Playoffs: Suns @ Clippers Thursday game thread 4-20-2023 - Game 3

[Mainstreet]

On Thursday, the Suns travel to LA to play at the Clippers in game 3 of the playoffs.

The Suns tie the series at 1-1 in game 2 at Phoenix.

When: Thursday, April 20th

Television: NBA TV, Bally Sports Arizona

Radio: KMVP 98.7 / S: KSUN

Time: 7:30 pm Arizona Time

 

[Jakester]

Hopefully Cam Payne is back for game 3. He has by no means been playing well but he at least can bring the ball up the court to give CP3 and Book a breather there and will cut into Shamets playing time which is a huge plus.

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns can get Payne back, along with Biz and Okogie, it resembles a bench.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Gotta get KD’s minutes under control.

 

[Jakester]

If Payne can come back this should be the rotation moving forward. It won't be but it should be:

Durant
Booker
Paul
ayton
Craig
Payne
Okogie
Ross (he was promised playing time for signing here so 4 minutes in the first two playoff games while playing Shamet for like 40 plus minutes is a bad look and he can at least score which is more than I can say for most of the bench guys)
Biyambo

Warren I would possibly be open to depending on the situation and that's it's. No Shamet, wainwright, Landale, or lees please. You don't need to go 12 deep for the bench for the playoffs although Monty seems to think so.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Shamet should not be playing over Ross

 

[Cheesebeef]

Shamet should not be playing over Ross

Shamet should not be playing over anyone. Would have rather had Saban Lee on the roster as break in case of emergency back up PG, especially with Payne injured going into the playoffs.

 

[Superbone]

Shamet should not be playing over anyone. Would have rather had Saban Lee on the roster as break in case of emergency back up PG, especially with Payne injured going into the playoffs.

I think it’s too late for that.

 

[nashman]

We have played pretty well on the road which some guys really thrive on. Let hope that trend continues and these guys have loosened up a bit, it’s why I hated having a week off and resting starters the last few games they just had way to much rest and no game action. 1st qtr game one was the perfect example of just totally out of sync not playing for awhile crap we could not afford. Clawing back from big deficits is not easy and you wear yourself out and cannot finish with energy. We need to get off to good starts to manage playin grime etc.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think it’s too late for that.

Yes… hence the past tense in my sentence.

 

[Finito]

Shamet should not be playing over Ross

At all

 

[Superbone]

Has Shamet made a basket in the series?

 

[82CardsGrad]

Shamet should not be playing over anyone. Would have rather had Saban Lee on the roster as break in case of emergency back up PG, especially with Payne injured going into the playoffs.

Shamet should not be playing over Ross

Shamet is in over Ross only because of defense. Ross is literally incapable of playing defense and is a foul machine, which means he would only hasten the Clips getting to the line while resembling nothing more than a turn-style on defense.
Shamet is merely “ok” on defense, which underscores how awful Ross is.

 

[95pro]

Shamet last night: 0 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, 0 for 2 from 3pt land. But hey he's a +4 lol

Just continues to amaze me how many minutes he's racked up.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Boy, a day after a Suns playoff win is a good day indeed!

Hopefully we can start stringing these together, series to series so we can all enjoy the ride.

We have a long way to go before I feel confident about it!

 

[BirdGangThing]

Craig is starting because whoever the 5th is will have a ton of open looks and has to produce, which is exactly what Craig has done while starting in both playoff games. It's everything Okogie stopped doing. Seems to be working imo, we would've lost by more in Game 1 and Craig was again a major factor in Game 2. But I digress - for the foreseeable future. I'm gonna chill on the Suns forum for a minute. I actually like the coach so it's hard out here for a pimp. So anyways, cheers and let's go Suns. I still think they'll win in 6, have a good series everybody

 

[Finito]

Boy, a day after a Suns playoff win is a good day indeed!

Hopefully we can start stringing these together, series to series so we can all enjoy the ride.

We have a long way to go before I feel confident about it!

I can actually watch TV and get on the internet

 

[Finito]

I really liked Booker being a primary ball handler. I like Book bringing it up and put Paul in the corner. Paul has turned into a good spot up shooter and I’d love with him taking wide open jumpers all day

 

[Proximo]

Shamet should not be playing over Ross

Depends on the series. Against the Clippers, I think he should be.

 

[Proximo]

Shamet last night: 0 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, 0 for 2 from 3pt land. But hey he's a +4 lol

Just continues to amaze me how many minutes he's racked up.

He's on the court to play defense. The only time he is shooting is if the shot clock is running out - which is what everyone wants.

This idea that Ross or Lee would be better than him is just plain stupid. Both are far worse defensively, and we wouldn't want them shooting or ball handling either when either Booker or Durant are in the game - which they almost always are.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Has Shamet made a basket in the series?

Dunk and layup last game on breakaways.

 

[Mainstreet]

Craig is starting because whoever the 5th is will have a ton of open looks and has to produce, which is exactly what Craig has done while starting in both playoff games. It's everything Okogie stopped doing. Seems to be working imo, we would've lost by more in Game 1 and Craig was again a major factor in Game 2. But I digress - for the foreseeable future. I'm gonna chill on the Suns forum for a minute. I actually like the coach so it's hard out here for a pimp. So anyways, cheers and let's go Suns. I still think they'll win in 6, have a good series everybody

It's nice to have you back. Please keep posting on the Suns forum. I enjoy your takes.

Sometimes it's better to leave certain things unsaid for the betterment of the forum, even if they are accurate.

 

[Superbone]

Dunk and layup last game on breakaways.

Thanks. I thought I had vaguely remembered a dunk.

 

[95pro]

He's on the court to play defense. The only time he is shooting is if the shot clock is running out - which is what everyone wants.

This idea that Ross or Lee would be better than him is just plain stupid. Both are far worse defensively, and we wouldn't want them shooting or ball handling either when either Booker or Durant are in the game - which they almost always are.

Well i've said all season that Lee sucks on defense and should not be playing meaningful minutes.

Then we didn't bring Ross here to the Suns for his defense. He could sub in for Book or KD instead of having them play entire quarters. But once Payne comes back we could see him instead of Shamet.

 

[Covert Rain]

Gotta get KD’s minutes under control.

I hope we get her done this next game and get HC back. Having said that? Yeah...the minutes KD and Book are logging is a little concerning. I just don't see that getting under control when our bench doesn't show up. We need the bench to show up.