Playoffs: Suns @ Nuggets Saturday game thread 4-29-2023- Game 1

[Finito]

Everybody all upset but make no mistake Denver is better than us. They are totally locked in and are playing TEAM ball.

We had a ton of issues after what happened in Dallas last year and we didn’t address any of them. JJ just pretended it never happened and this is what we get.

 

[Phrazbit]

After consummating the KD trade, the Nuggets were the worst team we could face.

The Nuggets rely on three point shooting on offense, they struggle against teams that move the and force rotations on defense....

We are a bad perimeter defending team and our offense is built on 2 ISO players.

We're playing a team. The Suns are not a team, the Suns are two superstars and a bunch of dudes vaguely trying to help them.

 

[Russ Smith]

After consummating the KD trade, the Nuggets were the worst team we could face.

The Nuggets rely on three point shooting on offense, they struggle against teams that move the and force rotations on defense....

We are a bad perimeter defending team and our offense is built on 2 ISO players.

We're playing a team. The Suns are not a team, the Suns are two superstars and a bunch of dudes vaguely trying to help them.

AS an outsider, and I watched only part of the game. The Suns lack of 3 point shooting is a big issue against Denver. You can put Denver in pick and roll with Joker but he's going to drop cover every time so you have to make him pay with 3's, they really didn't. 7 threes just isn't going to be enough to beat Denver consistently.

The other thing that's been talked about here often, in order to get Durant, the Suns had to trade depth and so they don't have the depth that Denver does, they actually outscored Denvers bench 24-23 but only because the game got out of hand so the deep benches played quite a bit. Brown had 14 for Denver, Landale with 7 was the only Sun bench guy that really scored much in the meat of the game and his defense was exploited repeatedly. When the Suns made a push to get the game close 3 times in a row Denver just went ISO and Gordon beat Landale for basically a dunk, a layup and I think he passed for a 3 on the other one.

If the Suns are going to win they either need more from the bench, or their starters are going to have to put up 100 plus points every game.

I do think the Suns CAN win the series but Denver is a difficult matchup for them, which of course is why Denver won 53 games this year they're really good

 

[Vacard]

Ayton got the contract and doesn’t even are anymore??

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[TJ]

He sucked ass last night. Started hot scoring but that was it. Sucked in every other facet.

He did not have a good game at all. In this series, there is very little margin for error from the big 4; and at best, all of them except for Durant only played well in spurts.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

The Joker had more offensive rebounds (8) than Ayton had total rebounds (7)

 

[TJ]

The Joker had more offensive rebounds (8) than Ayton had total rebounds (7)

Yes. That is embarrassing.

 

[dscher]

Ayton got the contract and doesn’t even are anymore??

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I hope that crap goes viral and hits at the org level. The fact they gave a player like that the money they did shows some lack in decision making IMO. Even worse is that he showed this stuff BEFORE the contract. Maybe ishbia cleans house a bit next year.

 

[95pro]

Ayton got the contract and doesn’t even are anymore??

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Zero heart right there. Giving up thinking the shot is guaranteed to go in for points.

Even if he was there, he’d be so far under the rim or even behind the backboard, which is usually the case. Zero brains too.

 

[leclerc]

Got killed on the boards. Need to show more intensity on defense and rebounding next game.

 

[Hoop Head]

He did not have a good game at all. In this series, there is very little margin for error from the big 4; and at best, all of them except for Durant only played well in spurts.

Why are you excluding KD from that? He had half the teams turnovers and looked sloppy and tentative at times. He fits right there with the others as only playing well in spurts. Some longer than others but not one of the big four had what could be called a good game beginning to end.

 

[TJ]

Why are you excluding KD from that? He had half the teams turnovers and looked sloppy and tentative at times. He fits right there with the others as only playing well in spurts. Some longer than others but not one of the big four had what could be called a good game beginning to end.

He covered Ayton’s ass on the boards and had some blocks. Not an “A” game by any stretch, but he did more than enough to overcome seven turnovers

 

[Bufalay]

Jamal Murray shot 3/10 when defended by Booker, Ayton and Craig combined. He shot 10/12 when guarded by Okogie, Durant, Paul and Shamet.

I was surprised how bad Okogie looked against Murray. They might want to try Booker against him.

 

[95pro]

Jamal Murray shot 3/10 when defended by Booker, Ayton and Craig combined. He shot 10/12 when guarded by Okogie, Durant, Paul and Shamet.

I was surprised how bad Okogie looked against Murray. They might want to try Booker against him.

Kahwi made Okogie look bad too. I think its the nerves for Okogie, hopefully he settles in better today. There was an adjustment period for him during the clippers series. Hopefully he doesnt need to readjust everytime.

 

[Bufalay]

Kahwi made Okogie look bad too. I think its the nerves for Okogie, hopefully he settles in better today. There was an adjustment period for him during the clippers series. Hopefully he doesnt need to readjust everytime.

Ya, but Leonard is much bigger than Okogie. I assume that is why the Suns opted to start Craig in against the Clippers and assumed that Okogie would be a better matchup against the smaller Murray.

 

[Phrazbit]

Jamal Murray shot 3/10 when defended by Booker, Ayton and Craig combined. He shot 10/12 when guarded by Okogie, Durant, Paul and Shamet.

I was surprised how bad Okogie looked against Murray. They might want to try Booker against him.

Jamal is one of those dudes that one game will look awesome and one game will be straight up garbage and it seems to have very little to do with who is covering him. He just gets hot sometimes.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Jamal is one of those dudes that one game will look awesome and one game will be straight up garbage and it seems to have very little to do with who is covering him. He just gets hot sometimes.

His competitive rivalry with Devin has brought out the best from him. After his first few games against us he's easily won the matchup against Booker. Devin is playing some of his best ball right now so hopefully this will change in this series.

 

[Cheesebeef]

His competitive rivalry with Devin has brought out the best from him. After his first few games against us he's easily won the matchup against Booker.

He’s something like 19-3 against us.

Devin is playing some of his best ball right now so hopefully this will change in this series.

It’s got to or we don’t have a chance in hell.