Playoffs: Nuggets @ Suns Friday game thread 5-5-2023 - Game 3

[AzStevenCal]

Ron was saying it was KD that's disconnected and disinterested and playing horribly, thus the "worst take ever"

Oops, that's what I get for bouncing from thread to thread. Well, then, I completely agree with you. That's always been the case with KD. It doesn't mean he doesn't care or isn't giving full effort, it's just the way he looks.

 

[BirdGangThing]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Dr. Jones]

Literally everything DA did last night was NOT new. This is two straight playoffs where he has proven to be the pigeon. HE is the weak link. He is the weakest mentally.

Unfortunately..... We need his ass.

edit: added "not" meant not. lol

 

[Mainstreet]

His shotmaking is unbelievable. I know he’s not the athlete that some guys are at the 2 guard position but he’s one of the best scorers in the league. I’m so glad he’s finding his 3 ball. His arsenal is ELITE.

Devin Booker is an elite player. The difference is he knows when and how to turn it off and on.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Ron was saying it was KD that's disconnected and disinterested and playing horribly, thus the "worst take ever"

If that was my worst take ever, then we must agree that my follow up posts, saying KD needed to start attacking the rim and driving the lane, because his shot wasn't falling, was my best take ever....cuz that's exactly what he finally started to do in the 2nd Qtr.

 

[Pokinmik]

That cam payne fast break to KD for the dunk was sweet. Finally attacked the nuggets downhill a little bit last night! Having payne push the pace and Ross and Warren out there finally diversified our offense enough.

Completely insane Monty had Ross and Warren on the bench all of the first two games. Those guys are trained assassins they can rise to the occasion and get some buckets going forward for sure. Not hyping them up too much but these two are legit veteran hoopers/scorers ready to shoot and hustle and win in the playoffs.

 

[TJ]

Couldn’t possibly disagree more with this entire post.
Last night, once & for all, finally put the real Ayton on full display.
He was the reason for the collapse last year against Dallas. He was the reason why we struggled against New Orleans last year. He’s the reason why we struggled this year against the Clippers… not only because of his ineffectiveness on the court, but his attitude off the court and in the locker room. Monty was right to get in DA’s face last post season vs Dallas.
And yet, the punk still never got the message. He got paid, but he refused to get the message. Even with Book and CP3 constantly in his ear… and even with KD chirping at him this post season, he refuses to get the message.

Guys like that are completely unsalvageable. Ayton is Stage 4 cancer that needs to be surgically removed. Period.
No cotteling. He’s toast. He is a massive negative both on and off the court. He’s all but given up which, his fellow brothers won’t tolerate. The team is putting forth incredible effort. Monty is coaching his ass off… and Big Baby Ayton simply wants to collect his paycheck and smoke his doobie post-game. Zero heart. Zero grit. Zero basketball IQ. He is by far, the biggest mistake this franchise has ever made.
They had to pay him… not saying that. But just one year of hindsight, it’s now crystal clear and easy to see giving him that money was a massive mistake.

I’ve read a lot of bad Ayton takes on this board. This is unequivocally the worst. Blaming Ayton for every single struggle this team has had is immature and short-sighted. Calling him the biggest mistake this team has ever made adds fuel to the fire. If you choose to take a helicopter view of this team, you’ll see that Ayton isn’t even a quarter of the issue; and even in the end, Ayton is still more of an asset than a liability.

He is massively struggling and deserves a great deal of criticism. But your feedback is based on pure emotion and zero logic.

 

[Mainstreet]

Last night was the best night's sleep I have had in a long time. I suppose I am too attached to the team.

The win felt so good. Hopefully Monty sees other players can contribute as well.

 

[Shaggy]

I was happy to see DA boxing out several times and getting the defensive boards.

 

[Mainstreet]

I’ve read a lot of bad Ayton takes on this board. This is unequivocally the worst. Blaming Ayton for every single struggle this team has had is immature and short-sided. Calling him the biggest mistake this team has ever made adds fuel to the fire. If you choose to take a helicopter view of this team, you’ll see that Ayton isn’t even a quarter of the issue; and even in the end, Ayton is still more of an asset than a liability.

He is massively struggling and deserves a great deal of criticism. But your feedback is based on pure emotion and zero logic.

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. Deandre needs to look in the mirror and realize he is not the player he thinks he is. It's nothing that hard work can't fix, but he has to want it like Devin Booker wants it.

He needs to channel his anger and frustration inward towards improving his game.

I think he can, but it's going to take a eureka moment if he is going to be the player he wants to be.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I was happy to see DA boxing out several times and getting the defensive boards.

I'm hoping Ayton isn't too upset with the benching. I don't know if he'll even talk with Monty today, might need his own space and some time to process everything but we absolutely still need him in these playoffs

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm hoping Ayton isn't too upset with the benching. I don't know if he'll even talk with Monty today, might need his own space and some time to process everything but we absolutely still need him in these playoffs

Yes we do. Landale was great for us last night but he got away with a lot of physical play that DA isn't allowed to use. I'm sure Malone will have worked the refs enough by the start of next game that the holding and redirecting we were doing on Jokic won't be allowed. Of course, the Nuggets were doing that and more to KD and Booker but Monty probably won't yell at the refs about it until he's out on his fishing boat - which will be as effective as me screaming at them from my living room couch.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yes we do. Landale was great for us last night but he got away with a lot of physical play that DA isn't allowed to use. I'm sure Malone will have worked the refs enough by the start of next game that the holding and redirecting we were doing on Jokic won't be allowed. Of course, the Nuggets were doing that and more to KD and Booker but Monty probably won't yell at the refs about it until he's out on his fishing boat - which will be as effective as me screaming at them from my living room couch.

I was to the point last night I thought Ayton should play defense with his body and keep his hands down his side to keep from getting called for ticky tack fouls and only raise them straight up for blocks and rebounds.

 

[TJ]

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. Deandre needs to look in the mirror and realize he is not the player he thinks he is. It's nothing that hard work can't fix, but he has to want it like Devin Booker wants it.

He needs to channel his anger and frustration inward towards improving his game.

I think he can, but it's going to take a eureka moment if he is going to be the player he wants to be.

I know he can, but I think we’re so far down the rabbit hole, it’s too late.

 

[ajcardfan]

Before these playoffs i was skeptical about having book in the top 5 players for fear of being a homer with rose colored glasses affecting my judgement.... but he is here now, 20/25 in a must win playoff game is no joke, and he is doing it on both ends of the floor in addition to getting boards and dimes

Last night on ESPN they were calling him the best player in these playoffs. And really, who can argue that? Others have had huge games but Booker has played 8 very good to great games.

 

[ajcardfan]

Kevin Durant is washed up? Really? He didn't have a great shooting night from the floor, but he STILL put up 39 pts by finding a different way. Producing like that even when you don't have an A game night can be the definition of great player. IMO. Yes, he isn't what he once was, but that was a clutch effort.

We should all be so washed up

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Mainstreet]

I know he can, but I think we’re so far down the rabbit hole, it’s too late.

Deandre is too young for it to be too late. I think we all can use counseling at certain points in our lives, the same for Ayton.

 

[TJ]

Deandre is too young for it to be too late. I think we all can use counseling at certain points in our lives, the same for Ayton.

Sorry, meant to say that it’s likely too late for this postseason and potentially on this team.

And yes, Ayton 100% needs a therapist. Im a therapist myself and it’s evident that he’s struggling with something that goes beyond basketball.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I was to the point last night I thought Ayton should play defense with his body and keep his hands down his side to keep from getting called for ticky tack fouls and only raise them straight up for blocks and rebounds.

Isn't that what Raja Bell did against Kobe, when he got tired of the ticky tack fouls?

 

[Mainstreet]

Isn't that what Raja Bell did against Kobe, when he got tired of the ticky tack fouls?

Nah, Raja Bell did a clothesline takedown on Kobe Bryant after he had been elbowing him in the face.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media