The Devin Booker non-appreciation thread.

[Chaplin]

straight talk, fellow fans
PART 1

a few of you make me nervous
and, if you dared enter this thread instead of the "Booker is the Greatest Sun"
you might have figured out by now that what i'm talking about goes beyond basketball.
it speaks to the public's ability to conveniently disregard discernible facts

the stats on Booker are crystal clear
they were there last year too (and posted)
but still, even smart, knowledgeable fans use their brain power, doing mental gymnastics to work around the truth
and that includes personally attacking the messenger
(sound familiar? -- in the daily news)

the latest double-somersault with a twist is that
The Suns would be "terrible" without Booker. Our better players would leave and no one would want to come here!

I've been a Suns fan for 37 straight years. 50 years ago, in NY, i rooted for their Alvan Adams team in the Finals on a 12" black & white TV in my basement. In the LA Forum, i watched Magic (the #2 GOAT) win a playoff game against the impressive Sun's KJ, Horny, and Marley. I (also) rooted for them ever since.

PHX is a great market and has suited up many of the game's greatest (Barkley, Nash, Kidd, etc..) and other greats. In fact, the Booker decade of the Suns was their WORST decade ever, despite building around him with 7 coaches and 6 roster turnovers.

so. to even ponder whether the Suns can do without him, is not blind ignorance, it's a willful denial of reality.

why? how? and why it matters?
to be continued...

You are certainly a master at calling the rest of this board stupid, without actually writing those words. Kudos.

 

[Hoop Head]

straight talk, fellow fans
PART 1

a few of you make me nervous
and, if you dared enter this thread instead of the "Booker is the Greatest Sun"
you might have figured out by now that what i'm talking about goes beyond basketball.
it speaks to the public's ability to conveniently disregard discernible facts

the stats on Booker are crystal clear
they were there last year too (and posted)
but still, even smart, knowledgeable fans use their brain power, doing mental gymnastics to work around the truth
and that includes personally attacking the messenger
(sound familiar? -- in the daily news)

the latest double-somersault with a twist is that
The Suns would be "terrible" without Booker. Our better players would leave and no one would want to come here!

I've been a Suns fan for 37 straight years. 50 years ago, in NY, i rooted for their Alvan Adams team in the Finals on a 12" black & white TV in my basement. In the LA Forum, i watched Magic (the #2 GOAT) win a playoff game against the impressive Sun's KJ, Horny, and Marley. I (also) rooted for them ever since.

PHX is a great market and has suited up many of the game's greatest (Barkley, Nash, Kidd, etc..) and other greats. In fact, the Booker decade of the Suns was their WORST decade ever, despite building around him with 7 coaches and 6 roster turnovers.

so. to even ponder whether the Suns can do without him, is not blind ignorance, it's a willful denial of reality.

why? how? and why it matters?
to be continued...

I love how your stats are ever changing. This year what is it? I know it was clutch stats last year. It was turnovers before. It's always changing for your latest nitpick. There's a reason you were silent most of the offseason and most of this season, you needed a new narrative.

 

[Mainstreet]

For a moment I thought this thread was removed from the Suns forum. Too bad it wasn't. The negativity it generates can be overwhelming at times.

 

[newBluePlanet]

denial exhibits B, C, and D
(instead of addressing the analysis backed by statistical evidence and logic)

Excuse B. "woah is me. He's calling everyone stupid"

Excuse C. "nitpicking! "stat changing?" i posted ALL of the KEY stats from the best stat site. Clutch is a different chart system search based on a variety of criteria. Please, go ahead. Do the damn work yourself.

