Bucks @ Suns Saturday Finals game thread 7-17-2021 Game - Game 5

Yuma

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NBA TV analysis says the Bucks just have too much size for the Suns. I have been worried about this since day 1 this season. It's worked so far, but we finally seem to be falling victim to it now. Backs against the wall. That tends to sharpen the focus. Let's see what they can do.
 

1Sun

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Suns absolutely could win next 2 games if cp3 reverted to his play from game 1. But after tonight it is not reasonable to expect that to happen.

Paul is giving a valiant effort, but he visibly has less and less use of that arm and hand with each passing game. Tonight, it literally might as well have been tied behind his back.
 

AzCards777

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Man this one hurt. But it hurt a little less knowing that the Bucks played about as well as they could possibly play and only beat us by 4. It seemed like they didnt miss at all in the 2nd and 3rd Qrtrs. I felt like Suns just could'nt finish the stop with a rebound and that really hurt. If they are going to pull off this thing off CP3 has to put up big numbers like Holliday did for them. Im sorry but its on him going forward. Lets hope for the best in game 6. oh and hell of a game by Booker! Way to show up kid! Ill never forget these performances by him.
 

Absolute Zero

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I mean we scored 119 with 5 guys in double digits with Ayton and Paul going for 20/10+ double doubles and Booker dropping 40

they were just flat out on fire like ungodly once in a lifetime fire
This.

The Bucks are the better team.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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It’s easy to rip after knowing the result but the ball was in Book’s hands and they had been scoring fairly easily down the stretch. Don’t have a problem letting it ride but Holiday instincts are on a different level.
All season we’ve had spectacularly effective plays outta timeouts. Usually resulting in wide open shots. Why not try to get one of those? Sorry, not a fan of just scramble and hope hero ball works from my head coach.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Back to back 40s by Booker after a horrible game 3. That let’s me know this kid is the real deal and def the right guy to build around
Agree. He’s proven beyond a doubt he can be that guy. I believe he will get better too. The young guys need to improve.
 

1Sun

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The whole reason he’s been so good in the playoffs is that he plays elite defense without fouling.

I think his avoidance of contact on is the reason he rarely gets in foul trouble.

Double edged sword.

It's one thing to avoid contact by going straight up on defense. That I applaud.

It's another thing entirely to actively avoid contact setting screens on offense by stepping away from them early and in the opposite direction of the hoop (so it clearly is not being overeager on a pick and roll) and not putting a body on anyone to box out for rebounds.

Then you have him refusing to jam the ball when he has it right over the hoop.

Since Game 1, with the sole exception of the 4th quarter in Game 2, Ayton has been SOFT. As in coast without effort soft.
 

nashman

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This.

The Bucks are the better team.

Disagree, they were the better team tonight but rarely does any team shoot like they did tonight! Especially Holiday who has been a no show in this series, their big 3 never all have great games on the same night. Hats off to them but it took them playing a miraculous game to beat us…
 

95pro

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Booker showed up. If he can shake the dumb fouls he’ll be golden.
he brought it all tonight and left nothing on the court.

He intensified he defense. He was scrambling for balls, picked up a loose ball foul on one but it was all effort and heart.

he made a hell of a shot near the end. CP3 brought us down with that foul on giannis. Just wasn’t a smart play. Then add bad coaching to the mix.
 

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It's one thing to avoid contact by going straight up on defense. That I applaud.

It's another thing entirely to actively avoid contact setting screens on offense by stepping away from them early and in the opposite direction of the hoop (so it clearly is not being overeager on a pick and roll) and not putting a body on anyone to box out for rebounds.

Then you have him refusing to jam the ball when he has it right over the hoop.

Since Game 1, with the sole exception of the 4th quarter in Game 2, Ayton has been SOFT. As in coast without effort soft.
He was dominant in game 3 until he got his 3rd and 4th fouls in quick succession.
 

Covert Rain

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***** az sports luck soo tired of it
This is completely soul crushing. This could completely cripple the team mentally. Like I said the Bucks the last three games have beat us in almost every imaginable way.
 
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Bufalay

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All season we’ve had spectacularly effective plays outta timeouts. Usually resulting in wide open shots. Why not try to get one of those? Sorry, not a fan of just scramble and hope hero ball works from my head coach.
They had just had a timeout. I’m sure they had a play drawn Up already.
 

Big Al

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The Bucks have had secondary players step last three games big time. Suns can’t say the the same. Their bench is crushing our bench. Our big three is now one guy. Paul and Ayton have been pathetic last two games. Ayton playing like his old ***** self

He’s also curiously often directly under the hoop which is terrible positioning. Weird.

He’s also curiously often directly under the hoop which is terrible
The alarming sign that Ayton is back in his shell: He wasn't finishing his screens and was actually stepping back on them in an effort to avoid contact. If you want to point the finger at any player mentally, point it at Ayton.

Yes, Booker had the error in the end, but he also pretty much single-handedly kept the team in the game until then.

And if you don't realize the obvious physical issues with Paul, I don't know what to say. He literally couldn't lift his shooting arm, which was causing all sorts of problems on both ends of the court. It was literally hanging Dead at his side most of the game...to the point where I was wondering if he reaggravated his shoulder injury as well as the ligament tear flaring up. If you want to point the finger at anyone for Paul's play, point it at Monty for playing him so much when he isn't even at 25%.

The biggest mystery from tonight's game other than Monty's failure to call time-out down 1 with the ball and 30 seconds to go, at least to me, is why Bridges and Craig, despite being by far the best defenders in the first quarter, hardly saw any playing time afterward.

Monty's rotations have been strange, to say the least.

Great run overall this postseason, but Monty and James Jones (not bringing in any big other than Saric and Kaminsky) appear to have left a championship on the table with some pretty basic blunders.
 

95pro

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This is completely soul crushing. This could completely cripple the them mentally. Like I said the Bucks the last three games have beat us in almost every imaginable way.

the stats are even this series. It’s just the coaching that we are beat on. Funny I say that because Bud looked horrible in all the precious series. Monty just left me screaming at the tv
 

GatorAZ

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This is completely soul crushing. This could completely cripple the them mentally. Like I said the Bucks the last three games have beat us in almost every imaginable way.
Honestly the Bucks look more talented. Since game two they’ve gone on like 5-6 different soul crushing runs and you can’t answer all of them.
 

mjb21aztd

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Anyone else not going to be able to zzz ugh i know im not... my mind racin on next gm now

Jusr try everything in the book suns... keep close till 4th... maybe next gm

Stomach soooo nauseous ugh
 

1Sun

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They had just had a timeout. I’m sure they had a play drawn Up already.

If they did, they sure didn't run it. Instead, Booker just forced a partial drive into a triple team...
 

Big Al

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I still can’t believe the Bucks made so many shots especially in the third quarter. All we had was Booker and no one else. I just hope the basketball gods return the favor and have the Bucks throw more bricks


NBA TV analysis says the Bucks just have too much size for the Suns. I have been worried about this since day 1 this season. It's worked so far, but we finally seem to be falling victim to it now. Backs against the wall. That tends to sharpen the focus. Let's see what they can do.
 

mjb21aztd

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Next gm will show how true of a motivator monty is.... come on!!!!!!!!!
 

GatorAZ

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If they did, they sure didn't run it. Instead, Booker just forced a partial drive into a triple team...
You can argue it both ways. I think it was a long rebound and Book was pushing it. Even if Holiday doesn’t swarm it’s still probably a broken play though.
 

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