An Asterisk Championship?

[overseascardfan]

What's the difference between 2005-15 Chris Paul and who he is today?

Other than losing his quickness on the defensive end, I don't think he's regressed.

The best PG in the league in that span. But to clarify, you said it, defensive stopper CP3 is who we need to minimize Holiday who was the reason MIL overcame ATL without Giannis. Offensively, he is who he has always been, elite. I know we have Bridges, Craig and maybe Crowder as defenders but if CP3 can lock down Holiday or at least make him a non factor then a less than 100% Giannis and Middleton will not be enough to stop PHX from the title.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The best PG in the league in that span. But to clarify, you said it, defensive stopper CP3 is who we need to minimize Holiday who was the reason MIL overcame ATL without Giannis. Offensively, he is who he has always been, elite. I know we have Bridges, Craig and maybe Crowder as defenders but if CP3 can lock down Holiday or at least make him a non factor then a less than 100% Giannis and Middleton will not be enough to stop PHX from the title.

I doubt we see much Paul on holiday. I think we see a steady diet of Bridges.

 

[Hoop Head]

I doubt we see much Paul on holiday. I think we see a steady diet of Bridges.

Then who guards Middleton? That's where Bridges should be. Booker isn't good enough, Paul is way too small and slow, and Crowder and Ayton have their frontcourt to deal with.

 

[SirStefan32]

Then who guards Middleton? That's where Bridges should be. Booker isn't good enough, Paul is way too small and slow, and Crowder and Ayton have their frontcourt to deal with.

I tend to agree. I love Book and his effort on defense, but there is no scenario in which Booker should be guarding any of the top-three guys on any team. Bridges is, of course, the perfect player to guard Holiday, but he is also the perfect player to guard Middleton, and unfortunately, there is only one Mikal Bridges on the roster. I think he has to be on Middledon, and Paul/ Payne have to handle Holiday.

Of course, it's worth pointing out that there is so much switching in today's NBA that all of these defensive assignments are more theoretical than anything else.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Then who guards Middleton? That's where Bridges should be. Booker isn't good enough, Paul is way too small and slow, and Crowder and Ayton have their frontcourt to deal with.

If Bridges covers Middleton then I think book is on holiday. I think we hide Paul on Tucker and connaughton unless they can successfully post him up. But to be sure, if the bucks are forced to run their offense through Tucker and connaughton I think the suns call that a huge victory.

 

[SirStefan32]

If Bridges covers Middleton then I think book is on holiday. I think we hide Paul on Tucker and connaughton unless they can successfully post him up. But to be sure, if the bucks are forced to run their offense through Tucker and connaughton I think the suns call that a huge victory.

Why hide Paul instead of Book? I realize Paul has lost a step in the last few years, but in my opinion, he is still significantly better on defense than Book. Holiday is going to destroy poor Book.

 

[Phrazbit]

I expect Booker to cover Tucker. Tucker’s only real offense is corner threes.

 

[Lorenzo]

I made the mistake of listening to some sports radio this morning. I was bemused and incensed at some of the commentary that the Suns have only advanced and will only win out because of injuries to other teams. Be prepared for more of this garbage as the days wear on.

A lot of sports radio shows should have asterisks by them.

no way, how many years did the suns miss out because of injuries or suspensions in the Steve nash years. In my opinion the suns and nash got robbed of a title because of injuries and poor NBA management in that era.

When you get the chance to win a title, you take it and you let people talk. When Dallas won in 2011 some people look back at it and say it was more that lebron choked rather than Dallas beating them. Who cares…

 

[Lorenzo]

Hot garbage take.

Suns were the best team in the league most of the year.

Exactly, What more can the suns do to prove themselves? It’s all about fitness, which team has talent yes, but which team is deep and more fit than the other. People just take health and fitness for granted and then if a player is out…oh it’s the more physically fit team that deserves the asterisk? That’s ignorant and sounds like a take from people that might not be able to run the length of the court more than once. The best team almost always wins and that is what the suns are….a team.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Why hide Paul instead of Book? I realize Paul has lost a step in the last few years, but in my opinion, he is still significantly better on defense than Book. Holiday is going to destroy poor Book.

Preserve Paul for the offensive end. Book is a lot younger and we are deep into the playoffs after a condensed season. Paul had a long break, but he’s still an old fella in hoops terms. I could be wrong, but I think it’s a strategy we will see deployed.

 

[Muggz]

I got this.
Bridges on Middleton
Book on Tucker
Jevon on Jrue
Bucks on Holiday.

 

[puckhead]

I'm the OP so I hope you're not referring to me here, since I've been a Suns fan since 1973. It was Max Kellerman on ESPN Radio, et al.

