Playoffs: Suns @ Clippers Thursday game thread 4-20-2023 - Game 3

[Mainstreet]

Some final stats.

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[Proximo]

Yeah even if this team survives this series they ain't beating the nuggets.

Well, they need to play better than this, but the nuggets aren’t really that great.

twolves making them look better than they actually are.

 

[Rivercard]

That's who the Suns built their team around.

Booker yes, but they certainly didn't build around KD.

 

[Germz249]

A tight game with Leonard sitting out..

We need some statement wins..

 

[Proximo]

Durant is barely outside the top 10 scorers in the playoffs, averaging more than Bridges and some people are saying he isn’t helping and looks to old.

LOL.

He isn’t playing like the #1 Superstar but Book wouldn’t be as open without him.

Be honest, would we be better right now with cam and mikal?

I think we would be. Now maybe we will figure out to play with him better, but right now it’s not working that well.

 

[Phrazbit]

Booker's defense deserves some love too, he's been playing amazing on that end.

 

[Covert Rain]

Be honest, would we be better right now with cam and mikal?

I think we would be. Now maybe we will figure out to play with him better, but right now it’s not working that well.

No. Nobody is double teaming Bridges or Cam J on this team leaving other guys open or 1 on 1. Would our bench be more productive? I will give you that.

 

[clyde2tw]

If not for Craig's 3 and DA's off. rebounds late in the game, we'd lose this one despite the heroics of Booker. Paul was clearly kinda hurt to shoot 5/18, yet still played over 40min. Powell was playing better than Kawhi, but no adjustment of double teaming or so. Defense with Biyombo was the most effective, but he got only 11. Still not figured out how to pass the ball to KD or use him properly. If they all play 40+ min and lose the next with Kawhi back, the series may be doomed for us.

 

[Proximo]

No. Nobody is double teaming Mika’s or Cam J on this team leaving other guys open. Would our bench be more productive? I will give you that.

You haven’t been watching the nets games then.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Even with 12/11 this was one of the worst Ayton playoff games I can remember. His hands have been the worst I’ve ever seen from him this entire series. Shooting 4/8 at the free throw line and letting everyone score on him however they wanted. The clippers just pulled down his pants and made him their gimp.

He essentially played the entire 4th quarter against a full team of midgets… If there was ever a time to unleash DominAyton, is was then. But he all but shrunk and disappeared… again.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Honestly I’m already planning moves for offseason.

This ain’t close to a championship team

Agree.

Monty gotta go.

If you can turn Paul into anything at all, you do it.

Can’t rely on Payne any longer. He’s too injury prone, injuries last too long, and sucks when he comes back, and once he’s over that still too inconsistent.

Keep Craig. Keep okogie and hope he dedicates his offseason to improving offensively. But rebuild the rest of the bench.

Don’t know what the hell to do with Ayton. He regressed this season and is now playing the least inspired series I can recall from him.

Figure KD to come back strong next year. How many games he will inevitably miss and how much he can get back into the flow prior to next years playoff will be critical.

Book is there. He’s the guy.

Shamet. Damnit.

 

[AZ Native]

We just need to win the next one. Period.

 

[Mainstreet]

Booker yes, but they certainly didn't build around KD.

The Suns traded their future for Durant let there be no doubt about it. They did it to have another star to play with Booker.

 

[Covert Rain]

You haven’t been watching the nets games then.

That’s so dumb. Bridges wouldn’t be the main scorer on the Suns and wouldn’t have been used the same here.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Book wouldn’t be as open without him.

Book is open? Seriously?

 

[Mainstreet]

Honestly I’m already planning moves for offseason.

This ain’t close to a championship team

You might want to check the Suns stack of chips.

 

[Proximo]

Paul and DA were subpar again. They really are the biggest X factors

 

[Covert Rain]

Book is open? Seriously?

Book has been left one on one several times because of Durant. That’s what I mean by open. Paul has never been this open. He just needs to knock down some shots.

 

[Rivercard]

A tight game with Leonard sitting out..

We need some statement wins..

Leonard AND George.

 

[Phrazbit]

Be honest, would we be better right now with cam and mikal?

I think we would be. Now maybe we will figure out to play with him better, but right now it’s not working that well.

If KD keeps playing the way he has in this series... yeah, we'd be better with Mikal and Cam, without question.

We'd be deeper, we'd have more shooting and the defense would be better and more versatile.

But.. hopefully Durant gets more comfortable and more assertive.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I’ll stop after this post.. but, KD looks like a relic. He looks tired and old.
And I’m really having a hard time with the fact that we coughed up Bridges and Cam for what might be a has-been…
I hope I’m wrong.

The dude is playing the most minutes in the playoffs, averaging 27/7/7 on 51% shooting. Has been . . .

 

[Proximo]

That’s so dumb. Bridges wouldn’t be the main scorer on the Suns and wouldn’t have been used the same here.

He could be doing 95 % of what Durant has been doing, and having cam Johnson to boot would be extremely helpful.

 

[82CardsGrad]

That’s so dumb. Bridges wouldn’t be the main scorer on the Suns and wouldn’t have been used the same here.

Is KD the main scorer on the Suns?

 

[82CardsGrad]

The dude is playing the most minutes in the playoffs, averaging 27/7/7 on 51% shooting. Has been . . .

Like I said… I hope I’m wrong. But if THIS is the KD we get for his duration here in Phoenix, I really question the move of giving up on Bridges and Cam…

 

[Rivercard]

The Suns traded their future for Durant let there be no doubt about it. They did it to have another star to play with Booker.

Very true, but a trade deadline aquisition by definition is not "building your team around". Maybe if they move forward with KD long term though.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns cannot continue to leave an open door to the basket. It's amazing all the easy baskets the Clippers got.