Mavericks @ Suns Tuesday Playoff game thread, R2, 5-10-2022 - Game 5

[Finito]

Chris Paul had 7 points, 10 assists, 1 steal and 4 turnovers.

Bottom line, Chris Paul will do whatever it takes to win including guarding a much bigger player in Luka Doncic.

He’s Chris Paul so guys will make excuses but he was god awful last night. He should of been benched in that second half. Just some of the most bonehead passes you will ever see.

 

[Chaplin]

He’s Chris Paul so guys will make excuses but he was god awful last night. He should of been benched in that second half. Just some of the most bonehead passes you will ever see.

Too bad you didn't get to see the rest of the game.

 

[Mainstreet]

He’s Chris Paul so guys will make excuses but he was god awful last night. He should of been benched in that second half. Just some of the most bonehead passes you will ever see.

It's interesting how fans see the game from different perspectives.

I thought Paul sacrificed a lot of his game to help defend Luka. IMO, his defense was integral to getting the win.

 

[95pro]

Ayton should have been benched for not putting the ball in the hoop while being 7ft tall and 3 feet away from the rim.

 

[Mainstreet]

We may win this series, but this version of Cp3 will not win us a chip.

Chris Paul was one of the Suns best defenders on Luka.

 

[Chaplin]

It's interesting how fans see the game from different perspectives.

I thought Paul sacrificed a lot of his game to help defend Luka. IMO, his defense was integral to getting the win.

I'm not sure he sacrificed, but I'm with you on the end result. Luka is a huge body and he was bullying CP3 A LOT. Sitting on our phones on the couch, it's easy to say that he was awful. But we aren't being slammed into by a guy that big over and over and over.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not sure he sacrificed, but I'm with you on the end result. Luka is a huge body and he was bullying CP3 A LOT. Sitting on our phones on the couch, it's easy to say that he was awful. But we aren't being slammed into by a guy that big over and over and over.

Paul spent a lot of energy guarding the Mavericks best scorer which had to impact the rest of his game.

I wish he would give lessons to other Suns players on how to get in Luka's lap. Paul's defense took it's toll on Luka.

 

[Mainstreet]

Another way to look at the game. The Mavericks only had 9 assists as a team and Luka with only 2.

Suns had 28 assists and Paul had 10 of those.

Also Luka shot 10-23 from the field and the Mavericks as a team shot 38%.

Lots of defense and sharing the ball by Phoenix.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Because the very definition of insanity is doing the thing that has not been working over and over again. When is the proper time to critique? When we get bounced? Please. Monty gets credit for FINALLY making the adjustment. He should have done it sooner. I trust NOW that he will do what he needs for the rest of this series.

If only Holiday played more… we would’ve swept the damn Mavs!
I get it now.

 

[GatorAZ]

Bertans, Kleber and Finney-Smith are all blowing their regular season 3P% out of the water. Bullock/Dinwiddie are about even and Luka/Brunson are way below their average.

Overall this series the Mavs are shooting 38% from 3 compared to 35% in the regular season. In the first rd vs Utah they 37%.

 

[82CardsGrad]

It's interesting how fans see the game from different perspectives.

I thought Paul sacrificed a lot of his game to help defend Luka. IMO, his defense was integral to getting the win.

I actually think Bridges had a bigger impact on Luka last night…
But Paul did an adequate job on him as well…

 

[Dback Jon]

If only Holiday played more… we would’ve swept the damn Mavs!
I get it now.

No, but we maybe could have taken Game 3. It is ok to admit that Monty has some weaknesses - some glaring. No one is perfect. He is stubborn on a number of issues.

Right now, he hasn't won anything. We all want to get there. Sometimes, self-awareness of weaknesses is a good thing.

He adjusted some last night. Let's see if it continues.

 

[Finito]

It's interesting how fans see the game from different perspectives.

I thought Paul sacrificed a lot of his game to help defend Luka. IMO, his defense was integral to getting the win.

Paul’s very first two passes of the game he threw the ball at guys ankles.

He was downright terrible last night. He got caught twice jumping in the air with the ball with nowhere to go.

He couldn’t make the most simple passes. Don’t tell me cause he’s playing such great lockdown defense.

Last 3 games Chris Paul averaging
8 points 7 assist 4 turnovers

Let Ayton put up those numbers and see this board melt down, but it’s Paul so he’s not playing bad he’s sacrificing for the team. Come on bud.

To me Paul looks hurt. He’s having problems making simple passes and even holding on to the ball. This looks like Paul in the Bucks series

 

[Mainstreet]

I actually think Bridges had a bigger impact on Luka last night…
But Paul did an adequate job on him as well…

It's a team effort on defense. I like the way Paul establishes defense down low on Luka's body. He locks up his movement this way.

However, when the Mavericks focus on Paul it opens up everything else for the team. I thought Paul did a nice job of embracing the tactics. He took what the defense gave him. Luka only had 2 assists.

 

[Finito]

Too bad you didn't get to see the rest of the game.

Of course I did along with everyone else on this thread calling for him to be taken out in the second half. When we were up big that’s when he was at his worst.

