Jazz @ Suns Sunday game thread 2-27-2022

[Phrazbit]

Last 2 games, lots of late rotations on defense, guys not knowing where to go or just getting caught flat footed.

Ayton complaining about foul calls and Crowder, more than once, getting too cute was also a problem.

They talk a lot about getting the "details" right and today we didn't do the little things.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

There was a lot of plays that you can point to besides Crowder’s blunder. Book missed 2 free throws at the end of the 3rd, Mikal’s missed alley oop to Ayton on the break. I feel like Jae unlocks our great shooting nights. Him, Cam J and Book were 12/22 from 3. And Torrey has been rough. Shooting 4/19 from 3 since joining us. Jalen Smith and what could’ve been lol.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Jazz bench with 43. Suns bench 11.

No points from Torrey Craig.

Most of our bench scoring (cam and cam) were either starting or not playing. Tough.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Not digging Ayton's "rebounding is optional" approach of late. Dude needs to be under the basket for every missed shot. Glad the team is making him a focal point of the offense, but gotta get those boards, son.

Averaging 7 over last three games. Not going to cut it.

 

[Chaplin]

I’ve missed both of the last two games. Both losses. Hmmm….

 

[DJ Tabooh]

I’ve missed both of the last two games. Both losses. Hmmm….

Chap this is your fault lol. We’ll be fine. We need to finish this homestand strong. Then our road trip will tell us a lot about where we are.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Thank you Dallas!

 

[SirStefan32]

Just finished watching the game. Utah was just better today. Suns had almost no bench contributions, they seemed a step late on rotations and on the boards. It's hard to win against a good team when you are down your best (or second best) player, as well as his backup, especially when your bench is non-existent. Craig and Shamet were awful, Holiday and McGee were not very good either. Not too worried about this one- Utah is a good team, and the Suns are short-handed. It's all about surviving the rest of the season, especially until Payne comes back.

 

[Phrazbit]

Thank you Dallas!

I just saw the final score... what the hell happened?! Last I saw Golden State was running them out of the gym!

 

[GatorAZ]

Just finished watching the game. Utah was just better today. Suns had almost no bench contributions, they seemed a step late on rotations and on the boards. It's hard to win against a good team when you are down your best (or second best) player, as well as his backup, especially when your bench is non-existent. Craig and Shamet were awful, Holiday and McGee were not very good either. Not too worried about this one- Utah is a good team, and the Suns are short-handed. It's all about surviving the rest of the season, especially until Payne comes back.

There’s no point in sugarcoating Shamet at this point. He’s a negative player.

Defenses seem to be fine letting Craig fire away. He’s at least long and crashes the boards.

McGee without Paul is a disaster. The bench is going to be a huge issue with Cam starting.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

There’s no point in sugarcoating Shamet at this point. He’s a negative player.

Defenses seem to be fine letting Craig fire away. He’s at least long and crashes the boards.

McGee without Paul is a disaster. The bench is going to be a huge issue with Cam starting.

Agree with all 3 points. Shamet has zero confidence in his shot. We gave up too much to get him and he’s going to be someone we have to get off of in the future. He’s taking money that should go to Cam Johnson.

Torrey has to shoot it with more confidence. He’s trying to hope the ball in instead of shooting it with purpose.

 

[TJ]

Shoutout James Jones for giving Shamet a big contract sight-unseen. For an EOTY, he's made some pretty awful decisions in his time here.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Shoutout James Jones for giving Shamet a big contract sight-unseen. For an EOTY, he's made some pretty awful decisions in his time here.

That one just made zero sense whatsoever when the deal was made, especially knowing that Cam Johnson was going to be due a contract extension next summer as well.

Man, Shamet has been atrocious.

 

[Raindog]

Just wait until the FO (meaning Sarver, mostly) insists we can't afford to resign CJ and lets him walk for nothing (or pennies in the dollar). People aren't going to be very happy with JJ/Monty then. And they are really going to be bitter with Shamet unless he has somehow transformed into the second coming of Vinnie Johnson by that point.

 

[Mainstreet]

Thank you Dallas!

Spencer Dinwiddie with 24 points and 5 assists off the bench for Dallas was huge.

At least the Suns didn't lose a game to the Warriors today. It takes some sting off the loss.

Suns need to figure out their bench. It used to be a strength.

They especially need to get Torrey Craig going. Hopefully Payne returns soon.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's all right Jae. One play didn't lose this game.

The thing that sticks out for me beside the obvious, injuries to the point guards, where is the defense and rebounding?

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[Covert Rain]

It's all right Jae. One play didn't lose this game.

One thing that sticks out for me beside the obvious, injuries to the point guards, where is the defense?

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Funny thing is you look at the box score and think the Suns might win based on how they were closing games. Watching the Suns precision at the end of games has been a thing to watch. Defensive is huge though. Let's start with Tori Craig. We were -15 with him on the floor. McGee? -20. You can't have two of your primary guys you depend on for a defensive presence being the two worst guys on the floor. We lost a chance with that bad Crowder play but he didn't cost us the game.

