Nuggets @ Suns Friday game thread 1-22-2021

[FB94]

Ayton wasn’t the problem tonight. Too much one on one dribbling the clock down to zero and shooting a crappy shot. No flow on offense in the last few of fourth and OT.

 

[GatorAZ]

27 and 13 from DA lets trade him. We need 50 and 30 from him.

Jokic had 30-10-8 and Embiid 38-11-3 tonight. The C position is back.

 

[elindholm]

Paul should never shoot. He's well below his career averages and seems to get worse deeper into the game. At this point he's a less effective scorer than Rubio was last season, by a large margin.

 

[Mainstreet]

cam can’t miss four wide open 3s.

but this game was lost because down the stretch of the fourth quarter, our “superstars” looked anything but. Again.

I mean, we almost lost to that WOEFUL Rockets team without even having John Wall. This is a really ugly stretch of basketball the last 8 games.

Suns can't win without defense.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Should have inserted Nader instead of Cam Payne at the end there. I've been impressed with him.

 

[Sunburn]

Ayton wasn’t the problem tonight. Too much one on one dribbling the clock down to zero and shooting a crappy shot. No flow on offense in the last few of fourth and OT.

Ayton's been our best player the last 3 games.

 

[Chaplin]

How is it alarmist? Chap... go look at our defense stats since we were 5-1. We aren’t good and have been bad at crunch time consistently.

we have two players on the entire team that are actually good defenders in Ayton and Bridges. Literally no one else.

this just looks exactly last like season’s start.

That is simply wrong. Cam Payne is a good defender, and even in this slump, Carter is a good defender. Crowder has some good days and Chris Paul isn't a bad defender.

I'm not going to argue that this is looking suspiciously like last year's start. Big difference here besides the new personnel is Deandre Ayton. Plus, I'm not happy with Monty's recent coaching performances.

 

[Finito]

Was Arvydas Sabonis before your time? He was a great center although he joined the NBA for the tail end of his career but I'd say he was an even better passer than Jokic. Not taking anything away from Jokic, he's incredible, but AS was in Magic's class as a passer IMO.

no he wasn’t before my time and no he was not in Magic’s class as a passer. Just because someone played years ago doesn’t make them better than someone today

yes Sabonis was a very good passer but to say he was on the level of the greatest PG ever is a bit to much

Joker is a center and he’s leading the league in assist. That’s insane. It’s not about just being flashy it’s making the right play at the right time.

most assist Sabonis ever averaged in the NBA 3. No I don’t care about the Pre dream team Euro league

 

[GatorAZ]

Paul should never shoot. He's well below his career averages and seems to get worse deeper into the game. At this point he's a less effective scorer than Rubio was last season, by a large margin.

His mid-range is still killer but he can’t make 3’s or finish near the rim. He’s pretty predictable.

 

[Proximo]

Put him in when we have a 10 pt lead for 5 min see if he can extend it if he cant so be it but if he can its gravy.

yeah I’m not totally opposed. Nader is getting his minutes right now. One thing Nader is providing right now is a slasher which we really need.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

27 and 13 from DA lets trade him. We need 50 and 30 from him.

He was very good tonight. The knock against him is only 1 rebound in the 4th and only 1 rebound in OT. Tonight was a night they should’ve been feeding him. They didn’t. That’s on both Paul and monty. Also could’ve been a better deterrent at the rim. Nuggets were running layup lines on us.

that said, that’s 3 consecutive strong games by Ayton.

 

[Proximo]

no he wasn’t before my time and no he was not in Magic’s class as a passer. Just because someone played years ago doesn’t make them better than someone today

yes Sabonis was a very good passer but to say he was on the level of the greatest PG ever is a bit to much

Joker is a center and he’s leading the league in assist. That’s insane. It’s not about just being flashy it’s making the right play at the right time.

most assist Sabonis ever averaged in the NBA 3. No I don’t care about the Pre dream team Euro league

I watched a lot of sabonis, but I think the joker is a better passer, he is the best passing center I have ever seen.

 

[Chaplin]

Paul should never shoot. He's well below his career averages and seems to get worse deeper into the game. At this point he's a less effective scorer than Rubio was last season, by a large margin.

