Game Day: Suns (47-18) @ Hawks (36-30), Wed 5/5/21

[Superbone]

Now THAT is how you close out a game!

[Superbone]

I'd love to see Monty rest our backcourt tonight but I doubt that happens.

At least they got to rest the 4th quarter.

[djy2j]

Tough game for the Suns.

Tough game for the officials.

Ayton getting into a real rhythm of playing like a pussy again.

Cam Johnson has been hot garbage for a month.

Stix is not an NBA player.

[ShelC]

SEGABABA, no real bounce to start the game and it got worse in the 2nd half. We've seen it before so it'll be about how we respond against the Knicks. Still think we're being shortsighted with the games and minutes played. I think guys like Cam, Dario and DA have hit another wall. Maybe Craig too. I hardly remember DA playing last night. We should remember Cam is still only a 2nd yr player and DA kinda is too.

[ShelC]

[bajanguy008]

I'm at work now most nights we have a game and doing my whole avoiding social media thing just eagerly waiting to leave work to watch the game on replay.....
Well when this kinda game is what's waiting for u it's a real bummer smh

Those guys were hitting everything but the PnR to Capela n Okungwu really worked us over
I appreciated Book starting to play for the contact when he realized how the game was being called. It worked some but man Trae was getting some generous calls and hard to defend him if the refs gonna blow those touch calls. Although Book and CP also got a couple calls (in the 1st half) the game was becoming an eye sore as I not really a fan of that

Mikal was solid n we clearly went at Trae a lil more, nearly got him in foul trouble but didn't have it in 2nd half
As mentioned by everyone Avatar Bro #2 shot is a concern at the moment
Not sure if this was a we need a backup pg game. Cam P did his thing and our best play was the lineup in the 2nd quarter that came from down 10. With how Monty staggers CP and Book minutes, the bubble duo of Payne n Jevon don't play together much anymore but they showed again that they usual play well off each other. The defense picked up with that lineup and they were solid against Trae.

That was also DA best stretch of play for the night but starters got down double digits in a hurry again to start the 2nd half and that was that. I had the sound off so just assumed although Dario wasn't on the injury report that he wasn't playing for whatever reason so surprised he came in during garbage time. Hawks play 4 wings and a big all the time so guess Monty wasn't trying the Dario n Frank lineup tonight and Frank got all the backup minutes. That's interesting especially as Dario has start back hitting his shot last couple games but either way, flush this one

[Mori Chu]

This game shows how important Crowder and Cam Johnson are for us going forward. I like Craig but he is what he is and certainly is not a starting PF in this league. I like him very much as a role player but not a starter.

If Cam Johnson shoots 20 % in the playoffs we are one and done. If Crowder and Saric are non contributors we are one and done. We need those guys to be relevant. Cam Payne also needs to step up.

The weakness of this roster is starting to show up. No legit PF or back up Point guard.

Those positions need to be fixed this off season.

I agree with most of your post. We have several guys who are inconsistent and I worry about whether they will show up in the playoffs.

But I actually think Cam Payne is a pretty good backup PG. I don't think that position needs to be "fixed." I would say I worry about our backup big men more than the guard spots. If Ayton is having a dud game or gets into foul trouble, things can go south for us really fast. Or, as you say, if bad shooting Cam Johnson is the one who shows up that night.

[O_Gardino]

Despite the numbers, I actually thought DA was solid last night. He didn't do anything spectacular against Cappella, but he did hold the Hawk's bigs in check during his minutes. DA finished +2 and Capella was -4. It just shows that we were more effective with DA than they were with Capella.

I know the score doesn't resemble it, but I though the team played well for the most part. We held Trae in check as well as anyone does. The Suns strategy was to let the other guys beat us, and they did.

Not to point the finger, but every lineup with Kaminsky was bad. His #s look ok, but he just couldn't do anything against their bigs on the inside. Plus, he was mostly on the court with a few guys who were cold as ice. CP3 - Carter - Cam J - Craig - Kaminsky was a "special" lineup last night.

We missed the spark that Dario can give the second unit, we missed Crowder's size and toughness, and I thought a healthy Nader would have been better than Carter.

[Nodack]

You can’t win them all and a back to back after an OT game getting in at 2am is not a recipe for success. I’m not going to lose any sleep over this loss.

[Superbone]

You can’t win them all and a back to back after an OT game getting in at 2am is not a recipe for success. I’m not going to lose any sleep over this loss.

