Suns @ Mavericks Sunday game thread 3-5-2023

[Phrazbit]

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[JosiahLee]

I love the game announcer.. "Booker was yapping at Jokic when he was down"

Booker wasn’t even talking to Luka but hey.. maybe I should go back to my cave so I don’t hear the dumb bias crap..

Yep, that was some bum commentary. I was laughing at the “Jokic” comment. And replays clearing show Book was talking to the ref.

 

[Cheesebeef]

We gotta win a title, if we don't win a title in the next couple years an early March win back in 2023 isn't going to make me swoon when I think back.

Jesus… no one is arguing today was the end all be all.

But keep low pro rooting against this trade.

 

[Absolute Zero]

The Luka games are always called with the offense making space by ramming into defenders. Just think, without having that move in his arsenal, Luka cannot score. You can't have a game where the main star cannot score "because of the refs." So I have noticed the Mavs games are always called differently.

I liked when Ish was gaurding him. Can't knock our middle linebacker around. If we see them in the playoffs, I say start Ish and put him on Luka.

 

[Phrazbit]

Jesus… no one is arguing today was the end all be all.

But keep low pro rooting against this trade.

... you posted a win loss record that was wildly inaccurate. How would you have reacted if I'd done the same?

I want us to win the title, desperately.

And you know damn well that if we don't win a title, a win in March won't mean squat to you either.

Stop crapping on people for a difference of opinion.

 

[AzCardsfan76]

The Mavs won the playoff matchup which was huge for them and embarrassomg for us considering our record and our behavior. And the media kind of plays it up the same way as you're suggesting but no, they really haven't "absolutely owned" us the past 2 years.

Prior to last season we dominated them for several years. Starting from last season we are 8-6 against them including the playoffs and all told they've only outscored us by a total of 16 points during those 14 games. Our shorthanded match where we were missing 4 rotation players accounts for their overall scoring difference as they blew us out by 19 in December.

It looks worse for us (and feels much worse for us) if you start the count at last year's playoffs but even then, we're just down 5-6.

It was how we were completely and utterly embarrassed/destroyed/laughed off the court in the playoffs. Dallas just crushed the Suns. You can tell since then it really had an effect on the them. I think today was a huge step in overcoming that. KD changes everything.

 

[95pro]

Crazy game.

As I said before teams will make Okogie the guy on offense.

Kidd is just such a good strategist, can’t say the same for Monty since he doesn’t adjust.

Cp3 has made Monty look good, now KD as well.

KD is just amazing, I still can’t believe he’s a Sun.

 

[Dr dumas]

Solid game and this has to have felt good to get over a mental hurdle against the Mavs.

Suns now get two days of practice before taking on OK City which should be an easy win.

 

[clyde2tw]

all our complementary players have their shortcomings and strong traits. it's Monty's job to hide the former while utilizing the latter, and the opposing coaches' job to do the the reverse. Adjust the game plan and/or make better sub rotations more quickly pls, Monty!
Okogie is a really fine player but you cannot subject him to shooting 8 straight misses for 3s in short span of time, destroying his confidence and hurting team's on the way. All the while Payne, Ross, Warren, Damion combined for taking 4 treys. It's outcoaching.
PS: DA was active and huge with the two off. rebounds and putbacks. need to get him a bit more involved

 

[JCSunsfan]

I wouldn't dismiss giving up Mikal Bridges so casually.

Do you see my avatar?

 

[Matt L]

Anyone still wanted the Suns to have picked Luka?

yeah

 

[Germz249]

Lol Mavs fan are so salty right now.. "Booker only talks when they are up" "Everyone likes to talk crap when they are up"

Umm what do you think the meme picture of Luka laughing at Book was.. pretty sure the Suns weren’t up in that picture.. Sometimes I wonder about people's IQ. I need to stay off the internet and go back in my cave guys.

 

[nashman]

A trade is evaluated over the course of years. Tell me what you think about 8 years from now.

Come on what’s the chances Bridges is even in Brooklyn in 8 years, or if we win a chip it doesn’t matter if he becomes freaking Kobe (he won’t the only reason he is blossoming a little is he is shooting a ton because he can now he’s their #1) he would never have been that here! Maybe he comes back here you never know but the trade was a no brained for us!

 

[Phrazbit]

Lol Mavs fan are so salty right now.. "Booker only talks when they are up" "Everyone likes to talk crap when they are up"

Umm what do you think the meme picture of Luka laughing at Book was.. pretty sure the Suns weren’t up in that picture.. Sometimes I wonder about people's IQ. I need to stay off the internet and go back in my cave guys.

Also, Booker talks all game long... Luka only reacts like a clown when he's losing.

 

[Germz249]

Also, Booker talks all game long... Luka only reacts like a clown when he's losing.

I get that about Booker talking all game but when all they claim is Booker talks when they winning only yet the one picture they love is Luka talking when they are winning. If you think about it.. how are you making any sense right now to say that like you guy doesn’t but love to show that picture..

