Suns @ Cavaliers Tuesday game thread 5-4-2021

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Bridges peaking during the playoffs would be huge. He just seems to have a confidence this year he didn't have before.

It’s like a baby doe figuring out how to run. His speed has surprised me. And he just looks so much more fluid now. Amazing what confidence can do in allowing a player to play by instinct instead of having to think so much.

 

[Covert Rain]

It’s like baby die figuring out how to run. His speed has surprised me. And he just looks so much more fluid now. Amazing what confidence can do in allowing a player to play by instinct instead of having to think so much.

Bridges is deceptively quick. I don't know how many games this season I have seen him drive to the basket or shoot a lane and wonder where the hell he came from.

 

[Hoop Head]

Bridges is deceptively quick. I don't know how many games this season I have seen him drive to the basket or shoot a lane and wonder where the hell he came from.

It helps that he has a 7'1" wingspan as well. He's one of the rare cases of a young player with a huge wingspan that knows how to use it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Bridges is deceptively quick. I don't know how many games this season I have seen him drive to the basket or shoot a lane and wonder where the hell he came from.

It also helps when he drives to the basket on the fast break he frequently breaks to the basket laterally instead of running straight down the court. Defenses lose track of him.

 

[Mainstreet]

@Covert Rain

This is an example. It's almost like running a post pattern in football.

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[ArizonaSportsFan]

Booker was lucky to just have barely grazed the rim. If not, there would have been a bit of time left for a miracle shot.

We had a full 24 seconds to work with and the best thing we can think of is to have Booker dribble the entire shot clock away and shoot a fading corner 3?

It has been and still is so predictable. Teams are ready for it and know whats coming. Are we afraid to set a pick because they'll double booker? Well they're going to do that anyway. At least runs some baseline action. Even when in non crunch time situations, booker hasn't handled double teams well.

At this point i'd settle for an Ayton 10 foot fadeaway.

The only way I would want a pass to Ayton is if it for a lob at the last possible second. I mean, who here would be comfortable with a pass to Ayton with 10 seconds remaining on the clock?

 

[Suns_fan69]

Phoenix should be running more end of regulation plays with CP3 with the ball. Booker can still take the shot (Dallas this year is a prime example), but I just trust CP3 to make the right decision if the defense blows the play up which happens more often than not.

 

[95pro]

@Covert Rain

This is an example. It's almost like running a post pattern in football.

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The suns do this well, fundamentals, you want to run wide and break at the 3pt line towards the hoop.

 

[95pro]

The only way I would want a pass to Ayton is if it for a lob at the last possible second. I mean, who here would be comfortable with a pass to Ayton with 10 seconds remaining on the clock?

Yeah, its sarcasm as well as a knock on Ayton because that's his go-to move.

I'm just saying at this point that would be more welcomed than a overdribbling booker last second miss.

 

[Mainstreet]

The suns do this well, fundamentals, you want to run wide and break at the 3pt line towards the hoop.

Bridges seems to run wide the best and he has those long arms to catch those passes plus of course the speed.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I'm such a damn Bridges fan boy. He went beast mode in OT.

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He's easily my favorite on the team. And no joke...... I think he could be Kawhi Leonard level in 3 years.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I think the end of game plays is mostly a coaching issue. Monty appears to prefer giving Booker the ball and either let him take the shot or run the time off the clock. Whoever has the ball is going to be doubled. The situation was made worse last night because Booker got trapped in the corner.

The real problem is the Suns do not trust anyone else running time off the clock and executing a last second shot other than Booker. Chris Paul or Cam Payne might be other options.

In any regard, I think the play should be initiated at the top of the key because there are more options.

Hard to believe they don’t trust CP3 in that moment.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The only way I would want a pass to Ayton is if it for a lob at the last possible second. I mean, who here would be comfortable with a pass to Ayton with 10 seconds remaining on the clock?

I would. If CP3 is making the pass and it is a set play not just an iso situation.

 

[Cheesebeef]

He's easily my favorite on the team. And no joke...... I think he could be Kawhi Leonard level in 3 years.

I don’t think he’s tall enough/athletic enough to be Kawhi. Those two inches Kawhi has (plus the already long arms) enables him to get his shot against anyone, anywhere. Also, Kawhi developed ELITE handles that Bridge is a ways away from.

