Western Conference Round 2, Game 6: Suns (2-3) @ Nuggets (3-2), Thu 5/11/23

[Split T]

He just averaged 34/7/5 on a .686 TS% in the playoffs. Can we please not do this.

[Wally_West]

He just averaged 34/7/5 on a .686 TS% in the playoffs. Can we please not do this.

+100000oooo0000

[TOO]

And then there's this...

Booker in Elimination Games -

2021 vs. MIL - 46 Min, 8/22 FG, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 19 Pts
2022 vs. DAL - 37 Min, 6/17 FG, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 11 Pts
2023 vs. DEN - 42 Min, 4/13 FG, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 12 Pts
Total - 125 Min, 18/52 FG, 7 Reb, 15 Ast, 42 Pts

Just when I thought he had finally made that next step of being a legit superstar who can carry a team in the playoffs, we ended up with the same result.

Not when he's hurt.

If he really was then that means he’s hurt every playoffs. That’s why I was scared about giving him the supermax extension, but of course we had no other choice.

Fucking awful post.

[AbeVroman]

I didn't get to watch the game (thank goodness) due to a personal commitment but obviously saw the score.

Thought I'd jump on here and see how this thread (d)evolved over the course of the game. Kind of fun to follow it like that even though it sucked. Brought a little smile.

I appreciate everyone's passion and love for the Suns. One day we will reach the top of that mountain.....

PS - Jock Landale reminds me a lot of my cousin Jackson Vroman. Remember him?!

[BKinSJC]

One day we will reach the top of that mountain.....

It's really starting to feel, to me, like it's never going to happen.

[Nodack]

Some of us are getting old. They showed Al McCoy on tv near the end of the game. I was checking out the look on Al’s face and it made me sad. He deserves a Championship and it would have been the perfect ending to his career as the Suns broadcaster.

I know when the Suns get knocked out of the playoffs, we try to place blame. I blame Kevin Durant for saying he wanted to be traded to the Suns before the season started. He’s a huge fish to catch and I don’t blame the Suns for going for it. Unfortunately that didn’t happen and left the Suns scrambling for leftovers at the start of the season. I can’t blame them for that. What GM wouldn’t froth at the mouth having Kevin Durant? They could have said they weren’t interested, stayed with Mikail and Cam, picked up some key pice early and maybe they would still be playing. Maybe not. We will never know now. If that didn’t turn into a Championship then we would be talking about how we should have made the Durant trade. A deal finally happened at the end of the year and they pulled the plug. The Durant trade happened at the end of the season and out went a few key guys and we got several new guys. Durant getting injured again after only playing a few games set them back. There was quite a few injuries to various Suns players this year before KD was traded costing the Suns quite a few games. They didn’t have time to develop much chemistry before the playoffs started. The bench was questionable. Ayton didn’t turn into Dominayton and then got hurt for the final game. Paul got injured. Did Monty lose their attention/respect. Is there a rift between Monty and Ayton?

I think James Jones has done wonders for this franchise. He wasn’t able to trade for Durant before the season and that makes people want him gone. Sometimes things don’t work out like you want them to.

Monty? I am not sure. It’s hard for me to judge coaches other than wins and losses. The Nuggets coach definitely had a much more brash in your face almost threatening way about him. Is that better? Tyrone Lue has an intense but calm demeanor. Are they better at strategy than Monty? Maybe, I don’t know. Monty was the greatest thing since sliced bread for the first couple of seasons. The Suns were one of those teams that got banged up in the playoffs allowing and easier path for their opponent. The Nuggets are firing on all cylinders and are a seasoned well oiled machine. Not Monty’s fault.

I admit I am ready for Shamet to be gone. I had such high hopes.

I am ready for Ayton to be gone too. I had such super high hopes since he was the perfect human specimen for being a Center in the NBA and he was the #1 pick. He can shoot and can get rebounds. It like Booker’s volume knob goes to 11 and Ayton’s volume knob goes to 6. He’s on Bohemian time and that doesn’t look like it will ever change. He’s a max player who was out hustled by Landale, who makes two truck loads less cash a year than Ayton.

Durant and Booker changed the way the Suns play. Paul became more of a bystander or spot up player. Is that permanent? Would a different type/younger pg be better suited for the Suns or will they use the off season to design a system around what we have?

The Suns were dealt some bad cards and in the end folded. It’s part of life for every team. The Lakers were dealt a bad hand early. Injuries almost had them miss the playoffs. They would have crucified the team in the press. A couple of pieces fall into place and their stars got healthy for the playoffs and now they went from having to play their way in to the playoffs to the Western Conference finals. Clippers lost their stars. Now they are home. Karma, fate, bad/good luck. It all plays a major role every year.

[rhylek]

I agree with most of that.
Still not ready to give up on Ayton, he's a wonderfull tool that was misused. Maybe he's to one who lost the most when Willie Green left.
But that's his last chance, better pray that we get a coach that can play big men (remember when Monty was in NO? people were complaining the way he was using Zion... to me, it was always clear that Monty would be gone before Ayton).

Paul is THE odd man here. With Durant, we don't need him, especially the father-time Paul.

We need better depth.

Thanks to Jones, Monty, Book, we got a winning culture back and are able to attract NBA players again. Just don't stockpile old ringchasers.
Go to work Jones ! (at least let's see how Ishbia will let him work, maybe that's the most interesting story of this summer)

[JeremyG]

I agree with most of that.
Still not ready to give up on Ayton, he's a wonderfull tool that was misused. Maybe he's to one who lost the most when Willie Green left.
But that's his last chance, better pray that we get a coach that can play big men (remember when Monty was in NO? people were complaining the way he was using Zion... to me, it was always clear that Monty would be gone before Ayton).

You mean Anthony Davis, but yeah I was wary of the Monty hire immediately when I learned about how he didn’t know how to use big men. The only reason he lasted this long was due to that (perhaps fluke) Finals run.

I would like to see if a new coach can actually establish a big three like Miami did with Wade (Booker), LeBron (Durant), and Bosh (Ayton). Of course Bosh was an all-star before that team was assembled, but his numbers were actually worse than Ayton’s in Miami, and he was always labeled “soft” also. And as far as age/decline Durant would be more like Wade and Booker like LeBron.

[Split T]

I feel like they might be trying to replicate the Brooklyn big 3 with Booker taking the Harden spot

[JeremyG]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

[Flagrant Fowl]

He still can't really dribble or pass, so I'm very skeptical of a new head coach getting more out of his "abilities". The best we could hope for is a more consistent effort.

[TOO]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

[specialsauce]

He still can't really dribble or pass, so I'm very skeptical of a new head coach getting more out of his "abilities". The best we could hope for is a more consistent effort.

The best we can hope for is he gets shipped the fuck out

[Flagrant Fowl]

He still can't really dribble or pass, so I'm very skeptical of a new head coach getting more out of his "abilities". The best we could hope for is a more consistent effort.

The best we can hope for is he gets shipped the fuck out

That was assumed.

[JeremyG]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

Maybe not but coaching can certainly un-motivate him to play harder. He was playing for a coach who literally did not want him on the roster.

[Shabazz]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

Maybe not but coaching can certainly un-motivate him to play harder. He was playing for a coach who literally did not want him on the roster.

So how about playing hard for the city, the fan-base, his teammates and the organization that's giving him $30M a season and has invested thousands of man-hours into his personal and professional development?

[TOO]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

Maybe not but coaching can certainly un-motivate him to play harder. He was playing for a coach who literally did not want him on the roster.

So fuck your teammates then? Even worse.

[Drewsprocket]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

Maybe not but coaching can certainly un-motivate him to play harder. He was playing for a coach who literally did not want him on the roster.

So fuck your teammates then? Even worse.

Name a skill Ayton has developed or improved upon in his tenure. He loved some of easier mannered teammates. Everything else was energy put into him to stay locked in by the whole team.

[Cap]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

Maybe not but coaching can certainly un-motivate him to play harder. He was playing for a coach who literally did not want him on the roster.

So fuck your teammates then? Even worse.

Name a skill Ayton has developed or improved upon in his tenure. He loved some of easier mannered teammates. Everything else was energy put into him to stay locked in by the whole team.

Changing diapers?

[Kryptonic]

I could see Ayton for Kyrie if that’s the direction they want to go.

But if the new regime does want to keep Ayton, they better actually involve him in the offense, unlike Monty. You can’t pay a player the max and not utilize and develop his offensive abilities. I don’t think Ayton minds being a third option behind Book and KD, I just think he wants to actually be the third option, not just an afterthought or a “bailout” option. No reason we can’t have three 20+ ppg scorers, especially in today’s NBA.

How about Ayton develops/improves himself? Stop blaming coaching for all of his short comings? Coaching can't make him play harder, you either hustle or you don't.

Maybe not but coaching can certainly un-motivate him to play harder. He was playing for a coach who literally did not want him on the roster.

So fuck your teammates then? Even worse.

Name a skill Ayton has developed or improved upon in his tenure. He loved some of easier mannered teammates. Everything else was energy put into him to stay locked in by the whole team.

Cleaning his bong?

Won a championship in nba2k23 and was season/finals mvp?