Excuse D. "too negative--it should be removed" There's no crying (or censorship) in basketball analysis. If you want a gentler sport try golf or bowling. And DO NOT read or listen to national analysts who have no stake in the hometown team/hero. I've donated thousands of posts here and it's fans like me who make it more than an echo chamber. You're welcome. The Booker is Best thread is boring. Have that removed. Better yet, just take the blue pill and stay in that thread's matrix. But you might want to peak. this is about to get interesting

and, btw, no one is smarter here. Some are just more open-minded, and less defensive, emotionally. I just put in the work to form my own opinions, try to manage my ego and biases, and don't give a rat's arse about what's popular or uncomfortable

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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[Adrian]

I’ll allow it.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

I’ll allow it.

sun's don't have a record book

they have a record booker

 

[newBluePlanet]

even though he's trolling, as usual, i'm fine with his posts.
this is another that just makes my point, BIGLY

denial exhibit E
fan identifies himself and the whole franchise as Book's Planet (everything revolves around one Sun)

denial exhibit F
all the stats in the exhibition are based on ONE data point
-- Book played here the longest and has taken the most shots

besides, as Hoop Head already pointed out, "Booker's scoring more when we lose."
Carmelo, Westbrook, and many others were empty stat scorers and perennial losers who didn't make teammates or teams better.

and there is no correlation between the
print SIZE of a statistic and it's relevance

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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[newBluePlanet]

...and as of today, who PLAYED THE MOST MINUTES? and TOOK THE MOST SHOTS? We know he's got one of the highest USAGE rates in the league. There are partial seasons and injuries to consider, some ended careers in decline here, and, of course, shooting percentage is vital:

Walter Davis	51.1%
Alvan Adams	49.8%
Steve Nash	49.0%
Kevin Johnson	47.9%
Devin Booker	46.4%

Booker's shooting percentage is lower than the average NBA team (which means the avg team would score more without him).

Based on your points priorities, Westbrook would be a dream signing. Let's get him at any price!
and, again, D E F E N S E is half the game.
who are the 5 lowest ranked Suns' defensive players ever???

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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[newBluePlanet]

i expected Arizona Family Sports to jump the shark on Book this season, but you beat them to it. A player could probably make 2 of those out of 20 to get on the top 10 of that list. And the list would change with every second you add to the criteria -- 5 seconds, 10 seconds, etc..

what's next --
Booker averages the most points in the last 3 minutes of the the 3rd quarter during games with the Suns leading by over 20 points (to pad his stats for fear he may be done for the night).

or

Booker Scores Most In A Double Overtime Game on A Tuesday Night!

god bless you for trying, brother
but there are 14 other guys i appreciate on the team and probably a couple of million Suns fans who put the team before the player

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

book isnt the only player i like on the team - just because you type something it doesn't make it true - ive started threads on other players I like as well - book's just the player that bothers you - so much you decided to start a thread dedicated to how much he bothers you

book's got 20 points in the first quarter right now btw lol im going to watch and enjoy - have fun in here

 

[Folster]

Kellan Olson dropped this on Empire of the Suns podcast. Booker historically starts the season slow.

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[newBluePlanet]

yes, Book must have seen this thread today. He's aggressive and hot in the 1st, but, he had the ball in his hands 85% of the time, took all but a few of the shots and the team is only up by 3. Teammates have to warm up and build confidence.

the rest of the team got involved, Brooks had a big 3rd. Suns win by 27. Gillespe +20. Book ends up 5th in +/-

but let's check the Suns +/- for the team this season...
Booker 5th best offensive +/-
Booker 12th best defensive +/-

 

[newBluePlanet]

excuse exhibit G:
"Book's scoring will pick up depending on the month/season within the season"

it's not a 2 point bump in his scoring that we need. Check the stats. Last season i recall Booker started hot, slumped, picked up during the PR blitz of all-time Suns scorer, then lost motivation and slumped again.

i see the trend as him losing focus for psychological reasons, not seasons within seasons.
1st bump: clear off-season head
2nd bump: competing for All-Star slot (like tonight)
3rd bump: playoff race

 

[Phrazbit]

book isnt the only player i like on the team - just because you type something it doesn't make it true - ive started threads on other players I like as well - book's just the player that bothers you - so much you decided to start a thread dedicated to how much he bothers you

book's got 20 points in the first quarter right now btw lol im going to watch and enjoy - have fun in here

This post is a clear violation of Excuse 3, Part A, Denial F, Exhibit DELTA FORCE of the Napoleonic Code.

