Suns @ Clippers Wednesday game thread 4-6-2022

[1tinsoldier]

i don't fault Monty for the game plan which was probably to take it easy and take no risks -- hence a lot of 3pt chucking

but i'm ready to rescind my Coach Of The Year vote for him still playing Payton, who should have been out of the league 2 months ago. because nothing has changed since i said that 2 months ago -- he's still getting more shots blocked than he makes and missing more free throws than he makes and there's nothing impressive about his defense, passing, or ball-handling.

and there's no excuse with Holiday available and Payne's game being off lately

i wish someone in the Press would ask about this Payton playing mystery because it's a blemish on Monty's reputation for me

 

[cheesebeef]

I’m officially concerned about his ability to be a positive factor in the post season. He looks like a completely different player, on both ends of the court…

Oh my lord… guys, you are all such prisoners of the moment! He’s been out over a month. He’s someone who’s always taken a bit to regain form after injury but he’s still got another week and a half before the playoffs even start.

Sheesh… and y’all used to accuse ME of being a pessimist.

Chillax Suns board.

 

[zett]

It feels like the Suns blew out the rust tonight.

Johnson still has a ways to go. but glad hes getting the min to work on it

 

[Mainstreet]

Personally I think Monty was letting Payton eliminate himself from the playoff equation. I'm hoping Iffe replaces him on the roster.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Biz can’t seem to score outside of point blank range.

Guys, biz just isn’t very good

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

For the lack of a good comparison, Iffe reminds me a bit of Mark Price.

What?!?

 

[Mainstreet]

Johnson still has a ways to go. but glad hes getting the min to work on it

Unless my eyes deceive me, Cam Johnson has lost some muscle. He needs to get in game shape.

 

[Mainstreet]

What?!?

I couldn't think of a good comparison but Iffe's style of play reminded me a bit of Mark Price. I'm not equating talent.

 

[zett]

Unless my eyes deceive me, Cam Johnson has lost some muscle. He needs to get in game shape.

Hes working on it, tough to get your cardio in when you have a leg injury, I'm not concerned in the least about Cam Johnson.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's always amazing for me to hear Europeans speak so eloquently in different languages.

I'm sure Iffe speaks other languages as well.

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[Mainstreet]

Monty didn't think the starters had a great spirit.

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

You know how Eddie Johnson has said all season “these guys are pros too” when scrubs have given our starters a run for their money or even beaten them? Elfrid Payton is not a pro anymore. He may have been at one point, but his play this season has been so incredibly unbelievably bad that he doesn’t even belong on the end of a bench. I have no hesitation in saying that he was likely the worst player on any basketball court in the United States tonight.

And until the fourth quarter Craig was giving Elfrid a run for his money for worst.

And Payne wasn’t far behind him. Holy crap he looked like a scrub blowing his big shot at getting more than a 10 day contract tonight.

Shamet was pretty poor as well. My biggest concern is that the 5 that started tonight are one starter and four guys who primarily make up our second unit and they looked like they had zero chemistry or understanding of each other’s games.

Cam Johnson has a LONG way to go to get back to where he was when he went out injured. Remember, he just put up 38 in that game. He’s got no rhythm or flow to his game right now.

Biz just isn’t very good.

Like everyone else I can’t understand holiday not having played more. He was a total spark plug of energy tonight. It sometimes seems like he’s outta control, and sometimes he is, but he also seems tightrope that right on the edge and still come out effective. If Elfrid gets ANY burn over him the playoffs I just won’t get it.

And ish played really well tonight on both ends of the court. Forget about Iffe, if we jettison Elfrid I think we should sign ish for the playoffs. His three point shot has steadily improved, he’s a big body and his defense in the passing lanes has really improved. I think the game slowed down for him a little. In a worst case scenario he could give spot minutes without it killing us.

 

[Raindog]

Personally I think Monty was letting Payton eliminate himself from the playoff equation. I'm hoping Iffe replaces him on the roster.

I hope you are right. I like Monty, obviously you can't argue with the overall results. But man, does he sometimes have an inexplicable obstinacy about some things... Payton, the timeouts thing, weird rotations at time.

Hopefully, none of those end up biting us in the rear in the playoffs. I still have Vietnam flashbacks of D'Antoni and his obstinate obsessions killing our last best chance of winning it all.

 

[GatorAZ]

I think the plan is to play out the last two with Cam then he gets a week off and is hopefully fine.

How the Clippers added Powell & Covington is crazy. They are upgrades over the role players we faced last year.

 

[Mainstreet]

I hope you are right. I like Monty, obviously you can't argue with the overall results. But man, does he sometimes have an inexplicable obstinacy about some things... Payton, the timeouts thing, weird rotations at time.

Hopefully, none of those end up biting us in the rear in the playoffs. I still have Vietnam flashbacks of D'Antoni and his obstinate obsessions killing our last best chance of winning it all.

I understand the timeouts better than I do the rotations. Monty likes for players to play through their mistakes.

However, I can't understand not playing Holiday. The only thing I can think of is Monty is deciding who he wants to keep for the playoffs.