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

[TJ]

I've been saying it from the start of the season about Oso. Oh so terrible! The majority of this game was keeping him in for long stretches. Is 4 on5 when he's in.

Our centers combined for 7 pts on 5 attempts. Pathetic.

We had the momentum going with about 3 minutes left, but some pretty dumb fouls there stopped us. Book had one, Brooks had one and the T. The only person with bravado didn't even touch the ball during that time.

Facts. Oso is what he is. That’s why i hate that Maluach didn’t rip the back up center position from him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

1 FG, 1 assist in the second half for Book, losing a home play-in game, to an inferior opponent.

Man… that sucks.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

i can't watch games in here unless we have the lead lol it's just too negative meanwhile i have a completely different perspective - im fascinated watching this team get better - we knew that would come with tough times - struggles would naturally come - that the season wouldn't end well and that we were overachieving to begin with - im mad and sad and disappointed about last night but imo it was the ultimate expected growing pain - everyone can fan how they want - i want to root for the team to make a run when we're down and get back in the game which is always possible - it's all good tho and im not calling any one out - we're all suns fans - not quite as bad as being a cards fan but still rough none the less - still love you guys

 

[ASUCHRIS]

i can't watch games in here unless we have the lead lol it's just too negative meanwhile i have a completely different perspective - im fascinated watching this team get better - we knew that would come with tough times - struggles would naturally come - that the season wouldn't end well and that we were overachieving to begin with - im mad and sad and disappointed about last night but imo it was the ultimate expected growing pain - everyone can fan how they want - i want to root for the team to make a run when we're down and get back in the game which is always possible - it's all good tho and im not calling any one out - we're all suns fans - not quite as bad as being a cards fan but still rough none the less - still love you guys

I want to be positive, but if we lose Friday, then pretty much everything we thought we accomplished will feel very empty. We'd also be the only 7 seed ever not to make the actual playoffs.

So many people said the Suns success was due to other teams not playing in the first half of the season - it's hard to disagree if we lose on Friday - our second half record has been very bad.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

I want to be positive, but if we lose Friday, then pretty much everything we thought we accomplished will feel very empty. We'd also be the only 7 seed ever not to make the actual playoffs.

So many people said the Suns success was due to other teams not playing in the first half of the season - it's hard to disagree if we lose on Friday - our second half record has been very bad.

if we lose friday the team gets to live through that pain the entire offseason - losing two consecutive 1 game series and missing the playoffs altogether would be immensely painful but should be the ultimate tackling fuel

im hoping we win friday - i know we can - if so i expect to get annihilated by okc but no matter what happens this has been a great year to build on - starting to learn ott's trust in "his guys" might be a double edged sword but that's the case with most good coaches - my biggest concern with ott is him not utilizing our size once their maturity has arrived - is phx forever small ball or will fleming and maluach start next year

next year's going to be even funner than this year lol

 

[ASUCHRIS]

if we lose friday the team gets to live through that pain the entire offseason - losing two consecutive 1 game series and missing the playoffs altogether would be immensely painful but should be the ultimate tackling fuel

im hoping we win friday - i know we can - if so i expect to get annihilated by okc but no matter what happens this has been a great year to build off - starting to learn ott's trust in "hus guys" might be a double edged sword but that's the case with most good coaches - my biggest concern with ott is him not utilizing our size once their maturity has arrived - is phx forever small ball or will fleming and maluach start next year

next year's going to be even funner than this year lol

I don't know...I see this team having so many unknowns moving forward. Book making 70M per year and not being able to close in year 10 is incredibly disturbing to me.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

I don't know...I see this team having so many unknowns moving forward. Book making 70M per year and not being able to close in year 10 is incredibly disturbing to me.

im not doing the book debates anymore bro - he isn't going anywhere and we're lucky to have him - always been my take

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't know...I see this team having so many unknowns moving forward. Book making 70M per year and not being able to close in year 10 is incredibly disturbing to me.

I would be OK with keeping Book if there was a plan to get a #1 in here. However, with the cap problem, assets and the new rules? There is no point to keeping Book around just to say "we had a lifer in Book". That doesn't bring a title to Phoenix. Trade him for a boatload of picks and let him ring chase. I will always be a Book fan but he is NOT more important than the franchise and winning a title.

Now if the franchise is buying time to make a huge move and one last push with Book that is different. Does anybody believe that?

