Suns News: Playoffs Edition

[INFORMER]

I wonder what the story is on Dario. He hasn’t been the same since Covid. They rarely play him at all now and when they do it’s not good. Did Covid mess him up that bad or what?

Saric's best stretch of basketball this season (22 games) came after he returned from COVID.

[Split T]

There is no way he gets the max right? 140/3?

No...the article says 3/100, I can’t imagine him getting more than that...now if we win the title and he’s finals mvp? Just give him everything, haha

I would prefer 3 years/$90 million.

Yes that’s what I’m hoping. Front loaded as well, so it drops when those extensions kick in for Ayton and Mikal

[INFORMER]

For some reason I feel better about facing the Nugs than I did the Lakers.

Of course you should. The Lakers were the defending champions, have maybe the second best player to ever play the game, and had a player (Davis) that we couldn't match up with.

Denver is missing their second best player along with another starter. And even injuries aside, the Suns match up well with the Nuggets.

[Nodack]

I wonder what the story is on Dario. He hasn’t been the same since Covid. They rarely play him at all now and when they do it’s not good. Did Covid mess him up that bad or what?

Saric's best stretch of basketball this season (22 games) came after he returned from COVID.

Then maybe he needs to catch it again...

[Superbone]

Nobody outside our team believed in us before the season started

Eh. People love them some Chris Paul, and they were gushing over his acquisition.

That's a lot different than having confidence in what the Suns as a team was going to accomplish. Please show me who was picking us to have one of the top records in the league before the season started let alone top two and one game away from best record in the league.

[Split T]

Nobody outside our team believed in us before the season started

Eh. People love them some Chris Paul, and they were gushing over his acquisition.

That's a lot different than having confidence in what the Suns as a team was going to accomplish. Please show me who was picking us to have one of the top records in the league before the season started let alone top two and one game away from best record in the league.

Kendrick Perkins

[Mori Chu]

Folks thought we would be better, but I didn't hear anybody at the start of the season saying we'd be one of the best in the league. I just did a quick Googling for sites that had predictions from before the season started. I think this one from The Sporting News is somewhat representative. They picked us to be #7 in the West. Key quote: "If Chris Paul can come close to replicating his Thunder season, the Suns should finish above .500." That's what a lot of folks seemed to say about us: we'd be over .500, probably a fringe playoff team.

https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/new ... xq7bop339e

In this NYT piece, not one analyst has us in the Western Finals, though one does predict Monty for Coach of the Year and another predicts James Jones for exec of the year:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/22/spor ... s-mvp.html

Abrams: Lakers over Trail Blazers
Araton: Lakers over Jazz
Bergeron: Lakers over Mavericks
Bromwich: Lakers over Clippers
Cacciola: Lakers over Clippers
Deb: Lakers over Warriors
Easterling: Lakers over Mavericks
Lowe: Lakers over Clippers
Stein: Lakers over Clippers

Note that 100% of their analysts predict that the Lakers will repeat as champs. LOL, suck it, NYT.

[Cap]

I can’t believe what I just watched. ESPN has a show called Highly Questionable and this dude had the guts to say that the NBA should send a cooler into this series as it wouldn’t be good to have a bunch of Mountain Standard time teams remaining in the Western Conference playoffs (Suns/Nuggets/Jazz/Mavs). I guess I shouldn’t be surprised as this crap is in line with the name of the show.

The Clips are going to beat the Mavs.

Probably.

Oh? Good thing you added a qualifier.

Sometimes I don’t like being right, but I can still say I told you so.

[Superbone]

I can’t believe what I just watched. ESPN has a show called Highly Questionable and this dude had the guts to say that the NBA should send a cooler into this series as it wouldn’t be good to have a bunch of Mountain Standard time teams remaining in the Western Conference playoffs (Suns/Nuggets/Jazz/Mavs). I guess I shouldn’t be surprised as this crap is in line with the name of the show.

The Clips are going to beat the Mavs.

Probably.

Oh? Good thing you added a qualifier.

Sometimes I don’t like being right, but I can still say I told you so.

Yeah, but it would have been a lot more effective without the qualifier.

[Indy]

I honestly think the Suns have one of the clearest paths to the finals this year that I can remember. I would actually favor the Suns over the Nugget and any one of the Jazz/Clippers/Mavs that they could meet in the WCF.

Part of me feels the same way. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. The Nuggets will still be very tough even without Murray. And the WCF against the Jazz or Clips could also be a difficult series.

No way the Clips get there.

Oops.

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

So basically all the idiots that put Monty at 3rd was the culprit.

[AmareIsGod]

Monty has championship aspirations. Much bigger than an award handed out by the bias press.

[Mori Chu]

I think that other CotY award is a copout that gives some of these voters an exclude to downrank Monty since he already won an award.

[Indy]

I think that other CotY award is a copout that gives some of these voters an exclude to downrank Monty since he already won an award.

Theses votes were in before that was announced.

[Split T]

It’s not that surprising that thibs won…the Knicks were a huge surprise. I thought they were the worst team in the East and they took the 4th seed. Throw in him doing it in New York? It’s a miracle Monty was close and even beat him in 1st place votes. I don’t have a problem with Thibs winning, I’d rather win playoff series and I’m sure Monty agrees.

[Flagrant Fowl]

On one hand, I have a lot of respect for Thibs ability to get guys to play defense, which was a huge part of their success.

On the other hand, his offensive plan was basically roll the ball onto the court and let Randle or Rose cook, which was a huge part of their failure in the playoffs.

[Split T]

On one hand, I have a lot of respect for Thibs ability to get guys to play defense, which was a huge part of their success.

On the other hand, his offensive plan was basically roll the ball onto the court and let Randle or Rose cook, which was a huge part of their failure in the playoffs.

True, but it is a regular season award…I kinda dismissed a lot of the “regular season” player, team, coach criticisms in the past, but it’s real. It doesn’t all translate.

[Mori Chu]

Thibs peaked as a defensive assistant coach for Boston under Doc Rivers. Great role for him. He's never quite been able to transition into being an effective head coach. He's had some impressive teams, but basically he is just a defensive coach who doesn't install an offense. I think he'd be much more valuable and effective if the NBA approached coaching more like the NFL does. He'd be hired as a "defensive coordinator" or whatever, and he'd be excellent at it. And then they'd separately hire an offensive coordinator and head coach.