Game Day (IST): Suns (12-8) @ Lakers (12-9), Tues 12/5/23

[Wally_West]

Lol

They couldn’t even give us this? Just admit you were wrong…the ball is clearly loose when LeBron calls the timeout. We aren’t blind, don’t insult us like that

Yeah, just ridiculous. It’s make the call even more fucking stupid. They pissed their pants and now pretending they’re pants are completely dry.

[Split T]

The other play that’s tough is Allen and KD both going with AD for a second and leaving Reaves for the wide open 3 to push it to 4…that was a back breaker.

[Split T]

Wally will appreciate this

[Charlie Smithy!]

Time to start the Metu movement.

[Drewsprocket]

I don't like how we're playing. I just said enough times we should be running more, our role players don't know what to and are afraid to shoot open 3s.

We started practically 4 fucking guards (KD has skillset of a SG) and couldn’t take care of the ball. Vogel thought it would add up to great offense. Lakers size disrupted our guys on the floor. I think he has to just match up size and toughness. KBD has to start these games- the plus side on him is he can be a secondary screener and he doesn’t shy away from shots even when he gets chased off the 3pt line. Otherwise we just get beaten up.

[Wally_West]

Wally will appreciate this

lol

27 more shots than us!!!?!

I think what hurts the most is I know we’re better fucking team than them. Idgaf we lost 3 straight to them. U put us in a playoff series right now we winning in 5 games. Even without Beal. I really want to see them in the playoffs now.

[Furlanfufi]

I don't like how we're playing. I just said enough times we should be running more, our role players don't know what to and are afraid to shoot open 3s.

We started practically 4 fucking guards (KD has skillset of a SG) and couldn’t take care of the ball. Vogel thought it would add up to great offense. Lakers size disrupted our guys on the floor. I think he has to just match up size and toughness. KBD has to start these games- the plus side on him is he can be a secondary screener and he doesn’t shy away from shots even when he gets chased off the 3pt line. Otherwise we just get beaten up.

I don't think we need to match up their size, but we ABSOLUTELY can't play without size and try to win playing halfcourt sets.

[Wally_West]

At least there is this:

How the fuck does this make sense???

[Furlanfufi]

I LOLed

[SunsRIt]

Why was there no flagrant foul when Booker was thrown to the ground by his head and neck? No play on the ball at all. They didn’t even review it. That’s when I knew for sure the refs were going to be a problem.

[Superbone]

Why was there no flagrant foul when Booker was thrown to the ground by his head and neck? No play on the ball at all. They didn’t even review it. That’s when I knew for sure the refs were going to be a problem.

Yep, that was a clear flagrant that wasn’t even reviewed. Bad reffing.

[Shabazz]

Lol

They couldn’t even give us this? Just admit you were wrong…the ball is clearly loose when LeBron calls the timeout. We aren’t blind, don’t insult us like that

Yeah, just ridiculous. It’s make the call even more fucking stupid. They pissed their pants and now pretending they’re pants are completely dry.

That ball was pinned to his leg for as long as a ball being dribbled is pinned to the floor.

[ShelC]

Postgame Quotes and Videos

Spoiler: show/hide

[ShelC]

Tourney game with playoff-like atmosphere against LeBron and the Lakers? Gotta expect the refs to pull some kinda sh*t. Generally don't care about the tourney, wanted to see us matchup against a full Lakers squad and last night was what I was afraid of. Lakers might not be a great team but they're a terrible matchup for us. Too much size and length that can defend on the perimeter and disrupt what we do. They expose us as a smaller, less athletic, under-the-rim team. We can't physically matchup and they took Book out of the offense by hounding him with guys like Prince, Vandy and Reddish. By doing that, not only couldn't he get his own offense going, he had trouble getting others involved. The Lakers' defense was really good. The length and speed to close off dribble penetration and still recover out to the shooters. It was only a matter of time before the TOs caught up to us. The silver lining is that despite the TOs and 20 fewer shots, we never let go of the rope and had a chance to pull it out.

The Lakers keyed in on KD too but he stepped up and was hitting tough shots all night. Allen kept us in with his 3pt shooting but EG was pretty non-existent. I think he needs to work with the 2nd unit as a 1st or 2nd option. He and Allen are also too small together on the perimeter against this kind of team. Okogie and Goodwin are either too small or aren't good enough offensively. Little is the kind of longer wing who can be effective but just isn't there yet. But even he's still only about 6-5. KBD doesn't seem to want to shoot and looks/plays small. Eubanks was also overmatched. We'd be better off playing faster and shooting 3s than slowing down into the halfcourt where Allen and EG can be defended on the perimeter.

The 2nd half was better as the offense loosened up and the Lakers defense dropped off. We just couldn't get over that hump again, which is kind of becoming a habit. I do agree we don't have an identity yet but I'm not ready blame Vogel or put him on any hot seat. I think we could be playing faster, running and gunning but Book is usually the one slowing things down. We need to find a balance there. And while I certainly wouldn't rebuild the roster specifically for the Lakers, I think we do need a bigger 4/3 kind of swing.