 

[TJ]

im not doing the book debates anymore bro - he isn't going anywhere and we're lucky to have him - always been my take

We are not lucky to have a declining player on an egregious contract. Avdija showed what a killer looks like in the clutch. Book was just kinda going through the motions and had no sense of urgency, which is a requirement in the play-in game. His mentality in the 4th quarter was very Ayton-esq.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

We are not lucky to have a declining player on an egregious contract. Avdija showed what a killer looks like in the clutch. Book was just kinda going through the motions and had no sense of urgency, which is a requirement in the play-in game. His mentality in the 4th quarter was very Ayton-esq.

cool story

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

devin booker is going to retire a sun

larry fitzgerald diana taurasi devin booker

 

[ASUCHRIS]

devin booker is going to retire a sun

larry fitzgerald diana taurasi devin booker

We get all this - no idea why you think he's beyond reproach or even discussion.

 

[TJ]

We are definitely so lucky to be paying this guy $70mil/ year

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[BooksOrangePlanet]

We get all this - no idea why you think he's beyond reproach or even discussion.

that's bs - i blame book for losses all the time

 

[DJ Tabooh]

Tough, tough loss last night. I’ll say this, the 7 seeds benefit nothing from the play in. You win, you stay at 7. You lose, you have to play for a chance at 8 or miss the playoffs. You play 82 games just to lose out on 2 one-offs. It’s a money grab.

Look, Book was not great last night. He had a couple of frustration fouls and that’s something he’s always struggled with. It gets into his head and then he turns into a different player. The 5 free throws missed was his most since opening night of the season. He was overthinking it and had no touch.

However, the game was lost in the last 6 minutes. Book/Brooks/Green combined for 75 points. That should’ve been enough. Ott not giving Fleming a look against Avdija makes no sense whatsoever.

I have a bad feeling about Friday. If we lose, it’ll feel like this season was a terrible end to a really good start. But this group has competed much better than the last 2 Suns iterations

 

[carrrnuttt]

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[TJ]

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Brooks has a reputation with the refs, and it’s up to him to change it.

 

[elindholm]

if we lose friday the team gets to live through that pain the entire offseason - losing two consecutive 1 game series and missing the playoffs altogether would be immensely painful but should be the ultimate tackling fuel

I'd think blowing a 2-0 lead in the Finals, followed the next season by having the best record in the league by 8 games and losing a humiliating Game 7 at home by 53 points, would be the ultimate fuel. If that can't inspire you to look deep within yourself to figure out how to become a true winner, nothing will.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

I'd think blowing a 2-0 lead in the Finals, followed the next season by having the best record in the league by 8 games and losing a humiliating Game 7 at home by 53 points, would be the ultimate fuel. If that can't inspire you to look deep within yourself to figure out how to become a true winner, nothing will.

that team didn't stay together - how hard is that to understand- cp3 was done - the twins were gone - fired monty and brought in kd

BUT YEAH ITS ALL BECAUSE BOOKER IS A LOSER

im officially done talking about book in here lol like i had to with ayton when everybody kept defending him - so knock yourself out- all of yall lol trash devin booker at will- act like he's not the only reason we aren't a gutter team - idc anymore

 

[Cheesebeef]

devin booker is going to retire a sun

larry fitzgerald diana taurasi devin booker

Devin Booker belongs nowhere near the same rarefied air as Fitz.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'd think blowing a 2-0 lead in the Finals, followed the next season by having the best record in the league by 8 games and losing a humiliating Game 7 at home by 53 points, would be the ultimate fuel. If that can't inspire you to look deep within yourself to figure out how to become a true winner, nothing will.

don't forget losing the season after that AT HOME BY 30 points to end the year as well.

And missing the playoffs ENTIRELY last season when you were pre-season favorites to at least be the 4 seed.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Devin Booker belongs nowhere near the same rarefied air as Fitz.

They seem pretty similar to me - good guys who stuck with franchises during bad times - some shows of brilliance, but mostly very good players for a long time. (Who also both get/have been overpaid in the 2nd half of their careers)

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

Devin Booker belongs nowhere near the same rarefied air as Fitz.

they'll be in the same exact air - different stadiums but both names forever hung way up there - literally in glory - most fans will appreciate it and them - both homegrown first ballot hall of farmers - same with taurasi

 

[elindholm]

don't forget losing the season after that AT HOME BY 30 points to end the year as wel.

And missing the playoffs ENTIRELY last season when you were pre-season favorites to at least be the 4 seed.

I give Booker a pass during the Durant years. There was no working around that level of toxicity.

 

[Mainstreet]

He's restricted so likely to be the last who signs. We can set a price and go forward. If he receives a larger offer then we need to make a decision but given his injury history I doubt he gets a big offer.

I've thought about this for a bit.

If the Suns could add add more quality size in mix at the forward position, namely power forward, they could suffice by adding more role playing centers. Then, hopefully Man Man is ready to take the next step at center next season. I'd like to keep Huntley as well.

However, Ott needs to play these guys more.