Clippers @ Suns Tuesday WCF game thread 6-22-2021 - Game 2

[Zobaczcie suki]

Big props to Cam Payne for a huge performance that kept the Suns in the game when the other shooters, except Cam Johnson, where cold. He looked like a ballet dancer on those drives to the basket with those underhanded shots. Amazing. I don't know how the Suns can afford to keep him around long term, so let's enjoy his time here and hope he can keep it up through the Finals.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Still at a loss for words. This season… This team… just so improbable! So unexpected! I don’t think I have ever loved an entire team as much as I do this team, sans the owner! Jones, Monty, CP3, Book, Ayton, Crowder, Bridges, Payne, Cam Johnson, Craig… even Dario. And though they’re not playing, big Frank and Jevon Carter are immensely likable players as well!
We certainly don’t know how far this train will take us… but damn!! It would be disappointing to not cap it all off with a first-ever Championship, but if we do fall short, my love & respect for this team won’t diminish one iota!
What a win last night! What a play!!!

 

[Germz249]

Still at a loss for words. This season… This team… just so improbable! So unexpected! I don’t think I have ever loved an entire team as much as I do this team, sans the owner! Jones, Monty, CP3, Book, Ayton, Crowder, Bridges, Payne, Cam Johnson, Craig… even Dario. And though they’re not playing, big Frank and Jevon Carter are immensely likable players as well!
We certainly don’t know how far this train will take us… but damn!! It would be disappointing to not cap it all off with a first-ever Championship, but if we do fall short, my love & respect for this team won’t diminish one iota!
What a win last night! What a play!!!

Looking at the highlights and box score it seems like Dario out game 1 behind him and moved on. He was put on the ground a few times but seems like he did better in game 2.

 

[Bufalay]

Crowder's defense was awesome all game long. This is why he gets consistent minutes even when his shot is off.

 

[Larry Schweikart]

The truly amazing part is that they never practiced or ran the play before. Yet still perfect execution

Unbelievable

You're kidding. Where did you hear that? Ayton waited just enough for Johnson to draw one defender off, then Booker set an absolutely great screen. Like the Steve Kerr shot with the Bulls:
you knew it was coming, yet couldn't stop it.

 

[Larry Schweikart]

Big props to Cam Payne for a huge performance that kept the Suns in the game when the other shooters, except Cam Johnson, where cold. He looked like a ballet dancer on those drives to the basket with those underhanded shots. Amazing. I don't know how the Suns can afford to keep him around long term, so let's enjoy his time here and hope he can keep it up through the Finals.

Payne played exactly the way you hope a backup who wants to prove himself will play.

HOWEVER, the difference between him and say Booker or CP3 is in that last shot. The would-be game winning layup and he missed it. He had the lane. That will have to be the shot he eventually makes (think Robert Freakin Horry or Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson). But no doubt, without his offense we would have lost. Crowder, Bridges, and Booker all off last night, carried by Payne and Ayton and Cam Johnson.

 

[JCSunsfan]

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Wow. That’s a flagrant.

 

[Larry Schweikart]

Wilbon also said it was the loudest arena he’s ever been in tonight on Sportscenter.

They used to call the Coliseum the "Madhouse on McDowell" and not because of any characteristics in the building

 

[Mainstreet]

Looking at the highlights and box score it seems like Dario out game 1 behind him and moved on. He was put on the ground a few times but seems like he did better in game 2.

Dario is so important to give Ayton rest and he produced after a rough start last night.

In only 13 minutes Dario was 4-9 for 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm still looking at that game winning dunk by Ayton on ESPN and Monty telling him to dunk it beforehand.

That has to be the quickest dunk I have ever seen. It's so quick, it's hard to see.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Oh my holy if paul might heard on espn back gm 3

What a mythical fight win by the suns

Of course he'll probably be back for game 3...this was never a "day to day" thing...That was fools gold, meant to just keep the Clippers and the rest of the basketball world guessing.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The fatigue factor was huge. PG doesn’t miss those free throws if he is not gassed.

that was the game. No opportunity for heroics if he makes those.

the ESPN take after the game was that the Suns are clearly the better team. That was interesting.

that is the difference between now and previous Suns championship runs. I believe this Suns team is the best team left in the playofffs. That was not the case in 1976 where that was an overachieving team on a run or in 1993 when they had an equal match in the Bulls.

it’s more like the two years when Jordan was playing baseball. We were the best team but managed to blow two series with Houston.

this thing is not over. Win the first game in La and it will be.

 

[Mainstreet]

Calling the game winning dunk the "The Valley Oop," I will have to think about it but if Deandre likes it, so be it.

