Game Day Playoff Edition: Lakers (0-0) @ Suns (0-0), Sun 5/23/21

[bajanguy008]

Full credit to you guys man who managed to keep posting during the game
I couldn't in the 4th quarter
Time to catch up on the posts

[Cap]

538 has updated our chances in the series: from 37% before the game to 51% now.

[Wally_West]

Now the NBA has a game plan for defeating the Suns, call more fouls on Ayton.

Have Chris Paul get hurt.

[Wally_West]

So happy to post this.

[bajanguy008]

Mikal hit couple nice 3s and was very good against Bron
Did miss some easy ones tho

Payne probably was a little too excited which isn't a surprise

Know I'm a Cam cheerleader but super surprised how solid he was having not played in 2-3 weeks

[BAMF]

Shazaammm!!!!!

[bajanguy008]

That ejection was so ridiculous because it started from like 3 plays before

Lakers down double digits and Caruso gets desperate, flops on a screen and Book gets a clean 3
Literally flops the very next possession and refs fall for it and give Book the foul. ESPN was busy replaying Book's 3 so didn't show how soft that was
Then in comes Bron to do his usual, overselling CP arm grab and Caruso still out there doing BS

Either way we survived

[Flagrant Fowl]

That ejection was so ridiculous because it started from like 3 plays before

Lakers down double digits and Caruso gets desperate, flops on a screen and Book gets a clean 3
Literally flops the very next possession and refs fall for it and give Book the foul. ESPN was busy replaying Book's 3 so didn't show how soft that was
Then in comes Bron to do his usual, overselling CP arm grab and Caruso still out there doing BS

Either way we survived

That's exactly why I said it all started with the Lakers being sensitive. Caruso is Manu Ginobili without the talent.

[bajanguy008]

Big shout out to DA
Really hope we can get some good news on CP3 cuz it was a rough 2nd half for him and we've been resilient under Monty even going back to last year but that version of CP3 gonna be a challenge to navigate the rest of the series

So want us to hold home court and see what the Lakers have facing an 0-2 hole

[BAMF]

That ejection was so ridiculous because it started from like 3 plays before

Lakers down double digits and Caruso gets desperate, flops on a screen and Book gets a clean 3
Literally flops the very next possession and refs fall for it and give Book the foul. ESPN was busy replaying Book's 3 so didn't show how soft that was
Then in comes Bron to do his usual, overselling CP arm grab and Caruso still out there doing BS

Either way we survived

That's exactly why I said it all started with the Lakers being sensitive. Caruso is Manu Ginobili without the talent.

Refs were letting him get away with murder. The dude could pretend to fall in the middle of the court with no one around and we would have been called.

[Wally_West]

Shazaammm!!!!!

[ShelC]

Yea Payne was a a little more out of control than usual so he needs to settle down. We're going to need him if Paul's injury lingers. If it's a stinger or something more serious, he becomes an offensive liability and the Lakers can double more easily. Also interesting to see Monty go with Moore over Carter for a few minutes. Could've been for a little more size next to Book or maybe Moore is a steadier vet and we know Carter can play like a chicken with its head cut off.

Huge game from DA on both ends. He dominated the boards over AD and finished well enough at the rim, but could've had more if he kept the ball up high at times. Good communication of defense and protected the rim well. Dario had good minutes at the 5 and a huge block for us. DA played a ton so Dario only saw 11 minutes. Probably for the best since he's so overmatched physically. I'd expect the Lakers (refs) to get DA in foul trouble at some point and then we'll see Dario and/or Frank for extended minutes.

Mikal and Cam Johnson both looked steady, tho Mikal should look for the cut at the FT line a bit more and take that jumper. Both played good defense on LBJ as did Crowder. Nothing was easy for him.

Book's a stud. Nothing phases him and he took everything they had and wasn't bothered. I like that his 3 was falling because that really makes him unguardable.

The Lakers played poorly and I don't think we should expect those games to happen that often unless they really are gassed and injured. It'll be Schroder, KCP, Kuz and Caruso who will hurt us. AD had a quiet game but he'll get his. We just can't let the other guys go off the rest of the series.

[LazarusLong]

That ejection was so ridiculous because it started from like 3 plays before

Lakers down double digits and Caruso gets desperate, flops on a screen and Book gets a clean 3
Literally flops the very next possession and refs fall for it and give Book the foul. ESPN was busy replaying Book's 3 so didn't show how soft that was
Then in comes Bron to do his usual, overselling CP arm grab and Caruso still out there doing BS

Either way we survived

That's exactly why I said it all started with the Lakers being sensitive. Caruso is Manu Ginobili without the talent.

Caruso is the type of guy a fan loves if he's on your team, but hates as an opponent.

That said, I personally think Caruso is an ass-faced shitbird ...

[LazarusLong]

...and his headband looks like a white beanie with a sunroof...

[Split T]

Caruso couldn’t guard Booker...his only chance was to flop

[Wally_West]

[Flagrant Fowl]

Ayton would be an MVP candidate if he had his head in every game like he did in this one.

[Gladiator]

YSMF!! We really needed that first one to set the tone for the series and it’s great to win relatively comfortably.
I only caught the last five minutes, which were a bit scrappy (we are going to need to be better than that down the stretch in future). Having said that the Lakers didn’t really threaten during that time, so credit to our defence.
Booker looks right at home on the big stage (as we’d expected) and if this is Playoff Ayton every game, then we’re going to be a real handful for anyone.

[JeremyG]

Great hard-fought win, but it wouldn’t be the Suns if there wasn’t something to dampen the excitement. If Paul wasn’t hurt I would have full confidence in us winning this series.

[Flagrant Fowl]