But if he continues to get more consistent and works on his handles, he can be an All-Star, IMO. And that would be huge for the future of this team.

 

[95pro]

I don’t think he’s tall enough/athletic enough to be Kawhi. Those two inches Kawhi has (plus the already long arms) enables him to get his shot against anyone, anywhere. Also, Kawhi developed ELITE handles that Bridge is a ways away from.

But if he continues to get more consistent and works on his handles, he can be an All-Star, IMO. And that would be huge for the future of this team.

he has a good crossover and strength to drive, huge hands help, but i dont think i put him in in the elite handles category.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I was shocked at two things with that shot last night:

1) being double teamed all the way at the top of the key there seemed to ZERO plan for any other player to flash open. The other four players were effectively being guarded by three players. That’s a monty issue.

2) when it became apparent that Booker was just going to dribble around with a wall in front of him no one moved. Bridges remained in place allowing book to dribble his two defenders right over to him, essentially creating three defender wall right in front of the two of them.

it was a starkly disappointing sequence to end regulation.

I rewatched that ending and there is zero movement while Booker has the ball and worse no one is rolling to the basket for a tip in.

That ending is all on Monty.

 

[Hoop Head]

I don’t think he’s tall enough/athletic enough to be Kawhi. Those two inches Kawhi has (plus the already long arms) enables him to get his shot against anyone, anywhere. Also, Kawhi developed ELITE handles that Bridge is a ways away from.

But if he continues to get more consistent and works on his handles, he can be an All-Star, IMO. And that would be huge for the future of this team.

I think its more likely Bridges becomes an All-Star than Ayton. I don't mean to knock Ayton by saying that either. I just think Mikal is more likely to hit his ceiling than Ayton.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I rewatched that ending and there is zero movement while Booker has the ball and worse no one is rolling to the basket for a tip in.

That ending is all on Monty.

Shocking to rewatch it, right?

 

[elindholm]

I think its more likely Bridges becomes an All-Star than Ayton. I don't mean to knock Ayton by saying that either. I just think Mikal is more likely to hit his ceiling than Ayton.

The bar is a lot lower for bigs though. Jamaal Magloire was an All-Star one year, the year he posted career highs of 14 and 10. The new position classifications for All-Star selections level this playing field somewhat, but it's still awfully hard to get in as a wing.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think its more likely Bridges becomes an All-Star than Ayton. I don't mean to knock Ayton by saying that either. I just think Mikal is more likely to hit his ceiling than Ayton.

agreed.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The bar is a lot lower for bigs though. Jamaal Magloire was an All-Star one year, the year he posted career highs of 14 and 10. The new position classifications for All-Star selections level this playing field somewhat, but it's still awfully hard to get in as a wing.

this is a good point.

 

[Mainstreet]

Hard to believe they don’t trust CP3 in that moment.

I think the reason they don't use Chris Paul in these last second situations is because if the opponent traps him hard he will not be able to get a shot off. It would likely end in a tie ball or perhaps a turnover.

Booker is more athletic in this regard and his leaping ability almost guarantees him a shot at the basket, albeit even a poor one at times, if he is trapped. The Suns don't seem inclined to pass the ball in these situations because they do not want to risk a turnover.

The Suns have been incredibly good in close games so it's hard to argue the end result.

 

[GatorAZ]

#MambaMentality

Seriously though, I agree. His idolization of Kobe really haunts him here in the clutch. Kobe's "clutch" game was not one to emulate. Statistically... he stunk. You look at Kobe in playoff buzzer beater moments and you can find more clips of his teammates tipping in his airball than one can find him winning a game.

The moment doesn't scare Booker... and that is a good thing, but I wish it extended itself to him knowing that a 21 foot, off balance, doubled teamed, jumper is not as good of a shot as a teammate having an uncontested corner 3.

Nah. Kobe has hit plenty game winners in the reg and post season. He’s got 3-4 vs the Suns alone.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Nah. Kobe has hit plenty game winners in the reg and post season. He’s got 3-4 vs the Suns alone.

He was poor statistically. Shot like 30% on game tying and game winning shot attempts. Comparatively MJ shot about 50% in the same situation.

 

[GatorAZ]

He was poor statistically. Shot like 30% on game tying and game winning shot attempts. Comparatively MJ shot about 50% in the same situation.

So that is higher than 1% which the post I replied to had intended./