I didn't enjoy watching this game but I slept like a baby last night. Had an interesting dream too.

[Superbone]

Uh, oh. Do we have ourselves a Pete Rose situation?

“It doesn’t get any easier for our opponents, either,” Williams said. “That’s the way we look at it. They’ve got to play against the Phoenix Suns and I’ll put my money on my team every day. I love my team.

[djy2j]

Games like this make me wish Ayton had the cajones to step up and handle some of the scoring load but he just doesn’t. Four shots is unacceptable. Demand the ball more

[JeremyG]

Fortunately there are no back-to-backs in the playoffs.

[JeremyG]

SEGABABA, no real bounce to start the game and it got worse in the 2nd half. We've seen it before so it'll be about how we respond against the Knicks. Still think we're being shortsighted with the games and minutes played. I think guys like Cam, Dario and DA have hit another wall. Maybe Craig too. I hardly remember DA playing last night. We should remember Cam is still only a 2nd yr player and DA kinda is too.

They have a week to rest up after the regular season ends.

[Mori Chu]

SEGABABA, no real bounce to start the game and it got worse in the 2nd half. We've seen it before so it'll be about how we respond against the Knicks. Still think we're being shortsighted with the games and minutes played. I think guys like Cam, Dario and DA have hit another wall. Maybe Craig too. I hardly remember DA playing last night. We should remember Cam is still only a 2nd yr player and DA kinda is too.

They have a week to rest up after the regular season ends.

I hadn't heard of SEGABABA. To save any others a Google, it means SEcond GAme of a BAck-to-BAck.

[JustWinBaby]

This game shows how important Crowder and Cam Johnson are for us going forward. I like Craig but he is what he is and certainly is not a starting PF in this league. I like him very much as a role player but not a starter.

If Cam Johnson shoots 20 % in the playoffs we are one and done. If Crowder and Saric are non contributors we are one and done. We need those guys to be relevant. Cam Payne also needs to step up.

The weakness of this roster is starting to show up. No legit PF or back up Point guard.

Those positions need to be fixed this off season.

I agree with most of your post. We have several guys who are inconsistent and I worry about whether they will show up in the playoffs.

But I actually think Cam Payne is a pretty good backup PG. I don't think that position needs to be "fixed." I would say I worry about our backup big men more than the guard spots. If Ayton is having a dud game or gets into foul trouble, things can go south for us really fast. Or, as you say, if bad shooting Cam Johnson is the one who shows up that night.

I like Cam Payne as much as anyone, however I see other teams with more legit depth a the PG spot. Cam has had his injury issues and it would be nice to have someone take his minutes when he is hurt or just does not have it. I thought Moore would be that guy, apparently not. I do not have confidence in Carter being that guy. We will see what happens in the off season.

I agree that our bigs are a bigger worry. DA has to be one of the most difficult players in history to evaluate properly. He turns on that athleticism on occasion and makes your dream about who he could be. Then he lapses back to not being a factor. I also like Saric and Frank but they get by on smarts and just are not athletic enough. Unfortunately Jalen Smith appears to be headed out of the league sooner than later. I had high hopes for him. I expected him to be getting consistent minutes by this time in the season.

We have had a season to remember and should be happy but I think it just shows how good Paul, Booker and Bridges (on most nights) have been this year. Ayton's defense and rebounding has been very good on most nights as well.

Go Suns

[ShelC]

SEGABABA, no real bounce to start the game and it got worse in the 2nd half. We've seen it before so it'll be about how we respond against the Knicks. Still think we're being shortsighted with the games and minutes played. I think guys like Cam, Dario and DA have hit another wall. Maybe Craig too. I hardly remember DA playing last night. We should remember Cam is still only a 2nd yr player and DA kinda is too.

They have a week to rest up after the regular season ends.

I hadn't heard of SEGABABA. To save any others a Google, it means SEcond GAme of a BAck-to-BAck.

Pfftt stupid me, I thought you were a basketball fan

[Mori Chu]

I hadn't heard of SEGABABA. To save any others a Google, it means SEcond GAme of a BAck-to-BAck.

Pfftt stupid me, I thought you were a basketball fan

I thought that the great indie video game Baba Is You had been ported to the Sega Genesis. Sadly, no.

[Cap]

Is Sega still a thing?

[Superbone]

Is Sega still a thing?

Restructuring:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega