Pacers @ Suns Saturday game thread 3-13-2021

[Carolinacacti]

Its was a foul a weak play by Ayton and Book got killed on the other end

 

[GatorAZ]

he went up like a total puss there.

He doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by dunking on them and I’m only being halfway facetious.

 

[Mainstreet]

The irony is he goes up weak all the time because he’s afraid of getting his shot blocked, but in doing so he makes his shot even easier to block.

In listening to EJ it’s apparent how frustrated with Ayton he is. If he weren’t on the air and being paid by the suns he’d likely be calling him a puss like us fans. And he’d be right.

In all likelihood Ayton's shot would have been blocked by Turner regardless.

What Ayton needs to learn is to use his body to go into the defender at the basket then the referees would have to call the foul.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

In all likelihood Ayton's shot would have been blocked by Turner regardless.

What Ayton needs to learn is to use his body to go into the defender at the basket then the referees would have to call the foul.

But that’s just it, it won’t be a block if he goes strong, it’ll be a foul. EJ pointed that Ayton decelerated just before taking off due to being intimidated by turner. It’s like he believes everyone is going to block his shot. It’s frankly an embarrassing mindset.

 

[Mainstreet]

But that’s just it, it won’t be a block if he goes strong, it’ll be a foul. EJ pointed that Ayton decelerated just before taking off due to being intimidated by turner. It’s like he believes everyone is going to block his shot. It’s frankly an embarrassing mindset.

I think Turner gets his hand on the ball regardless but if Ayton goes into the defender the referees have to call the foul. Ayton pulls the ball back because he knows it's going to get blocked otherwise. He needs to force his body into the defender on those plays.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think people are making way too much over Ayton's offense there and ignoring an even greater problem - he slow jogged back on defense. I'd have benched him for that alone. I can live with that decision on offense - I don't like it but I can live with it. But a tough minded player works even harder on defense the moment a play like that goes sour - Ayton just wiggles hit butt down the court as if his only goal in life is to be the last player to get there.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think people are making way too much over Ayton's offense there and ignoring an even greater problem - he slow jogged back on defense. I'd have benched him for that alone. I can live with that decision on offense - I don't like it but I can live with it. But a tough minded player works even harder on defense the moment a play like that goes sour - Ayton just wiggles hit butt down the court as if his only goal in life is to be the last player to get there.

ouchie and I watched the game together yesterday and remarked on the same thing. That’s one part lack of fire and another a pathetic lack of conditioning, and the lack of conditioning can only come from not caring enough, which is basically back to the lack of fire. We also noticed him completely sucking wind halfway through the second quarter. It was one of those truly frustrating moments where someone set Ayton up for an EASY dunk by himself, he fumbled the pass. Then hesitated and didn’t go up strong, got fouled and missed the layup. We then noted how winded he was at the FT line and sure enough, clanked both shots short. So, in one play we saw his bad hands, timid nature and stamina all on display that turned a sure 2 points into nothing.

he just doesn’t have natural fire in his belly and for a big man, that is dangerous. I think that comes from him being he’s too naturally gifted. the game comes easy to him and I believe that ultimately leads him to not working as hard because of it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think people are making way too much over Ayton's offense there and ignoring an even greater problem - he slow jogged back on defense. I'd have benched him for that alone. I can live with that decision on offense - I don't like it but I can live with it. But a tough minded player works even harder on defense the moment a play like that goes sour - Ayton just wiggles hit butt down the court as if his only goal in life is to be the last player to get there.

Yeah cheese and I noted that. It was in stark contrast to when book threw a terrible turnover and then hustled down court to block the shot and grab the ball before it went out of bounds. Monty should make Ayton sit next to Booker and show those two sequences back-to-back. And then leave the room and just have Booker give it to Ayton.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think a lot of our frustration with Ayton is this:

Ayton often gets what’s right there in front of him. He does what’s minimally expected of him. His 14/12/1 reflects that.

Ayton also frequently (more often lately, troubling) underperforms.

what rarely, if ever, happens is to see him go out and get more than what is minimally expected of him.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Ayton knows what to do on defense and it has been explained to him at length by the coaching staff and players.

Ayton needs a traditional power forward to play next to him to bang. Kaminsky and Crowder is not it.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Tough loss hope suns bounce back quickly

Just sucks seeing suns loses to meh teams

But great stretch of w get another going!!!

 

[Hoop Head]

Remember when Amare would get blocked at the rim? He'd gather the ball and go back up stronger. Then he'd make it a point to go out whoever blocked him for the rest of that game in an effort to posterize him. I wish Ayton had a fraction of Amare's determination. He has the athletic gifts to play similar.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Remember when Amare would get blocked at the rim? He'd gather the ball and go back up stronger. Then he'd make it a point to go out whoever blocked him for the rest of that game in an effort to posterize him. I wish Ayton had a fraction of Amare's determination. He has the athletic gifts to play similar.

Even if he had Amare's determination on offense, he doesn't have Amare's hands and despite being a good athlete, he's not a SUPERHUMAN athlete like Amare was. He had that quick twitch burst, whether it was off the dribble, or exploding off one or two feet.

Haven't seen anything like that from Ayton... at least not since he got back from his suspension for whatever he was taking.

 

[JCSunsfan]

ouchie and I watched the game together yesterday and remarked on the same thing. That’s one part lack of fire and another a pathetic lack of conditioning, and the lack of conditioning can only come from not caring enough, which is basically back to the lack of fire. We also noticed him completely sucking wind halfway through the second quarter. It was one of those truly frustrating moments where someone set Ayton up for an EASY dunk by himself, he fumbled the pass. Then hesitated and didn’t go up strong, got fouled and missed the layup. We then noted how winded he was at the FT line and sure enough, clanked both shots short. So, in one play we saw his bad hands, timid nature and stamina all on display that turned a sure 2 points into nothing.

he just doesn’t have natural fire in his belly and for a big man, that is dangerous. I think that comes from him being he’s too naturally gifted. the game comes easy to him and I believe that ultimately leads him to not working as hard because of it.

Ayton is too--mellow. THC problem?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ayton is too--mellow. THC problem?

maybe? Who knows.

 

[mjb21aztd]

maybe? Who knows.

Lol i think thc would make ayton play better if used it just saying lol

 

[Sunburn]

I'm curious, did anyone see Ayton's demeanor on the bench in the fourth? Look happy, sad, pissed? I didn't catch it.