I wasn't. I was referring to the people you mentioned in your original post that want to diminish the Suns' success with ridiculous theories dripping with jealousy.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I got this.
Bridges on Middleton
Book on Tucker
Jevon on Jrue
Bucks on Holiday.

???

 

[SirStefan32]

???

I think it's a joke... Buck= Holiday, as in "gone fishing."

 

[Western Font]

The Lakers were only playing the Suns in the first place because their stars missed so much time that they fell to #7. AD being unavailable was hardly a surprise and they could have lost in the first round to Utah, Portland, the Clippers, Denver, or even Dallas.

Likewise Kawhi routinely misses games, and the Clips put themselves in three 0-2 deficits while the Suns won nine playoff games in a row, with Chris Paul even missing the last two of that streak.

I’ll give Denver fans some leeway to lament because Murray doesn’t have preexisting durability issues and they drafted him. But the Suns swept that series.

It’s been an impressive run for the Suns.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think it's a joke... Buck= Holiday, as in "gone fishing."

Ah. Thx. Sounds good to me!

 

[Dback Jon]

Leonard has averaged 58 regular season games a year over his career

Last 5 years his average is 50.


Anthony Davis has averaged 62, 60 last 5 years

 

[Cheesebeef]

Leonard has averaged 58 regular season games a year over his career

Last 5 years his average is 50.


Anthony Davis has averaged 62, 60 last 5 years

Leonard has now also either missed the entire post-season or got injured during the playoffs and missed the rest of the post-season in 3 of 5 years. What happened this year has become the norm, not the exception for Kawhi.

 

[AZ Shocker]

I don't see this as an "asterick" at all. Injuries are part of the game. BUT the biggest reason as to not think of it as an "asterick" is simply because of our overall season record and being the #2 seed. If we were the 8th seed and came across all these injuries I could see some people pointing to that. I wouldn't but that would make more sense that we just got lucky. Our overall season performance proves we belong. GO SUNS!!!!

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't see this as an "asterick" at all. Injuries are part of the game. BUT the biggest reason as to not think of it as an "asterick" is simply because of our overall season record and being the #2 seed. If we were the 8th seed and came across all these injuries I could see some people pointing to that. I wouldn't but that would make more sense that we just got lucky. Our overall season performance proves we belong. GO SUNS!!!!

this. the playoffs are basically a microcosm of the entire season. There have been a rash of injuries and covid... the Suns have dealt with both of those during the reg season and the playoffs, much like other teams. But just like in the regular season, they persevered, played every game to win, didn't load manage, take games off or even TANK games to avoid certain matchups in the playoffs, making sure they were as best prepared as possible for whatever came their way in the playoffs. And plenty did in the playoffs, by way of sprained ankles, shoulder stingers, broken faces and EVEN COVID. This season was all about weathering the storm... survival of the fittest and at the end of the day, it looks like the Bucks and Suns were the two teams to accomplish that, even WITH major injuries in their respective Conference Finals.

so at the end of the season, whoever wins will properly represent who the best team was in THIS season. No asterisk, no nothing. This season was about who was mentally and physically the toughest team in the league. Just like every other season... if not moreso. That said, I personally WOULDN'T make the moreso argument, like LeBron made about the Bubble Title being so much harder than normal titles. Plain and simple, a title will be a title. And glorious that title shall be!

 

[pokerface]

An asterisk championship is better than no asterisk championship

 

[Russ Smith]

I made the mistake of listening to some sports radio this morning. I was bemused and incensed at some of the commentary that the Suns have only advanced and will only win out because of injuries to other teams. Be prepared for more of this garbage as the days wear on.

It's just noise virtually every recent title has had that stated because there's always injuries. As a Warrior fan I can tell you at the end of the day the titles is what I remember not who was hurt for Cleveland. You can only play who is in front of you and you have no control over that

 

[Western Font]

With the aggressive new bad word blocking it seems like this is going to be an asterisk championship no matter what

 

[Dback Jon]

With the aggressive new bad word blocking it seems like this is going to be an asterisk championship no matter what

****** on this thread with a great **** shot! Huge ***** on you!

 

[Covert Rain]

​

Suns asterisk my BACKSIDE.
2020 - “Mickey Mouse” NBA bubble
2019 - Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson injuries.
2018 - Chris Paul, LeBron James injuries
2017 - Durant joined 73 win team, Kawhi Leonard injured
2016 - Draymond Green was suspended, Steph Curry injured
2015 - Kyrie Irving & Kevin Love injured
2014 - Lebron suffers cramping for rest of playoffs
2013 - Russel Westbrook injury
2012 - Derrick Rose, Noah injuries