Suns News: Week 25 (4/4 - 4/10)

[wpmiller42]

Hey Everyone, sorry I'm slow to get this up this week. I've been driving back home all morning.

Last Week's Games

@ Warriors WIN! 107 - 103
@ Grizzlies Loss 114 - 122
@ Thunder Loss 96 - 117

This Week's Games (All times MST)

Tuesday, April 5th vs. LA Lakers 7:30 PM NBA TV
Wednesday, April 6th @ LA Clippers 7:00 PM ESPN
Friday, April 8th @ Utah Jazz 6:30 PM NBA TV
Sunday, April 10th vs. Sacramento Kings 6:30 PM

Suns Stories

Stephen A. Smith's Bold Pick to Win NBA MVP

Suns can help eliminate Lakers from playoff contention

Phoenix Suns fall again in stunning loss to OKC

Inside the Suns - Most likely 1st round opponent

How this Modern Rockstar went from selling candy as a kid to working with the Phoenix Suns

[wpmiller42]

For what it's worth, I don't really care much about what Stephen A. Smith says.

[Superbone]

For what it's worth, I don't really care much about what Stephen A. Smith says.

I only do selectively like when he says Book should by MVP.

[Split T]

[Mori Chu]

It's weird that Draymond is doing so much media WHILE he is an active NBA player. And he already seems to have a gig at Inside the NBA lined up.

[Superbone]

It's weird that Draymond is doing so much media WHILE he is an active NBA player. And he already seems to have a gig at Inside the NBA lined up.

It's not just lined up. He's already got it. It was made official a week or two ago.

[Indy]

They have to plan for when Chuck is gone. He said he didn't plan to re-up his contract when it is up (in 2 years?). It will be really good for them to have someone that actually knows basketball. None of the guys on there know much. It was just plain embarrassing when someone (I forget which WNBA player it was, Candace?) was explaining switching defenses to him.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Draymond is one of the smartest guys still playing, but I always feel like his takes and analysis on TNT are forced. Seems like everyone transitioning into the media is brainwashed into thinking hot takes are more important than being accurate or at least authentic.

I don't listen to his podcast, so maybe he's more authentic in that format. But I still think this Booker MVP talk is silly. He's in my top 5 for MVP, but he's #4 or #5 and he's really not that close to being #1 this season.

[Superbone]

I don't listen to his podcast, so maybe he's more authentic in that format. But I still think this Booker MVP talk is silly. He's in my top 5 for MVP, but he's #4 or #5 and he's really not that close to being #1 this season.

I don't think it's silly at all. Why wouldn't the top player on the top team be at the top of the MVP talk? I don't think he should be penalized because he plays with another great MVP-level player.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't listen to his podcast, so maybe he's more authentic in that format. But I still think this Booker MVP talk is silly. He's in my top 5 for MVP, but he's #4 or #5 and he's really not that close to being #1 this season.

I don't think it's silly at all. Why wouldn't the top player on the top team be at the top of the MVP talk? I don't think he should be penalized because he plays with another great MVP-level player.

I'm not penalizing him. I just don't think he's been as dominate as Giannis, Jokic or Embiid this season. Those guys are the only real MVP candidates to me and putting Booker above them is either being disingenuous or misinformed.

[Superbone]

I don't listen to his podcast, so maybe he's more authentic in that format. But I still think this Booker MVP talk is silly. He's in my top 5 for MVP, but he's #4 or #5 and he's really not that close to being #1 this season.

I don't think it's silly at all. Why wouldn't the top player on the top team be at the top of the MVP talk? I don't think he should be penalized because he plays with another great MVP-level player.

I'm not penalizing him. I just don't think he's been as dominate as Giannis, Jokic or Embiid this season. Those guys are the only real MVP candidates to me and putting Booker above them is either being disingenuous or misinformed.

Who said anything about most dominant? Again, it comes down to criteria. I don't think Green is being disingenuous nor is he misinformed.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't listen to his podcast, so maybe he's more authentic in that format. But I still think this Booker MVP talk is silly. He's in my top 5 for MVP, but he's #4 or #5 and he's really not that close to being #1 this season.

I don't think it's silly at all. Why wouldn't the top player on the top team be at the top of the MVP talk? I don't think he should be penalized because he plays with another great MVP-level player.

I'm not penalizing him. I just don't think he's been as dominate as Giannis, Jokic or Embiid this season. Those guys are the only real MVP candidates to me and putting Booker above them is either being disingenuous or misinformed.

Who said anything about most dominant? Again, it comes down to criteria. I don't think Green is being disingenuous nor is he misinformed.

Right, and this is kind of the problem with these MVP discussions, but it's fine with the NBA because it enables people to talk about it endlessly.

My criteria is the most uniquely dominant player for that season and I think about it in terms of tiers. Each of the three guys I mentioned are irreplaceable to their team outside of each other, which puts them in their own tier. By comparison, someone like Booker or Tatum could be replaced by Zach LaVine or Pascal Siakam and their impact would look pretty much the same, so they're in another tier below the first.

In regards to Draymond, maybe he's not being totally disingenuous but he's not being completely objective, IMO. He and Booker have had a personal relationship for a while and they just won a gold medal together 8 months ago. Giannis, Jokic and Embiid are all foreign players who've never had interactions with Draymond, IIRC.

[Mori Chu]

Even with my pro-Suns bias I don't think Booker deserves to be the MVP this year. His stats are impressive but not jaw-dropping:

Booker is averaging 26.6 ppg on 46.4% FG, 5 reb, and 5 ast for the 62-16 (1st place) Suns:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... ede01.html

Jokic is averaging 26.8 ppg on 58.3% FG, 13.7 reb, and 8 ast for the 47-32 (5th place) Nuggets:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... cni01.html

Embiid is averaging 30.2 ppg on 49.3% FG, 11.6 reb, and 4.2 ast for the 48-30 (4th place) 76ers:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... ijo01.html

Giannis is averaging 30.1 ppg on 55.4% FG, 11.6 reb, and 5.8 ast for the 48-30 (3rd place) Bucks:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... tgi01.html

Book belongs in the group, but I think I'm more impressed by any of the other guys' numbers.

[Split T]

15 years ago Book might’ve won, but the days of best player on the best team winning MVP are over. Book has been awesome and I’m glad we had the Book MVP discussions as I really think that’s going to get him 1st team All-NBA and a top 5 MVP finish. He was a borderline 3rd Team candidate before that and was going to get maybe a couple 5th place mvp votes.

[Suns_Dave]

Always feel like Draymond is playing mind games. The interview with Book at the all-star game, now picking him for MVP... feels like he's gassing him up to mess with his mindset.

[Split T]

Every team CP3 has played more than 1 year with has set their franchise record with him on the team.

[Mori Chu]

That is actually a really crazy stat.

[Split T]

Yep and suns/rockets have pretty successful histories…not easy records to set.

[Indy]

Let's hope nobody can ever call him CPzero again after this season.

[Flagrant Fowl]

In terms of basketball skill, Chris Paul slander is the quickest way for me to identify when someone doesn't know basketball.