 

[newBluePlanet]

Booker's fact-based, irrefutable NBA statistics were posted in this thread at the end of last season and now as we approach mid-season.

if anyone has anymore decorative, mostly irrelevant stats to promote via a large graphic, i'd be happy to explain them before i move on to

straight talk, reality check, PART 2

(also, for the sake of time, the following remarks are already assumed: "hilarious", "ignorant", "dum dum", "hater", "has some kind of ax to grind" and )

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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[newBluePlanet]

straight talk, reality check
PART 2
(for entertainment purposes )

if Booker is as flawed as his stats and results indicate, why would Ishbia sign him to a record high extension!

Though you believe Ishbia "believes" in Booker as you do, it's just part of the Suns PR matrix. He knows the stats, like he knows the "books" of his other businesses. Devin is still a monetary Suns asset. Multi-million dollar Suns PR campaigns invested in "the product" for over a decade.

Ishbia wrote off the cost of extending Booker for the super-max extension, demanded by his agent, as LOSS MITIGATION. Nothing could be worse for the Suns image and receipts than for the team blow-up to include their handsome, mixed-race, homegrown hero who still emanates youthful appeal, looks great on a video-game cover, takes shots like he's the next Kobe, keeps his mouth shut, and works community relations.

And Ishbia knows the trade market for Booker is slim. The illusion only works in AZ.

But the sports analysts are not shy. Why would Booker still be so widely hyped?

The local broadcasters also know Booker is the hand that feeds them. They'd be tuned out if they tried to pull back the curtain on the illusion they helped create. And to try now, they too would risk being called "hilariously ignorant."

The national broadcasters are also paid to talk up the product/players when they're broadcasting a Suns game. As for other analysts like S.A. Smith who regularly rips players -- Last season, Smith did a whole segment on the Suns disgraceful leadership, focused on Durant, and mentioned Booker's name only once in the sentence "i like Booker." Booker keeps his nose clean and flies under the radar.

next. PART 3. WHY IT MATTERS...

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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[newBluePlanet]

great win over OKC!
but, alas...
exhibit H:

3 of the last 5 possessions, Booker played one on one (Booker ball). And he took the last 3 though he hadn't made on all night
He's shooting 31% from 3 this season
He shot 15% from 3 in the last 3 minutes of close games last season and 11% this season.

meanwhile Goodwin made 8 tonight at 65%. Dillon just made a clutch one. But we didn't need a 3 anyway. We needed 1 to win.

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kudos to Booker for making the shot. But it was stupid, as usual, for him to take it. I've been ranting for 7 years about him taking 3 point shots when we only need 1 or 2 points to win. Why does he take them so often? Because 3 is the easiest shot to get off, and he has said in the past that the last shot is "his mf-ing shot."

Meyers said, "but when you need a 3 he always makes them." A minute earlier she said, "Booker did a great job of holding onto the ball" before he got it to Goodwin for a rushed shot.

 

[Phrazbit]

great win over OKC!
but, alas...
exhibit H:

3 of the last 5 possessions, Booker played one on one (Booker ball). And he took the last 3 though he hadn't made on all night
He's shooting 31% from 3 this season
He shot 15% from 3 in the last 3 minutes of close games last season and 11% this season.

meanwhile Goodwin made 8 tonight at 65%. Dillon just made a clutch one. But we didn't need a 3 anyway. We needed 1 to win.

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kudos to Booker for making the shot. But it was stupid, as usual, for him to take it. I've been ranting for 7 years about him taking 3 point shots when we only need 1 or 2 points to win. Why does he take them so often? Because 3 is the easiest shot to get off, and he has said in the past that the last shot is "his mf-ing shot."

Meyers said, "but when you need a 3 he always makes them." A minute earlier she said, "Booker did a great job of holding onto the ball" before he got it to Goodwin for a rushed shot.

lol

EXHIBIT 7, Clause 4-B.

Eat it.

 

[JCSunsfan]

You guys need to quit feeding this thread.

 

[Hoop Head]

You guys need to quit feeding this thread.

It is kind of funny how delusional he is and how quickly he'll pivot to a new point after the fact but never call out anything before hand. It's all so predictable.