why we didn’t try more things. Not sure it would’ve mattered, but why didn’t we trap Luka? The let Luka get his and contain everyone else worked for 3 games, but you’ve got to shut everyone else down. Dinwiddie showing up for game 6 and 7 was killer. I just think Luka was too comfortable the whole series.

Ultimately way too many things went wrong in our 4 losses. Hard to say that any 1 adjustment would’ve mattered. We got trounced in all of them.

I agree with most of that. For the bolded part, that's why you just start Holiday instead. Holiday always brought energy and defense and he can shoot the ball.

[Superbone]

<redacted>
I mean he’s not wrong, but why are all the Wolves players coming for us? Pat Bev I get, but Edwards? Why is anyone even asking them?

Because PB&J is a cancer that affects everything around him.

[Uncle_Gene]

Patrick Beverly was on First Take today talking $h!t about the Suns.

[Superbone]

Have not seen a Suns' coach get outcoached in the playoffs to this extent since Cotton Fitzsimmons torched John MacLeod in 1981.

A few other observations:
Paul was hurting again, and the Mavs knew it.
Booker was punked by Doncic
Bridges, who is a nice player, shrank during big moments
Cam Johnson's 38-point game seems decades ago
Enough people have piled on Ayton, so there's that ...
Crowder was the only Sun playing to potential vs. Mavs
As others have said, Suns need a third weapon/offensive option
Management's lackluster moves at trade deadline bit the team in the @$$

Most telling, this morning in a radio interview, Al McCoy, the most loyal Sun ever, admitted the loss was not a surprise, only the margin of defeat. He saluted Jason Kidd's adjustments, and noted the Monty's lack of adjustments.

At least Monty stood up and took the blame like he should. Coaches can get better too. He has throughout his career. I hope he can learn and improve from this too.