Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 5:40 am
by ShelC
Great game, everyone contributed. Pretty concerned about Book, the way things go with these injuries it'll be at least 2 weeks but maybe 4 if it's just a pull. His leaving the game didn't faze us tho, we just steamrolled the Lakers. We played harder than them, were just more crisp all around on both ends. Luka was unstoppable early on even tho we were playing great defense on him but it just didn't matter. But while he was going off, no one else on the Lakers was really hurting us so the Lakers never built a lead or pulled away. Then when he sat in the 2nd we just took over and never looked back.
Dillon and CG carried us. Dillon can be a bit frustrating offensively because he can be a black hole and it gets worse when he's hitting shots but we'll need him to score if Book is out. CG just takes what the defense gives him and was on fire with 8 threes. I do expect teams to be more physical with him and run him off the line if he's taking most of Book's minutes so we'll see how he responds. He doesn't seem super comfortable in the midrange pulling up off the dribble or getting all the way to the basket.
Williams outplayed Ayton just by running the floor which was probably the plan. Ayton doesn't sprint, he jogs and even Oso got him in transition for some easy points during the game. Williams dunks, Ayton shoots middys. Williams gives us much more verticality and even tho DA is big, Williams just plays bigger and seems so much longer, especially when going for rebounds.
Our hustle guys hustled - Goodwin and Dunn were all over the place defensively and the Lakers really didn't have an answer for either. Their athleticism stood out. Vincent, Laravia, Knecht couldn't matchup. Bouyea with more good minutes, just plays with great pace and looks like a vet running offense. Royce was a bit cold from 3 but had 7 boards and 11 assists.
I think our depth really showed out - Outside of Luka, LeBron and AR there's just not much there for the Lakers while we're still going a legit 8 deep despite missing 3 starters.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
CG just takes what the defense gives him and was on fire with 8 threes.
Is it still true that Booker has never hit 8 3s in a game in his career? And Gillespie just walks into it in his first season getting real minutes. Crazy.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 7:40 am
by ShelC
Book's a scorer, not a shooter. He can shoot the 3 but his bread and butter is the midrange - same as MJ and Kobe.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Book's a scorer, not a shooter. He can shoot the 3 but his bread and butter is the midrange - same as MJ and Kobe.
Yeah, sadly his 3% has never matched his form.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 8:30 am
by AmareIsGod
Amazing how much better we played without Booker. How sustainable that is, we will surely see as I expect him to miss a couple of weeks at least. Brooks has blown my mind and CG is the real deal.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
I think our depth really showed out - Outside of Luka, LeBron and AR there's just not much there for the Lakers while we're still going a legit 8 deep despite missing 3 starters.
Kind of like the Suns the last two years?
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Amazing how much better we played without Booker. How sustainable that is, we will surely see as I expect him to miss a couple of weeks at least. Brooks has blown my mind and CG is the real deal.
Teams have been double and triple teaming Booker and I think that is how they plan to play the Suns. It is possible that when Booker went out that they didn't have much of a game plan after that. But if Booker is out for a while they will start focusing on the others.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:04 am
by iLLmatic
I know most on here aren’t interested in trading Booker, but it will be interesting to see if/when Green returns. If Green can score in bunches, does that make Booker expendable? That will definitely jump start the retooling of this team, especially if we can grab a bunch of picks. Just a thought.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:08 am
by ShelC
I don't think the Lakers were particularly locked in yesterday. Luka was early, but LeBron looked unengaged and I wonder if he just coasts this season with it being Luka's team now. But if you look at the Lakers' recent stretch, they beat up on the Jazz, Mavs, Pels, and Clips so their record was padded. They got punched in the mouth. Better teams will for sure double Brooks and run CG off the line. Then it will be on Royce, Grayson and Goodwin to knock down shots.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:13 am
by The Bobster
A couple of thoughts on the Lakers -
- LeBron looks disinterested since he's no longer the focal point of things.
- Luka's defense is still terrible and it's hard to hide a bad defender in the playoffs - teams find ways to isolate them, and there's nobody to clean up the mess.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:49 am
by Bucktastic365
KALSHI big bet; game that Bron loses the streak(that was fukin bestowed to him!)
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
He's SUPER deferring, and nervous. I've been that guy, lol
I honestly wish Ott would purposely call plays for him when we are in control.
Both him, AND Dunn need to screw 3's; both would be amazing as slasher/FLOATER guys.
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Doesn’t Booker literally get a groin injury around this time every year???
I'll guarantee you it's from a side step jumper; 100% my Christmas wish is that the Suns hire full time yoga trainers to get them stretched out. All these injuries are from lack of flexibility. Just my opinion
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
I said star not superstar but Dragic at his peak, was a star. Him becoming Dragic, would be great.
Looking at his skills set, I think it is entirely possible. I do think his ceiling is even higher, like a Nash-Manu hybrid on offense and a Stockton on defense. But hard ceiling to reach.
Any percentage of that kind of player is a net positive for the team
Re: Game Day: Suns (12-9) @ Lakers (15-4), Mon 12/1/25
Doesn’t Booker literally get a groin injury around this time every year???
I'll guarantee you it's from a side step jumper; 100% my Christmas wish is that the Suns hire full time yoga trainers to get them stretched out. All these injuries are from lack of flexibility. Just my opinion
We already hired an entire Jenner to work on his groin! Nothing is helping!