Playoffs Round 1, Game 3: Phoenix Suns (1-1) @ New Orleans Pelicans, Fri 4/22/22

[Superbone]

Time: 6:30 pm AZ (6:30 pm PT/9:30 pm ET)
Place: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
TV: ESPN

Time to dig down deep and show these young upstarts what a championship team looks like. Book is a luxury. We can, and we will, do this without him. We will do it for him. Let's f'n go!

‪https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/suns.pdf‬
‪https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/pelicans.pdf‬

Go Suns!!!

Dis • cuss

[Gladiator]

Just win.
Go Suns!!

[In2ition]

This is the kind of stuff that either hasn't been addressed or hasn't sunk in yet. It's been going on all season. This is one of the ways to beat the Suns, but could easily be addressed with focus and effort.

[djy2j]

Need guys to snap out of their shooting funks, especially Crowder. Pels have only had to guard 4 guys when he has been on the floor so far. Need some attitude out there tonight. Pels have had it way too easy.

[JeremyG]

This is the kind of stuff that either hasn't been addressed or hasn't sunk in yet. It's been going on all season. This is one of the ways to beat the Suns, but could easily be addressed with focus and effort.

Bridges may be the DPOY runner-up but Ayton has been our top defender in the playoffs. Crazy how he never gets recognition for his defense.

But I have no faith in Ayton's teammates to rebound, so maybe he's gonna have to just stay on his man and stop defending shots?

[Split T]

Ayton was good in game 1, not so much in game 2

[Superbone]

This is the kind of stuff that either hasn't been addressed or hasn't sunk in yet. It's been going on all season. This is one of the ways to beat the Suns, but could easily be addressed with focus and effort.

Yep, that is a great example of this issue which needs to be fixed. The Suns had two players in position that made zero effort to box out and BOTH Pelicans just waltzed around them for an easy put back.

[In2ition]

This is the kind of stuff that either hasn't been addressed or hasn't sunk in yet. It's been going on all season. This is one of the ways to beat the Suns, but could easily be addressed with focus and effort.

Yep, that is a great example of this issue which needs to be fixed. The Suns had two players in position that made zero effort to box out and BOTH Pelicans just waltzed around them for an easy put back.

Idk how you can call yourself a top defensive team and allow these types of plays to happen again and again. We saw it when they played the Warriors, definitely saw it when they got trounced by the Grizzlies 2nd and 3rd stringers, and saw it in the 1st game against the Pels. No effort to impede an offensive rebounders path to the basket.

Either address it and fix it, or the Suns go home early. It's that simple.

[JeremyG]

We need to focus on team rebounding for sure, but we also need a legit power forward. It's been obvious for years, but James Jones refuses to see it.

The vast majority of games, both Crowder and Cam Johnson are useless on the boards. And Crowder's been useless on offense so far, too.

[Indy]

We need to focus on team rebounding for sure, but we also need a legit power forward. It's been obvious for years, but James Jones refuses to see it.

The vast majority of games, both Crowder and Cam Johnson are useless on the boards. And Crowder's been useless on offense so far, too.

That just isn't true. Just because Jae has ~10% rebound rate, doesn't mean he isn't boxing out and creating easier rebounds for his team. Securing the ball is important, not who secures it.

Name a starting level PF in this league you think still leave us room to sign Ayton, won't take shots key away from our most efficient scorers, and keeps our offense and defense in the top 5?

[Split T]

We need to focus on team rebounding for sure, but we also need a legit power forward. It's been obvious for years, but James Jones refuses to see it.

The vast majority of games, both Crowder and Cam Johnson are useless on the boards. And Crowder's been useless on offense so far, too.

You’ve gotta be careful, making a big change like playing a traditional pf can end up taking away from what makes you special. Can you find one that spaces the floor and is as versatile defensively as Crowder? Jalen was not the answer, but I think that was the idea when we drafted him.

Who’s your ideal option? Not sure you can do it unless you use the salary designated for Ayton and fill Ayton’s role with a cheaper option. I think that’s doable.

[In2ition]

We need to focus on team rebounding for sure, but we also need a legit power forward. It's been obvious for years, but James Jones refuses to see it.

Jones saw it, and that's most likely the reason he took Jalen Smith over Haliburton. Not picking up his 3rd yr was also a mistake, imo.

[Drewsprocket]

We need to focus on team rebounding for sure, but we also need a legit power forward. It's been obvious for years, but James Jones refuses to see it.

Jones saw it, and that's most likely the reason he took Jalen Smith over Haliburton. Not picking up his 3rd yr was also a mistake, imo.

I agree. I wanted Vassell or Haliburton. He swung and missed. Jalen Smith wasn’t as NBA ready as he thought.
We will see how things turn out. This is Jones’s first championship window as GM. If it closes fast this first round I think he has plenty moves to make to make us better next year.

[bajanguy008]

Valid points being made about rebounding and positions but here we still stand with a constructed team more than capable of winning.
What I have noticed though in this first week of games is that seemingly every night "One of the Others" is making key contributions. Just off the top of my head from highlights....
Kleber
The ghost of Bertans
Grant Williams
Bruce Brown
Brandon Clarke
Malik Beasley

I will add in Horford and Vuc who as former All Stars playing some of their best ball of the season.
Point is across the league, teams are getting contributions outside their stars and our depth been spoken about all season so it's now our turn
It's just the little things in the Playoffs man, nobody has to go off for 20+ but back to back 3s as part of an 8-0 run and stuff like that is what makes all the difference in playoffs so yea went a little long here but.....
You get the idea, time for our supporting cast to do their thing

[Mori Chu]

BTW, I realized that I never went back to check on how Stix was doing in Indy the rest of this season. It's actually really impressive. They have been playing him around 25 minutes/game, and he's averaging 13.4 ppg on .531 FG% (.373 3pt%), along with 7.6 reb. Those are totally respectable numbers. Sure looks like we blew it not picking up his next year option.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... hja04.html

[ShelC]

Stix was never a bust. We blew the pick evaluating what kind of talent/big he was.

[Flagrant Fowl]

We're all expecting a higher level of intensity from the Suns in this one. I'm still bitter about how they allowed themselves to be out worked in Game 2, so I'm a bit on edge going into Game 3.

Everyone of these guys needs to come in with an attitude. I haven't seen a chip on their shoulder since the game in Minnesota.

I've subscribed to the idea that the Suns will win this series with defense first. They showed the ability to do it in Game 1, and they can't keep letting the baby Pels play comfortably like it's game 10 of the season in November.

[bajanguy008]

Now got in cause I simply went out n about today for a reason to step out in my Suns gear. When the doubters and naysayers start to pop up is when I feel to wear my stuff and proudly rep my guys .
Doubled down by switching my weekend off day from tomorrow to tonight so I can watch this properly live. Important game and I'm ready man

[bajanguy008]

[Indy]

We're all expecting a higher level of intensity from the Suns in this one. I'm still bitter about how they allowed themselves to be out worked in Game 2, so I'm a bit on edge going into Game 3.

Everyone of these guys needs to come in with an attitude. I haven't seen a chip on their shoulder since the game in Minnesota.

I've subscribed to the idea that the Suns will win this series with defense first. They showed the ability to do it in Game 1, and they can't keep letting the baby Pels play comfortably like it's game 10 of the season in November.

We should also remember that they just seem more focused and better on the road. Last year, they lost 4 total playoff games before the Finals, and half of them came at home.