Blazers @ Suns Tuesday NBA Play-In Game Thread, 4-14-2026

[JosiahLee]

Do you think *maybe* ManMan could have helped with Avdija driving in on everybody?

This was terrible coaching job.

I am livid.

Avdija literally looked like a god, yet zero double teams and absolutely trash interior defense.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Suns season is over. Even if they win the next game they earned an early bounce from the #1 seed. Not that they would beat San Antonio but I felt like there was a shot.

They have zero shot against the Thunder. ZERO.

Nah. There was no shot at either. Getting in would still be a win for the franchise.

 

[Raindog]

Yup, a lot of obvious takes that everyone is noting. Ott has turned out to be not so much a genius and actually more of a stubborn fool this second half of the year. He has killed their season momentum as much as any other single factor.

Ighodaro should not be a high rotation player, let alone getting the sole big man minutes like tonight. I don't know how bleeping stupid you have to be to not see that. Ott apparently is incredibly stupid.

And Booker needs to be moved while he can still fetch a decent return. He's no longer a player you can build a winner around, if he ever legitimately was... that's debatable.

 

[Phrazbit]

The bigs were awful, Booker had to be better… that was a brutal ending.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I have no idea how this team is so bad in the clutch.

75 million dollars per year invested in a terrible clutch player is probably one of the reasons.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Williams. Williams sat on the bench while the offense came to a stand still. Then during that stretch Oso didn’t protect the rim.

Oso can’t shoot a jumper so his guy sags down on defense.

I had to ask my wife if I missed it and William's had an injury.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Do you think *maybe* ManMan could have helped with Avdija driving in on everybody?

This was terrible coaching job.

I am livid.

No… but Fleming would’ve!

 

[Covert Rain]

The bigs were awful, Booker had to be better… that was a brutal ending.

You actually have to play our bigs. Oso is probably the “smallest” big on the team. He is so soft.

 

[Proximo]

Suns season is over. Even if they win the next game they earned an early bounce from the #1 seed. Not that they would beat San Antonio but I felt like there was a shot.

They have zero shot against the Thunder. ZERO.

I mean you are right of course, but I still want them to get in.

 

[JosiahLee]

Agree. It’s been a sour end of the season but still a successful season overall. Have to hope man man and Fleming take a step that we didn’t see from Oso or Dunn this season.

And I’m open to trading Booker. If you can get a bushel of picks and young talent for him go get that bag.

Yeah there’s so many question marks and no one on this team untouchable. They could literally trade Booker, Green, Brooks, Williams and idk that it would be a setback overall. They clearly overachieved this season, perhaps they should sell high.

 

[Proximo]

No… but Fleming would’ve!

I don’t actually think he would have. He gets blown by a lot and bites on head fakes a ton too. I really like the kid too, but I don’t for a second believe him not playing cost us the game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I’ve consistently made every excuse for Book over the years… But I’m out of ‘em now. Tonight was hideous, period. The team desperately needed him to merely have an average night, and he couldn’t even rise to the level of average.
Sorry Book… Great guy. Great community presence. But you’re simply NOT a max player. Being a 25ppg regular season producer, and disappearing in the post season has run its course. Sucks big time… but it is what it is.

That is when we even make the post-season. We lose our next game and we’re staring at making the post-season a total of what… 4 times in Booker’s 11 seasons? And ALL of them ending in pretty humiliating or at least pretty pathetic fashion.

 

[Covert Rain]

75 million dollars per year invested in a terrible clutch player is probably one of the reasons.

You simply can’t argue this any longer. Book isn’t a closer. Many of us said that Book should have been traded for a ton of picks. I stand by that. We should have done it.

Great players show up and dominate in the playoffs.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I mean you are right of course, but I still want them to get in.

Agreed.

 

[82CardsGrad]

That is when we even make the post-season. We lose our next game and we’re staring at making the post-season a total of what… 4 times in Booker’s 11 seasons? And ALL of them ending in pretty humiliating or at least pretty pathetic fashion.

Yep… Damn…

 

[JosiahLee]

I mean you are right of course, but I still want them to get in.

I do believe they could have had a competitive series against the Spurs, but now they need a miracle to make the playoffs. And to your point, against the Thunder, bet the house on a sweep.

 

[AzCardsfan76]

Missed FT’s by book, the opposite of clutch in the closing minutes. Combined with absolute head scratching line ups and continuing to go with Oso down the stretch. Fleming should have got a look in order to at least have his size and athleticism alter Avdija, at least Flemming can shoot the ball and drive the ball and force defenders to play him. Oso was like a deer in the headlights. The my literally didn’t have to guard him. I am not an Oso hater by any means. To me this lays on Ott and showing that he was 100% in over his head in this play in game.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I don’t actually think he would have. He gets blown by a lot and bites on head fakes a ton too. I really like the kid too, but I don’t for a second believe him not playing cost us the game.

Fleming not playing absolutely did NOT cost us the game. Still, he should’ve been tossed out there and given a shot at defending Advija, because literally no other player could. Like, literally NO OTHER player!

 

[dscher]

Look on the bright side. You won't have to watch this mess get swept by OKC or SA. That's a win and time saved.

 

[Mainstreet]

A not so fun thought.

The word was the Suns planned to draft Deni Avdija if he fell to #10 in the 2020 draft.

He went #9 to the Wizards.

 

[Sunstroke]

Booker is JAG, maybe a star player in Phoenix, but not a star player in the NBA. A very good streaky player.

 

[Proximo]

I do believe they could have had a competitive series against the Spurs, but now they need a miracle to make the playoffs. And to your point, against the Thunder, bet the house on a sweep.

I don’t think they need a miracle to win their the next game, they should win.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

GET EFFING OSO OFF THE EFFING FLOOR!!!

WHEN HE'S IN THERE, THEY HAVE AN EXTRA MAN TO ROAM AROUND TO DISRUPT THE OFFENSE BECAUSE HE DOESN'T NEED TO BE GUARDED.

So around the 4th quarter I started zeroing in on Oso on offensive possessions.

if he didnt have the ball and was above 10 ft from the basket Portland just pretended he didn't exist. The dropped an extra man right outside of the restricted circle.

if he screened, they doubled the ball handler and ignored him.

You are absolutely correct. I don't know how Ott doesnt see this when he reviews the tape

 

[JosiahLee]

You simply can’t argue this any longer. Book isn’t a closer. Many of us said that Book should have been traded for a ton of picks. I stand by that. We should have done it.

Great players show up and dominate in the playoffs.

How many playoff games has Book had like Avdija had tonight? I can’t remember…But the Suns are missing someone with balls like that who is clutch. You just knew he was gonna score on that last possession, and you just knew we were gonna miss at the end.

 

[TJ]

I’ve consistently made every excuse for Book over the years… But I’m out of ‘em now. Tonight was hideous, period. The team desperately needed him to merely have an average night, and he couldn’t even rise to the level of average.
Sorry Book… Great guy. Great community presence. But you’re simply NOT a max player. Being a 25ppg regular season producer, and disappearing in the post season has run its course. Sucks big time… but it is what it is.

Could’ve flipped him and restocked the shelves before the season, but opted to make him the highest paid player in the league.

At this point, the attraction to booker is purely emotional.