Mavericks @ Suns Tuesday Playoff game thread, R2, 5-10-2022 - Game 5

[ASUCHRIS]

Hopefully Monty and the crew are working on some adjustments, because they've been badly outcoached in the last 2 games.

If Cam Payne and the bench continue to play like this, I don't see a way to the Finals. Trusting Cam instead of giving up a first for Eric Gordon is looking like a colossal mistake.

 

[Suns_fan69]

There's a fine line between trusting the team that got you here and making adjustments with lineups that are less experienced. Kidd has made the adjustment of essentially eliminating Powell's minutes and playing Bertans anytime Javale is on the floor. Curious to see what Monty does with this for game 5.

 

[Mainstreet]

Torrey Craig is listed as PROBABLE for game 5.

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[FB94]

Top things for me: 1) come out and hustle them start to finish 2) I want to see Monty stick up for his guys if we see same sort of refereed game as last two 3) Paul needs to get that daze and confused look off his face and get back to some resemblance of normal.

 

[AZ Native]

Watching this team the last month or so, we are done. Blame who you want but this is not the same team with the best record in franchise history. It is what it is. I would love to be wrong.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Watching this team the last month or so, we are done. Blame who you want but this is not the same team with the best record in franchise history. It is what it is. I would love to be wrong.

It’s really crazy to see how this team just completely changed from late March to after that.

 

[mjb21aztd]

If suns dont win im breakin something in my condo lol ......


Pleaseeeeee show up book cp3 do not choke at home

Sooooo nervous man

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

team better come out locked in

It’s really crazy to see how this team just completely changed from late March to after that.

i literally cannot fathom how it unraveled. Yes, we lost book for some games, lost Paul for some games, lost cam Johnson for some games and cam Payne has been lousy all year, but we not only played through all of that, we triumphed. And then pffffftttttttt . . .

 

[MrYeahBut]

Seems to me last year when Paul was out injured... They knew he was out and planned for it. I think when CP3 had consecutive bad games and was basically out for those 2 in Dallas, they weren't ready for it. Of course, Payne played a lot better last year which helped a ton.

 

[Joe Mama]

Bring on Foster...is what it is..this team needs to turn it on quick..playing like this againt Golden State and we getting swept no matter if we make it past Dallas.

I'm not sure why everybody is just so damn sure that we would play Golden State if we make it to the next round. Frankly I don't think Golden State is that great and I would be more afraid of playing Memphis.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm not sure why everybody is just so damn sure that we would play Golden State if we make it to the next round. Frankly I don't think Golden State is that great and I would be more afraid of playing Memphis.

When healthy (as they are now) Golden State’s shooters/creators with the ball are unparalleled in the game and all season, great shooting teams are the ones to give us fits. We can’t stop their dribble penetration from multiple players and we’ve seen all year that when we can’t do that, we routinely leave shooters wide open. We’re seeing that struggle with Dallas the last two games and that’s with only Luka as a great shot creator.

Also, the teams that give GS fits are those with size used to actually hurt them. We have “the size” but don’t have the Will to use it, mostly because the size itself doesn’t have the Will to dominate smaller matchups.

Throw in their championship experience and those three factors are why they’re such a scary team. Throw in the fact that we’ve looked like a 6 seed for months and I have even more reason to worry.

 

[Lorenzo]

When healthy (as they are now) Golden State’s shooters/creators with the ball are unparalleled in the game and all season, great shooting teams are the ones to give us fits. We can’t stop their dribble penetration from multiple players and we’ve seen all year that when we can’t do that, we routinely leave shooters wide open. We’re seeing that struggle with Dallas the last two games and that’s with only Luka as a great shot creator.

Also, the teams that give GS fits are those with size used to actually hurt them. We have “the size” but don’t have the Will to use it, mostly because the size itself doesn’t have the Will to dominate smaller matchups.

Throw in their championship experience and those three factors are why they’re such a scary team. Throw in the fact that we’ve looked like a 6 seed for months and I have even more reason to worry.

I think Golden State are the best in the west aside from the Suns. Of corse a few of the GS players have the championship pedigree as well. Assuming dallas gets eliminated, that's the series I want to see.

But Suns have to win game 5 now in my opinion. And I expect they will win. For me this is really where we see what the Dallas players are made of. They stepped up in a big way at home after being called out by everyone including their own coach, but if they are ever going to be a real contender they have to win a game like this one on the road to take that next step. I can only imagine what the atmosphere will be like and Chris Paul is going to be ready to go.

 

[82CardsGrad]

When healthy (as they are now) Golden State’s shooters/creators with the ball are unparalleled in the game and all season, great shooting teams are the ones to give us fits. We can’t stop their dribble penetration from multiple players and we’ve seen all year that when we can’t do that, we routinely leave shooters wide open. We’re seeing that struggle with Dallas the last two games and that’s with only Luka as a great shot creator.

Also, the teams that give GS fits are those with size used to actually hurt them. We have “the size” but don’t have the Will to use it, mostly because the size itself doesn’t have the Will to dominate smaller matchups.

Throw in their championship experience and those three factors are why they’re such a scary team. Throw in the fact that we’ve looked like a 6 seed for months and I have even more reason to worry.

Well said cheese… only thing I’d add is watching Luka carve up the Suns with his smarts, I can easily see Draymon doing the same and then some.

 

[Mainstreet]

Seems to me last year when Paul was out injured... They knew he was out and planned for it. I think when CP3 had consecutive bad games and was basically out for those 2 in Dallas, they weren't ready for it. Of course, Payne played a lot better last year which helped a ton.