[Drewsprocket]

Tourney game with playoff-like atmosphere against LeBron and the Lakers? Gotta expect the refs to pull some kinda sh*t. Generally don't care about the tourney, wanted to see us matchup against a full Lakers squad and last night was what I was afraid of. Lakers might not be a great team but they're a terrible matchup for us. Too much size and length that can defend on the perimeter and disrupt what we do. They expose us as a smaller, less athletic, under-the-rim team. We can't physically matchup and they took Book out of the offense by hounding him with guys like Prince, Vandy and Reddish. By doing that, not only couldn't he get his own offense going, he had trouble getting others involved. The Lakers' defense was really good. The length and speed to close off dribble penetration and still recover out to the shooters. It was only a matter of time before the TOs caught up to us. The silver lining is that despite the TOs and 20 fewer shots, we never let go of the rope and had a chance to pull it out.

The Lakers keyed in on KD too but he stepped up and was hitting tough shots all night. Allen kept us in with his 3pt shooting but EG was pretty non-existent. I think he needs to work with the 2nd unit as a 1st or 2nd option. He and Allen are also too small together on the perimeter against this kind of team. Okogie and Goodwin are either too small or aren't good enough offensively. Little is the kind of longer wing who can be effective but just isn't there yet. But even he's still only about 6-5. KBD doesn't seem to want to shoot and looks/plays small. Eubanks was also overmatched. We'd be better off playing faster and shooting 3s than slowing down into the halfcourt where Allen and EG can be defended on the perimeter.

The 2nd half was better as the offense loosened up and the Lakers defense dropped off. We just couldn't get over that hump again, which is kind of becoming a habit. I do agree we don't have an identity yet but I'm not ready blame Vogel or put him on any hot seat. I think we could be playing faster, running and gunning but Book is usually the one slowing things down. We need to find a balance there. And while I certainly wouldn't rebuild the roster specifically for the Lakers, I think we do need a bigger 4/3 kind of swing.

Reddish was a fucking parody of good defense. Dude was out hacking the fuck outta people. Check the no call when he called all ball on Nurk and never even touched- it in addition to the flagrant on Book.
But I do put more blame on Suns than anything. There were too many self inflicted TOs to start with: Book lost the ball driving to the cup, steals making careless passes across the court, Vogel needs to start KBD alongside Nurk to help box out.
There were several times where role players needed to take a middy with the shot clock down and passed instead.

[In2ition]

They need to start Metu and bring Allen and Gordon off the bench once Beal comes back, imo. They probably could use a PG, like Caruso, if the price is right, to cut down on TOs that seem to be a problem. Giving up 27 more shots to any team is a major problem. Keep the offensive rebounding rate even or near even, while cutting down the TOs to acceptable levels would do wonders for this team.

[Split T]

I wouldn’t consider Caruso a pg

[Drewsprocket]

Suns have all season to solve for this sort of game. This is EXACTLY what they will face in the postseason.

1) blitzing ball handlers
2) length disrupting the passing lanes
3) refs allowing Nurk and Book to be hacked.
4) Second Chance points

[wpmiller42]

Tourney game with playoff-like atmosphere against LeBron and the Lakers? Gotta expect the refs to pull some kinda sh*t. Generally don't care about the tourney, wanted to see us matchup against a full Lakers squad and last night was what I was afraid of. Lakers might not be a great team but they're a terrible matchup for us. Too much size and length that can defend on the perimeter and disrupt what we do. They expose us as a smaller, less athletic, under-the-rim team. We can't physically matchup and they took Book out of the offense by hounding him with guys like Prince, Vandy and Reddish. By doing that, not only couldn't he get his own offense going, he had trouble getting others involved. The Lakers' defense was really good. The length and speed to close off dribble penetration and still recover out to the shooters. It was only a matter of time before the TOs caught up to us. The silver lining is that despite the TOs and 20 fewer shots, we never let go of the rope and had a chance to pull it out.

The Lakers keyed in on KD too but he stepped up and was hitting tough shots all night. Allen kept us in with his 3pt shooting but EG was pretty non-existent. I think he needs to work with the 2nd unit as a 1st or 2nd option. He and Allen are also too small together on the perimeter against this kind of team. Okogie and Goodwin are either too small or aren't good enough offensively. Little is the kind of longer wing who can be effective but just isn't there yet. But even he's still only about 6-5. KBD doesn't seem to want to shoot and looks/plays small. Eubanks was also overmatched. We'd be better off playing faster and shooting 3s than slowing down into the halfcourt where Allen and EG can be defended on the perimeter.

The 2nd half was better as the offense loosened up and the Lakers defense dropped off. We just couldn't get over that hump again, which is kind of becoming a habit. I do agree we don't have an identity yet but I'm not ready blame Vogel or put him on any hot seat. I think we could be playing faster, running and gunning but Book is usually the one slowing things down. We need to find a balance there. And while I certainly wouldn't rebuild the roster specifically for the Lakers, I think we do need a bigger 4/3 kind of swing.

Reddish was a fucking parody of good defense. Dude was out hacking the fuck outta people. Check the no call when he called all ball on Nurk and never even touched- it in addition to the flagrant on Book.
But I do put more blame on Suns than anything. There were too many self inflicted TOs to start with: Book lost the ball driving to the cup, steals making careless passes across the court, Vogel needs to start KBD alongside Nurk to help box out.
There were several times where role players needed to take a middy with the shot clock down and passed instead.

Yeah, for some reason Reddish could maul people out there without getting a whistle. Meanwhile, Book and KD are in foul trouble the whole game.

[Uncle_Gene]

Time to start the Metu movement.

Yes, at PF and move Durant back to SF.