Suns @ Bucks Sunday Finals game thread 7-11-2021 - Game 3

[Shaggy]

Second chance points 20-2… wow

That's what lost it for them.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't normally get that feeling about Paul but I felt that tonight. Just a bad game from our key contributors. Paul, Booker, and Ayton.

Before anyone complains about me saying Ayton had a bad game, he did, I don't care about his stats. His fouls were legit fouls. He knew he needed to stay out of foul trouble but didn't. Its fine, it happens. Its not a big problem unless its repeated. His hands also sucked tonight after the first quarter.

I agree with this. While I think it’s incredibly difficult for Ayton to play with force as the lone big, he has to stay outta foul trouble. I know it’s tough, likely the biggest challenge of his career, but he’s got to find a way to balance both. Asking a lot of the kid.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

If Dario was a regular contributor I would agree. This is a gross exaggeration. Dario would have made no difference this game. The Suns tried to force their will playing small ball. I would have rather them used Frank and Craig’s fouls. That’s all Dario would have done.

I obviously can’t say that Dario would’ve made a difference but if he can more effectively put a bigger body on a Portis or giannis that allows our smaller wings to snatch rebounds that’s an impact. It’s tougher to effectively go over th back without fouling a 6’10 dude than a 6’6 dude.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Don’t agree… Dario wasn’t putting up the stats of course. But, he does play much better defense than Frank and even Craig. He makes it harder for guys like Giannis and Portis to score and rebound.
Tonight was a cake-walk for Giannis and Portis (well, really the entire Bucks roster).
But Dario does the little things that don’t always show up in the stat book, but make a difference.
We literally don’t have a legit backup to Ayton. Dario wasn’t winning any MVP’s, but he was a more than adequate backup to DA.

Agree

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Dario has played horrible defense these playoffs. The matchups have not benefited him at all. Looked slow and lumbering. He is in there to spell other guys and use his fouls. If he hits shots it’s a bonus.

There is a reason has gone from potential stater since coming to the Suns to sometimes used bench player.

But he’s better suited to guard Portis and Lopez than our wings.

 

[Covert Rain]

Dario had ZERO and I mean Zero to do with it. Team defense was horrible, Booker non-existent, Bridges non-existent. We tried to play small ball with the Bucks way too much. Couldn't hit shots. That's why we lost.

The team has lost only once when Bridges is in double figures. It takes so much pressure off of the other starters when Bridges is making baskets. Once we go to the bench the matchups becomes all jumbled with CP3 usually sitting first. If Booker and Bridges show up we are going to win Game 4.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I agree with this. Dario uses his body to keep others from swarming in for offensive boards like the Bucks did tonight. He would have helped tonight, for sure, but without him available we had an uphill battle.

Yup

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I can’t believe someone would suggest Dario is the better defender. Monty has struggled to find him minutes the entire playoffs because he gets abused by everyone. The matchups have been horrible for him.

But this matchup isn’t. Lopez and Portis are exactly the type Dario can play against.

 

[Covert Rain]

But he’s better suited to guard Portis and Lopez than our wings.

Portis? No way. No way could he keep Portis in front of him. In terms of Lopez he would draw Dario out to cover for the 3. When Giannis and Lopez are out there together Dario cannot be your biggest guy on the floor. Dario is OK for one scenario only...when Lopez is out there by himself and Giannis is on the bench.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Portis? No way. No way could he keep Portis in front of him. In terms of Lopez he would draw Dario out to cover for the 3. When Giannis and Lopez are out there together Dario cannot be you biggest guy on the floor. Dario is OK for one scenario only...when Lopez is out there by himself and Giannis is on the bench.

I have yet to see Portis out there ball effectively on the floor this series. He’s not a ball handler. He wouldn’t blow by Portis. Thats kinda silly. He would definitely keep a bigger body between Portis and offensive rebounds.

 

[Mainstreet]

I couldn't agree more. The Suns need to give Ayton some help defensively especially against Giannis.

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[Covert Rain]

I have yet to see Portis out there ball effectively on the floor this series. He’s not a ball handler. He wouldn’t blow by Portis. Thats kinda silly. He would definitely keep a bigger body between Portis and offensive rebounds.

Portis cuts effectively without the ball. Dario could not keep up with him. No way. Besides, Monty wouldn't have cut Dario's minutes in half this entire playoffs if he felt Dario could be effective on the floor defensively.

 

[Cheesebeef]

There’s no doubt we’d be better off with Dario. Our depth and ability to play different styles is what made us so difficult to matchup with all season.

but by no means is his loss a death knell for this team as some are making it out to be.

 

[Covert Rain]

There’s no doubt we’d be better off with Dario. Our depth and ability to play different styles is what made us so difficult to matchup with all season.

but by no means is his loss a death knell for this team as some are making it out to be.

This. I would 100% rather have the depth. But we have 3 other guys with 18 fouls to give that we only need to spell Ayton and Crowder. The team has prided itself on contributions from the bench. Craig and Frank need to step up.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Portis? No way. No way could he keep Portis in front of him. In terms of Lopez he would draw Dario out to cover for the 3. When Giannis and Lopez are out there together Dario cannot be your biggest guy on the floor. Dario is OK for one scenario only...when Lopez is out there by himself and Giannis is on the bench.