This is the issue. When Chris Paul had two off games, there is no Cam Payne to the rescue.

 

[Adrian]

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[Proximo]

Watching this team the last month or so, we are done. Blame who you want but this is not the same team with the best record in franchise history. It is what it is. I would love to be wrong.

Well I understand the sentiment, but it can go back to positive just as fast as it went negative.

Basically it ain't over till it's over.

 

[Adrian]

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[Covert Rain]

This is the issue. When Chris Paul had two off games, there is no Cam Payne to the rescue.

Nope. He has been awful. Even Shamet was supposed to provide sharp shooting off the bench when Booker was resting. Book is playing these really HUGE stretches until Chris comes back in so they can stagger having Chris or Booker on the court most of the time. Cam J comes in and is inconsistent. The only position on the floor that has been pretty good is Center off the bench.

I cannot emphasize how bad it is when Paul or Booker isn't having a good game. If either of them has a bad game we have been completely screwed. I just can't explain how unraveled this team has become since their 9 game win streak in March. I went into this thinking the team would be dominate. Instead it seems like we are hanging by a thread based on how Booker or CP3 play because the bench has been so bad. This season with this bench was supposed to be the opposite in the playoffs. Monty has made no adjustments to the guys coming off the bench either which has just magnified the issue IMO.

He appears to be determined to shorten the rotation instead of making adjustments all because he doesn't trust the bench. Yet the bench has been the difference all season. I get that the playoffs are different but the bench literally was the biggest difference between last year and this year. It feels like we are running away from our strength. I don't recall the last time I felt like our coach was running away from our strength when it mattered most.

This series IMO is being decided TONIGHT. Whoever wins tonight is going to win the series IMO. If the Suns are going to get back on track it MUST be tonight. I think we can get back on track and win this series but my gosh we shouldn't be in desperation mode against the freaking Mavs.

 

[ajcardfan]

Nope. He has been awful. Even Shamet was supposed to provide sharp shooting off the bench when Booker was resting. Book is playing these really HUGE stretches until Chris comes back in so they can stagger having Chris or Booker on the court most of the time. Cam J comes in and is inconsistent. The only position on the floor that has been pretty good is Center off the bench.

I cannot emphasize how bad it is when Paul or Booker isn't having a good game. If either of them has a bad game we have been completely screwed. I just can't explain how unraveled this team has become since their 9 game win streak in March. I went into this thinking the team would be dominate. Instead it seems like we are hanging by a thread based on how Booker or CP3 play because the bench has been so bad. This season with this bench was supposed to be the opposite in the playoffs. Monty has made no adjustments to the guys coming off the bench either which has just magnified the issue IMO.

He appears to be determined to shorten the rotation instead of making adjustments all because he doesn't trust the bench. Yet the bench has been the difference all season.

When they had subpar games during the season we were often bailed out by somebody like Cam Johnson or Bridges stepping up to have a great game. Our role players are not producing like they did in the regular season.

But, I think you have to give Dallas credit. I hated all of that 9 straight wins talk before the series started. These are professional athletes who have pride and they were going to fight hard. They do not suck. Eventually, a team like that is going to figure something out and get some wins against an opponent who has been having the upper hand. Everyone is talking about their 3s, but they have figured out something defensively and that is why it is 2-2.

 

[Covert Rain]

When they had subpar games during the season we were often bailed out by somebody like Cam Johnson or Bridges stepping up to have a great game. Our role players are not producing like they did in the regular season.

But, I think you have to give Dallas credit. I hated all of that 9 straight wins talk before the series started. These are professional athletes who have pride and they were going to fight hard. They do not suck. Eventually, a team like that is going to figure something out and get some wins against an opponent who has been having the upper hand. Everyone is talking about their 3s, but they have figured out something defensively and that is why it is 2-2.

All season long if we had starters that had bad games we had someone setup up. Often even going really deep into the bench. That was our strength. So, Book could be off, CP3 could be having an off game and someone would step up. Now? If our starters on not playing their "A Game" in the playoffs we struggle mighty.

 

[Mainstreet]

If suns dont win im breakin something in my condo lol ......


Pleaseeeeee show up book cp3 do not choke at home

Sooooo nervous man

If you break anything may I suggest you pick something easy to repair or throw away and not valuable.

Been there and done that. A pillow works nicely.

 

[mjb21aztd]

If you break anything may I suggest you pick something easy to repair or throw away and not valuable.

Been there and done that. A pillow works nicely.

Im gettin my mental focus rdy for ton i know its more than likely gonna be frusturatin 1 lol yup pillows good to rip apart in sports anger lol

 

[zett]

Will the REAL Chris Paul please stand up!!!

 

[mjb21aztd]

Will the REAL Chris Paul please stand up!!!

More than 5 pts and not havin 6 plus tovers be nice.....

 

[95pro]

Top things for me: 1) come out and hustle them start to finish 2) I want to see Monty stick up for his guys if we see same sort of refereed game as last two 3) Paul needs to get that daze and confused look off his face and get back to some resemblance of normal.

Yeah mentally he just wasnt there in game 4, i'm not sure what is going on. Was it the fans shoving his family? Did he not know how to react about the foul situation since he's never been in a situation like that? He even skipped the post game presser. Is he injured again? He's lost the ball here and there but i dont see him shaking or grabbing his hand like he did last year or this year when he went out.