Except tonight he was a good shooter at one point -- the end of the game. So he actually didn't get worse as he got deeper in the game. The problem tonight by far was his decision-making.

 

[Mainstreet]

The mode of operation to beat the Suns is drive the ball to the basket. The word is out.

Unless the Suns get out on the fast break or get the ball to Ayton they don't have much of an inside game.

Teams can simply wait for the Suns to go cold from outside.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It’s because he is a major liability defensively.

I feel like crowder is jacking up too many shots and not making many of them.

mikal didn’t get a single good look from 3 in the 2nd half either.

I’ve been lamenting crowders shot selection for a few games. He needs to shoot the open 3s but he should never shoot one off the dribble or a step back. He doesn’t have that. I think he needs a reminder that he’s a role player. A good one. But within yourself man!

 

[Muggz]

He was very good tonight. The knock against him is only 1 rebound in the 4th and only 1 rebound in OT. Tonight was a night they should’ve been feeding him. They didn’t. That’s on both Paul and monty. Also could’ve been a better deterrent at the rim. Nuggets were running layup lines on us.

that said, that’s 3 consecutive strong games by Ayton.

How is he supposed to thrive when his point god ignores him standing wide open under the basket to shoot a questionable shot because he wants to be THE MAN?

 

[Evil Ash]

He was very good tonight. The knock against him is only 1 rebound in the 4th and only 1 rebound in OT. Tonight was a night they should’ve been feeding him. They didn’t. That’s on both Paul and monty. Also could’ve been a better deterrent at the rim. Nuggets were running layup lines on us.

that said, that’s 3 consecutive strong games by Ayton.

There was a layup line on whomever ayton was switching off of. That's on Monty and his teammates not adjusting

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ayton needs to stay this aggressive. Dunking more and winning the rebounds. Only thing he needs to do more is push his defender down closer to the basket when he has the ball to get a layup or pass out to an open man when the double team.

Would be nice if he could a jump ball against the earthbound jokic. Lost two of them in fourth quarter.

 

[Chaplin]

I’ve been lamenting crowders shot selection for a few games. He needs to shoot the open 3s but he should never shoot one off the dribble or a step back. He doesn’t have that. I think he needs a reminder that he’s a role player. A good one. But within yourself man!

Crowder is an enigma. Seems like he can't figure out just what he is. He is a fairly large human and he doesn't do anything inside. He should be living down there when Frank Kaminsky is in the game.

 

[Finito]

He was very good tonight. The knock against him is only 1 rebound in the 4th and only 1 rebound in OT. Tonight was a night they should’ve been feeding him. They didn’t. That’s on both Paul and monty. Also could’ve been a better deterrent at the rim. Nuggets were running layup lines on us.

that said, that’s 3 consecutive strong games by Ayton.

and Bridges is having the night of his life and did he even attempt a 3 in the 4th? How does that even happen

this is bad coaching

 

[Chaplin]

Would be nice if he could a jump ball against the earthbound jokic. Lost two of them in fourth quarter.

Funny enough, he won the jump ball at the start of the game.

 

[Sunburn]

The mode of operation to beat the Suns is drive the ball to the basket. The word is out.

Unless the Suns get out on the fast break or get the ball to Ayton they don't have much of an inside game.

Teams can simply wait for the Suns to go cold from outside.

Unfortunately, Paul is allergic to fast breaking, so no easy buckets to be had there.

 

[Chaplin]

and Bridges is having the night of his life and did he even attempt a 3 in the 4th? How does that even happen

this is bad coaching

I was watching Bridges in the 2nd half and Denver was guarding him a lot differently. They weren't giving him any space at the 3 point line.

 

[Finito]

This isn’t a play off team.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

cam can’t miss four wide open 3s.

but this game was lost because down the stretch of the fourth quarter, our “superstars” looked anything but. Again.

I mean, we almost lost to that WOEFUL Rockets team without even having John Wall. This is a really ugly stretch of basketball the last 8 games.

I think when it’s 8 games it’s not a “stretch,” it’s reality setting in . . .