 

[zett]

First time he’s done that this year. Just a rough quarter. He shot that 3 with purpose that he made. Just get to your spots Book and shoot it with confidence.

not true he just did it last game, or it may have been against the thunder

 

[Mainstreet]

Funny thing is you look at the box score and think the Suns might win based on how they were closing games. Watching the Suns precision at the end of games has been a thing to watch. Defensive is huge though. Let's start with Tori Craig. We were -15 with him on the floor. McGee? -20. You can't have two of your primary guys you depend on for a defensive presence being the two worst guys on the floor. We lost a chance with that bad Crowder play but he didn't cost us the game.

Chris Paul plays a big role in closing out games by controlling tempo and setting up the right shots. Also he doesn't get enough credit for helping out on defense especially underneath the basket. The Suns miss that a lot.

I once mentioned in a post he has hands of steel. It's amazing how often he comes out of a battle under the basket with the ball.

Yeah, Craig's shooting is totally off and the Suns big men are not stepping up to the plate defensively to cover deficiencies.

 

[zett]

a golden state loss is as good as win in my book time is running short for them to catch us.

 

[Suns_fan69]

a golden state loss is as good as win in my book time is running short for them to catch us.

2023-24 NBA Magic Numbers and Clinching Scenarios | National Basketball Association

2023-24 National Basketball Association Magic Numbers

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Suns' magic number for 1 seed is 16, with 21 games left for PHX and GSW. It'd take an epic collapse or a monster win streak to lose it. If we go 10-11, GSW would need to go 16-5 just to tie, though I don't think the tiebreaker has been settled as they play one more time. That'll be a big game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

2023-24 NBA Magic Numbers and Clinching Scenarios | National Basketball Association

2023-24 National Basketball Association Magic Numbers

www.playoffmagic.com

Suns' magic number for 1 seed is 16, with 21 games left for PHX and GSW. It'd take an epic collapse or a monster win streak to lose it. If we go 10-11, GSW would need to go 16-5 just to tie, though I don't think the tiebreaker has been settled as they play one more time. That'll be a big game.

I don't know why you guys keep saying .500 will be an epic collapse. if we had CP3, sure, but without him, we're probably a somewhat poorer man's Minnesota and a .500 club.

that's how important CP3 is.

one bit of good news that I got came from my dad yesterday. he was an orthopedic surgeon and is NOROTIOUSLY pessimistic about anything Phoenix sports related. But he said when he found out the CP3 injury was an avulsion fracture, his doctor brain immediately thought 6 weeks would be the absolute high end of time missed and wouldn't be surprised to find Paul come back a little bit earlier.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I don't know why you guys keep saying .500 will be an epic collapse. if we had CP3, sure, but without him, we're probably a somewhat poorer man's Minnesota and a .500 club.

that's how important CP3 is.

one bit of good news that I got came from my dad yesterday. he was an orthopedic surgeon and is NOROTIOUSLY pessimistic about anything Phoenix sports related. But he said when he found out the CP3 injury was an avulsion fracture, his doctor brain immediately thought 6 weeks would be the absolute high end of time missed and wouldn't be surprised to find Paul come back a little bit earlier.

Yeah, fair. Epic collapse probably applies to the team with CP3, but I think a 10-11 finish would still be a disappointing finish without.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't know why you guys keep saying .500 will be an epic collapse. if we had CP3, sure, but without him, we're probably a somewhat poorer man's Minnesota and a .500 club.

that's how important CP3 is.

one bit of good news that I got came from my dad yesterday. he was an orthopedic surgeon and is NOROTIOUSLY pessimistic about anything Phoenix sports related. But he said when he found out the CP3 injury was an avulsion fracture, his doctor brain immediately thought 6 weeks would be the absolute high end of time missed and wouldn't be surprised to find Paul come back a little bit earlier.

I don't deny that CP3 is critical for our success but not having Payne magnifies his absence. And if his history is any indication, he's likely to struggle for several games before he's fully up to speed. Without the two of them, I'm not sure we're even a .500 club although I still think it will be enough to hang on to the top seed.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't deny that CP3 is critical for our success but not having Payne magnifies his absence. And if his history is any indication, he's likely to struggle for several games before he's fully up to speed. Without the two of them, I'm not sure we're even a .500 club although I still think it will be enough to hang on to the top seed.

Agreed. I’d call 10-11 an epic collapse if we had Payne. With both out .500 seems about right. That’s kinda where we were pre-Rubio. A talented team with no pg that was approaching .500 and likely would’ve been .500 with the development of our young guys. Give them a passable pg (Payne) and they are likely a 50 win team now. Add a Paul and they are obviously an 65+ win team. Give them both and health and they are a championship team.