Wait, so your solution if they have giannis and Lopez is to not have anyone taller than 6’8 cam Johnson? Lol. Okay that’s doomsday.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Portis cuts effectively without the ball. Dario could not keep up with him. No way. Besides, Monty wouldn't have cut Dario's minutes in half this entire playoffs if he felt Dario could be effective on the floor defensively.

Yeah man you’re going to have to show me video of that bc I’ve watched the bucks the entire playoffs and that’s not who Portis is. He’s a post, energy, offensive putback and 3 guy. He’s not a driver. He’s not a slasher.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Portis cuts effectively without the ball. Dario could not keep up with him. No way. Besides, Monty wouldn't have cut Dario's minutes in half this entire playoffs if he felt Dario could be effective on the floor defensively.

Bc we weren’t playing these types of guys. You’re just recycling wrong arguments. Saying it again doesn’t make it any more accurate than the first time you used the argument poorly.

 

[Dr. Jones]

What a crazy night. When Cam cut it to four in the third, the suns fans in the arena went nuts. What electricity.

I will say that it went downhill from there. And we had some bad bench energy in the 4th. Ayton was dropping some f bombs all over the place when he got his 4th and came of the floor. Very mad about the calls and Monty said as much in his post game presser. Defining what is a bad defensive position.

After his 5th foul, Ayton sulked. During a late timeout, Paul and Crowder (who were sitting together at the end of the bench) got up to join the players in the huddle….. CP3 saw Ayton staying by himself and nudged Crowder to point it out to him. Jae walked over to Ayton and jawed at him for a quick second and then went to join the rest of the team in the huddle. Ayton after about 10 seconds got up, joined the group, and put his hand in the huddle.

Not sure how to take it. Or how he normally handles adversity like that, but I did notice it.

 

[Hoop Head]

We're better when we play small than we do with Dario, generally, but that doesn't mean he's useless. Having Dario gives us options for when our small ball routine isn't working.

Dario isn't going to make or break a series for us but not having him will hurt us in the occasional outing. This game was one of those outings.

I'm not saying we would have won with Dario but I do think it would have helped us keep Ayton out of foul trouble some, which could have kept things closer. That doesn't mean we win but it could have kept it closer.

 

[Hoop Head]

What a crazy night. When Cam cut it to four in the third, the suns fans in the arena went nuts. What electricity.

I will say that it went downhill from there. And we had some bad bench energy in the 4th. Ayton was dropping some f bombs all over the place when he got his 4th and came of the floor. Very mad about the calls and Monty said as much in his post game presser. Defining what is a bad defensive position.

After his 5th foul, Ayton sulked. During a late timeout, Paul and Crowder (who were sitting together at the end of the bench) got up to join the players in the huddle….. CP3 saw Ayton staying by himself and nudged Crowder to point it out to him. Jae walked over to Ayton and jawed at him for a quick second and then went to join the rest of the team in the huddle. Ayton after about 10 seconds got up, joined the group, and put his hand in the huddle.

Not sure how to take it. Or how he normally handles adversity like that, but I did notice it.

Good insight. How close are you seats to have heard the f bombs clearly?

 

[Dr. Jones]

Watching Giannis play at the height of his powers is a blessing. But man……. I wish it was against someone else. What a monster.

I really felt like this game was there for the taking, but some key substitutions really hurt us.

Frank just can’t play in a finals game. He’s not useable IMO.
Cam missed some big paint shots IMO.
And there were some huge swings when we would miss a three (Cam comes to mind) then Jrue would make one at the other end.

Such backbreakers. But what an amazing night. I’ll never forget it. Hopefully Wednesday will bring a better result for all of us. Now we get to stew for 2 full days. Ugh.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Good insight. How close are you seats to have heard the f bombs clearly?

I was in the fifth row behind the bench. Maybe 20 to 30 feet.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Here's a good shot of the distance.

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[Sunburn]

Bottomline, we need to figure out a way to effectively defend Giannis and keep Ayton from getting into foul trouble. We can't let Giannis go for 40 every night. We desperately need Ayton on the floor.

And we desperately need Booker to play better. He has now shot less than 43% in 12 out of 19 playoff games, and under 41% in 7 out of his last 8. Every one of his post season advanced stats are below his regular season numbers.

He's averaging a bit more points per game, and we, along with the media, want to believe he's raising his game. However, by all metrics, he is having a poor post season.

 

[TJ]

Dario had ZERO and I mean Zero to do with it. Team defense was horrible, Booker non-existent, Bridges non-existent. We tried to play small ball with the Bucks way too much. Couldn't hit shots. That's why we lost.

The team has lost only once when Bridges is in double figures. It takes so much pressure off of the other starters when Bridges is making baskets. Once we go to the bench the matchups becomes all jumbled with CP3 usually sitting first. If Booker and Bridges show up we are going to win Game 4.

I’m confident we don’t see another dud like this from Booker. Bridges hasn’t been consistently productive on offense this postseason, but when he has it going, the other team is typically toast.