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[football karma]

i wont add anything that hasn't already been said -- but i will add this:

this was a top 5 horribly officiated game -- for both sides.

early on -- Beverly had a clean block on Book that was called a foul.

the offensive foul on Booker where he posted Mann and scored had the feel of an official making a gratuitous message to Booker -- "this is what you get for complaining"

It seems they let Paul George just lower his shoulder and run into people

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i wont add anything that hasn't already been said -- but i will add this:

this was a top 5 horribly officiated game -- for both sides.

early on -- Beverly had a clean block on Book that was called a foul.

the offensive foul on Booker where he posted Mann and scored had the feel of an official making a gratuitous message to Booker -- "this is what you get for complaining"

It seems they let Paul George just lower his shoulder and run into people

not only “let” but encouraged by calling fouls on the defender.

 

[Dr. Jones]

1. I’ve watched that lob play no less than 100 times already. Jae literally had a razor-thin margin of error on the inbound. Sharp pass
2. Cam Payne is going to secure the bag this offseason. He’s playing his way out of our price range.
3. Clippers should’ve won for all intense and purposes, but they stay being the Clips. Need CP3 back ASAP to make Lue think more. They’re close to taking a game from us
4. I love Kawhi but I hope his knee stays f’d for a week or so.
5. A win Thursday gives us a clear path to the championship
6. Scott Foster can come visit my friend Bofa

+1 to ALL OF THIS.

+2!

 

[mjb21aztd]

Im exhausted didn't zzz till 1

This morning is fun though bayless skip was hilarious bayless sayin ball out on ayton before ally play kind of looks like maybe suns got another break not being clipps ball

Just soooo many unreal things went suns wau fun gm

Now onto la..

 

[Mainstreet]

There were several plays where I thought a couple of the Clippers players were trying to take Booker and Payne out of the game.

Those were not basketball plays.

 

[puckhead]

I'm still looking at that game winning dunk by Ayton on ESPN and Monty telling him to dunk it beforehand.

That has to be the quickest dunk I have ever seen. It's so quick, it's hard to see.

Was for me too. I immediately grabbed the remote and rewound it like 4 times in a row.

That was worth staying up for! I had been recording both the Suns and the hockey game so I had about 45 minutes of buffer on the Suns. Fourth quarter took so long that I caught up to real time and I watched the ending live. Wow! This team is pretty exciting, but man, those refs.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

There were several plays where I thought a couple of the Clippers players were trying to take Booker and Payne out of the game.

Those were not basketball plays.

It was clear that Beverly had been given a message to be physical with Booker...TLue knew that would be the only way to win that game. Little did he know PG would become Pandemic P at the most crucial time.

 

[Mainstreet]

Was for me too. I immediately grabbed the remote and rewound it like 4 times in a row.

That was worth staying up for! I had been recording both the Suns and the hockey game so I had about 45 minutes of buffer on the Suns. Fourth quarter took so long that I caught up to real time and I watched the ending live. Wow! This team is pretty exciting, but man, those refs.

It was one of the worst officiated games I have seen. The referees allowed a couple of Clippers players to take cheap shots at Suns players.

 

[Mainstreet]

It was clear that Beverly had been given a message to be physical with Booker...TLue knew that would be the only way to win that game. Little did he know PG would become Pandemic P at the most crucial time.

Yeah. The referees were watching a different game than I was. So glad those missed free throws by George gave the Suns an opportunity to win.

 

[Ronin]

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[Cheesebeef]

Booker’s grit last night was pretty unbelievable. Coming back in with a broken face, the dude knew his shot was off so he adjusted his game and started picking up fouls, drawing contact and getting to the FT line where he made 7 in the 4th. Then put his body on the line to set a pick for a 7 footer to give Ayton just enough space for the Valley-Oop.

That’s superstar level grit and commitment.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Still find it so unbelievable...like, can't really wrap my head around what this team is doing, especially with CP3 out. Just stop and think about:

- Ayton: 22 yrs old and no prior post season experience
- Booker: 25 and no prior post season experience
- Bridges: 24 and no prior post season experience
- Payne: 26 and with 11 post season games (avg'd 5 mins of playing time) of post season experience prior to joining the Suns
- Cam Johnson: 25 and no prior post season experience
- Saric: 27 and 10 post season games prior to joining the Suns
- Craig is 30 with 30 post season games prior to joining the Suns

The only players with any real post season experience are Crowder and CP3! And Paul has been out... Yes, Kawhi is out as well, but George, Morris, Zubac, PatBev, Jackson, Batum, Cousins & Rondo are all older and possess TONS more post-season experience than what the Suns put out on the court.
And we are now up 2-0 and are riding a 9-game post-season win streak! It's beyond stunning... even Jon Barry mentioned on Doug & Wolf this morning, that this is unprecedented! It ALWAYS takes teams like the Suns several trips to the post season before achieving this type of success.

IMHO, it all speaks to the job Jones has done...from nabbing Monty and the assistant coaches, to drafting players like Ayton, Bridges and Cam Johnson...and showing incredible insight and instinct in grabbing vets like CP3, Crowder, Saric and Craig. And of course, showing the guts to take a shot on a guy who was considered to be a NBA flunkee in Payne!
Just incredible...