Playoffs: Nuggets @ Suns Friday game thread 5-5-2023 - Game 3

[BirdGangThing]

Honestly pretty happy to not see a certain hashtag

 

[Covert Rain]

I think they should start Landale. If anything they send a message to Ayton that Charmin playing, disengaged pouting disappointment of a #1 overall pick.

 

[Mainstreet]

SUNS WIN GAME #3.

Final:

Suns 116 - Nuggets 107

 

[Hoop Head]

Shooters need to shoot. I say keep shooting and they'll eventually fall.

In the regular season, I agree but when the season is on the line like it was tonight? He needed to pass out a little more. All good we got the win despite his poor shooting but we won't be that lucky often.

 

[Proximo]

That is not what you said. This is what I replied to: "Not really. He really has not played to his standard. Look at his shooting percentage." You are moving the goalposts. BTW Durant was 39/9/9.

How?

Efficiency is super important. It's really what determines whether you win or lose. If Book hadn't had a ridiculously efficient night and offset Durant - We lose.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

What was up with Ayton? I saw the box scores. With all these people bashing him you would think he would come out pissed..

Nah

I have done my best to defend him but he's a giant ***

 

[Finito]

Shooters need to shoot. I say keep shooting and they'll eventually fall.

Right

Gotta think he has to break out soon

 

[Chaplin]

How?

Efficiency is super important. It's really what determines whether you win or lose. If Book hadn't had a ridiculously efficient night and offset Durant - We lose.

But we didn’t lose.

Give it a rest.

 

[Proximo]

What was up with Ayton? I saw the box scores. With all these people bashing him you would think he would come out pissed..

I have no idea. He pretty much sleep walked tonight. I really didn't think he would do that in the playoffs.

Quite frankly, Landale deserves to start over him in the next game.

 

[95pro]

Payne did just well enough. He pushed the energy to start the game. He got into Jokic’s space a couple of times, his nuts, he tried to take a charge on a pass, then he tried for another charge on a Jokic floater.

 

[AzCardsfan76]

Enough is enough with the hate.

I hate Ayton….

 

[Finito]

How?

Efficiency is super important. It's really what determines whether you win or lose. If Book hadn't had a ridiculously efficient night and offset Durant - We lose.

Right this is two games in a row.

You can’t defend 12/31. He has to shoot better

 

[Covert Rain]

Shooters need to shoot. I say keep shooting and they'll eventually fall.

This. He isn’t going to keep shooting at this clip. Durant drew double teams even on the shots he missed. If he stops shooting then all of the sudden nobody thinks he is a threat. 100% he need to keep shooting.

 

[Finito]

Loved Cam Payne tonight he filled in with energy

 

[Big Al]

Booker with the only 2 free throws for the entire Suns team outside of KD

that’s ridiculous

Amazing Booker scores 47 points and opponents only fouled him once or so the refs thought.

But for some players like Jokic they just push the defensive player in the chest and move the defensive player out the way with no call on them , travel, then score & go to the free throw line for 1.

 

[JosiahLee]

Durant needs to shoot better or shoot less. Yes, 39 points is good but he shot 12-31 from the field. That's way too many misses and they weren't exactly bad shots. He was just off.

He was fine IMO. Terrible start going 1-8, but then he finished 11-23 and honestly kept us in the game single-handedly at points in the game by continuing to get to the line. 39 points after that rough start is tremendous.

 

[Covert Rain]

How?

Efficiency is super important. It's really what determines whether you win or lose. If Book hadn't had a ridiculously efficient night and offset Durant - We lose.

So is getting to the free throw line. If not for Durant we would have zero free throws and been blown out. It’s really important for teams to recognize him as a threat to draw people away from Booker like it did tonight. Booker had a ton of lanes open tonight.

 

[Hoop Head]

What was up with Ayton? I saw the box scores. With all these people bashing him you would think he would come out pissed..

He was his usual timid self. Talk the talk and can't walk the walk unless that is walk is slowly towards a loose ball or his defensive assignment.

Landale outplayed him so badly they even talked about it on ESPN and questioned how long Monty would keep Ayton out there while Jock rested. I'm 100% serious with that. I actually laughed out loud when I heard it.

 

[JosiahLee]

I have to eat crow on Payne, he played excellent minutes tonight. He looked to get his teammates involved and didn’t force shots. I didn’t mind any of his misses bc they were good attempts.

 

[WisconsinCard]

In the regular season, I agree but when the season is on the line like it was tonight? He needed to pass out a little more. All good we got the win despite his poor shooting but we won't be that lucky often.

He hit 56% on the year. 4 time scoring champion. I can say with confidence they will start to fall.

 

[Mainstreet]

Payne did just well enough. He pushed the energy to start the game. He got into Jokic’s space a couple of times, his nuts, he tried to take a charge on a pass, then he tried for another charge on a Jokic floater.

No doubt Cam Payne brought the energy tonight. Hopefully his game keeps improving with more playing time.

 

[Finito]

If Booker got any kind of calls and got to the line he would of got 60

 

[TJ]

You cant blame Monty if he were to start Landale over Ayton in the next game or just flat out gave Ayton a DNP-CD and let Landale and Bizzy play. Whether this is intentional or not from Ayton, it’s screwing up the flow of the game.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

Well….that was a lot to process lol. I’m glad we won but idk how that’s sustainable going forward. This is the KD and Book show, tune in and have a seat.

Glad we finally played TJ and Terrence just to at least try it out. But still, that was a game where we had control, they stole it, it was even, and then we closed.

Ayton….I know Jokic is a tough cover but you gotta play better than that man. I’m serious, he needs to speak to a sports psychologist. It’s just disappointing seeing someone waste their gift when they have all the talent to be great. Dominayton feels dead. Sorry Tesla Battery.

 

[BirdGangThing]

You all know Ayton's a big part of the problem right?

Bust in the playoffs

Doesn't matter who's on the team with him, literally Booker and Kevin Durant