 

[Mainstreet]

Paul’s very first two passes of the game he threw the ball at guys ankles.

He was downright terrible last night. He got caught twice jumping in the air with the ball with nowhere to go.

He couldn’t make the most simple passes. Don’t tell me cause he’s playing such great lockdown defense.

Last 3 games Chris Paul averaging
8 points 7 assist 4 turnovers

Let Ayton put up those numbers and see this board melt down, but it’s Paul so he’s not playing bad he’s sacrificing for the team. Come on bud.

To me Paul looks hurt. He’s having problems making simple passes and even holding on to the ball. This looks like Paul in the Bucks series

It's a football strategy. Take what the defense gives you. Paul doesn't force plays. He had 10 assists.

Brunson and Doncic had 4 assists TOTAL.

 

[Chaplin]

I think it's a little mind-boggling that Luka only took 23 shots. That seems very low for a superstar with low efficiency.

 

[Mainstreet]

Of course I did along with everyone else on this thread calling for him to be taken out in the second half. When we were up big that’s when he was at his worst.

Suns won by 30 and both Booker and Paul played 35 minutes each. Tell me why you think Paul is so bad again?

 

[Chaplin]

Suns won by 30 and both Booker and Paul played 35 minutes each. Tell me why you think Paul is so bad again?

Bad enough that he should have been benched, no less!

 

[1tinsoldier]

It's interesting how fans see the game from different perspectives.

I thought Paul sacrificed a lot of his game to help defend Luka. IMO, his defense was integral to getting the win.

absolutely correct on both points.
Paul handled the Luka defense well and if Paul got 2 more calls his way the prior game, Luka would have been in foul trouble instead of Paul. At that point of fouling out, Paul was having his normal game, otherwise.

and the perspective of some posters here is that if Paul doesn't have a Point God game it must be "god awful." What it was, was Point Good. For god's sakes, Paul had more assists than the entire Mavs team last night!

it's also a matter of expectations. Players like Crowder, Bridges, and Cam J often take less heat for long droughts because they regularly play just a role -- as opposed to playing GOD

 

[82CardsGrad]

As we all know… there has never been and never will be a “perfect” coach.
So unless you are holding someone to that standard of perfection, you then must know that every coach possesses his/her respective shortcomings…
Now, if you want to bash dudes like Earl Watson, go for it. But the incessant bashing from a few of you, of a coach who took a floundering joke of a franchise to 8&0 in the bubble, then to a 2 - 0 in the NBA Finals last season, then to 64 wins this year and the #1 seed overall, to winning the NBA Coach of The Year (after being selected the same last year by his fellow NBA coaches), to now just a win away from getting back to the Western Conf Finals….well, I think you’re more than just a little naive.
Monty makes decisions with loads of pre-thought and intention. Perhaps more-so than most other coaches. I have no doubt that his decision ti stick with Payne for as long as he did, was backed by some strategy only Monty and a few others know. I accepted it. And I accept the change he has now made.
As fans, it’s our right to criticize. I get it. But the truth is none of us have ever been in a leadership position that would even be in the same stratosphere as a NBA head coach. Heck, most of you have never been in any form of a complex, high stress and multi-facets leadership position, period.
Developing maximized relationships with players, coaches, ownership, media and fans, as well as developing, installing and executing a culture and philosophy, on top of being a keen in-the-moment decision-maker, is all rarely blended together in ways that produce consistent excellence. IMHO, Monty has created a foundation that appears to be built this way and therefore, has achieved a degree of success few others coaches have ever achieved.
He gets the benefit of the doubt from me… because he’s earned it!

 

[Finito]

Suns won by 30 and both Booker and Paul played 35 minutes each. Tell me why you think Paul is so bad again?

Me watching the game looked like it turned when Shamet and Booker were in the back court with Biz at center.

Paul
7 points 10 assist 4 turnovers +7

Booker
28 points 7 rebounds +25

See the difference? But hey listen if you think Paul was good last night and that’s good enough so be it. Just remember that.

 

[Mainstreet]

Two adjustments Monty made which paid huge dividends is playing Shamet (19 minutes) at point guard and Biyombo (21 minutes) at backup center.

I didn't think Biz could guard outside as well as he did. That surprised me. He even guarded Luka outside.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Paul’s very first two passes of the game he threw the ball at guys ankles.

He was downright terrible last night. He got caught twice jumping in the air with the ball with nowhere to go.

He couldn’t make the most simple passes. Don’t tell me cause he’s playing such great lockdown defense.

Last 3 games Chris Paul averaging
8 points 7 assist 4 turnovers

Let Ayton put up those numbers and see this board melt down, but it’s Paul so he’s not playing bad he’s sacrificing for the team. Come on bud.

To me Paul looks hurt. He’s having problems making simple passes and even holding on to the ball. This looks like Paul in the Bucks series

And…. Paul looked this way from the jump. It’s not because he was “tired” from guarding Luka…. he looked bad from the opening tip!

 

[82CardsGrad]

Suns won by 30 and both Booker and Paul played 35 minutes each. Tell me why you think Paul is so bad again?

The Suns won in spite of CP3 last night. It’s ok to admit that. It’s just the truth.