 

[Lorenzo]

The Luka games are always called with the offense making space by ramming into defenders. Just think, without having that move in his arsenal, Luka cannot score. You can't have a game where the main star cannot score "because of the refs." So I have noticed the Mavs games are always called differently.

I don’t understand this. Luka can score in many different ways as we all have seen especially from the outside. the suns like most other teams try to get physical and shadow luka up and down the court when he has the ball. They take his space away to prevent him from passing and shooting. He should be physical and bully defenders especially with how big boned he is. That is him evolving his game in my opinion.

 

[Joe Mama]

That was a fun game, but boy would I have been pissed if we actually lost. It's tough to beat any team when they are shooting three pointers like Dallas can for stretches.

I have wondered previously here why Wainwright ever sees the floor when the game is still meaningful. He saved us today with that three-point shooting though and looked great defensively even again irving. JO had a tough time shooting for sure, but that's just going to happen sometimes unfortunately. Overall these guys have to be able to shoot these open three-pointers at least 35% make defenses pay for leaving them wide-open.

.
The officiating… I don't have a problem when referees make bad calls from time to time. My problem is these areas where I think the league is screwing up consistently making calls incorrectly. It should be very, very easy or an official to call these obvious offensive fouls when there is a defender standing there with good defensive position and the offensive player is simply dropping his shoulder and ramrodding his way through it. Luka Dončić is easily text delete Embiid and the Greek freak, but Luka Dončić adds insult to injury by constantly whining. I don't even think they should require the defender to flop or exaggerate the contact. It's very easy to see and would be called in a second if it was the other way around. To his credit Hubie Brown was pointing this out with regularity today. My only complaint with Brown was where he was saying Booker should have been called on one position where Luca Doncic was doing the same thing and Booker was giving it back to him instead of just taking it. His comment about Kevin Durant 's free throw efficiency at the end of the game didn't bother me. I thought he was saying that more as somebody who wanted to see the game extended because it had been such a fun game to watch.

 

[Lorenzo]

I don't want home court advantage lets split here now and amicably and NEVER ever meet again in the playoffs.

The storyline is too good not to meet in the playoffs. Of corse Dallas has to improve though, they can’t keep losing games or they might not make it to a rematch. Or who knows maybe they meet in the first round.

 

[GatorAZ]

all our complementary players have their shortcomings and strong traits. it's Monty's job to hide the former while utilizing the latter, and the opposing coaches' job to do the the reverse. Adjust the game plan and/or make better sub rotations more quickly pls, Monty!
Okogie is a really fine player but you cannot subject him to shooting 8 straight misses for 3s in short span of time, destroying his confidence and hurting team's on the way. All the while Payne, Ross, Warren, Damion combined for taking 4 treys. It's outcoaching.
PS: DA was active and huge with the two off. rebounds and putbacks. need to get him a bit more involved

I’d be more worried about Okogie’s confidence had he stopped shooting today. If you are are at least a league-average 3pt shooter you gotta keep firing when they give you those shots.

 

[Covert Rain]

A trade is evaluated over the course of years. Tell me what you think about 8 years from now.

That is so conditional. If we win a title? No we don’t need to wait 8 years to tell you what we think.

It will be worth it. No question. No hesitation. Not single fan in 8 years is going to say….well I would give that title back if we could get those players and picks back.

 

[Chaplin]

That is so conditional. If we win a title? No we don’t need to wait 8 years to tell you what we think.

It will be worth it. No question. No hesitation. Not single fan in 8 years is going to say….well I would give that title back if we could get those players and picks back.

Look forward in 8 years… sure. Wonder what Mainstreet thought about this team and its chances in 2015?

 

[nashman]

That is so conditional. If we win a title? No we don’t need to wait 8 years to tell you what we think.

It will be worth it. No question. No hesitation. Not single fan in 8 years is going to say….well I would give that title back if we could get those players and picks back.

Exactly plus bridges is in a no lose situation shoot all he wants and doesn’t matter they have no expectations of a title or anything there let’s be honest. Here he was never EVER gonna be the guy he has some opportunity there but we will see it’s not like he’s 20 he’s been in the league along time, do people believe he’s gonna suddenly turn into a clutch superstar? Crazy honestly you got Durant he is worth way more than Bridges period…

 

[Phrazbit]

The storyline is too good not to meet in the playoffs. Of corse Dallas has to improve though, they can’t keep losing games or they might not make it to a rematch. Or who knows maybe they meet in the first round.

The West is so jumbled, the only lock seems to be Denver as the 1. Down 4 in the loss column to the Grizz with 17 to go... it's difficult but not impossible. The Suns play Milwaukee, the Sixers and Denver, twice, but each of those are in Phoenix, the rest of the schedule is pretty soft; the 2 seed isn't out of reach and the 3 is certainly attainable. That would setup a potential date with Dallas in round 1.

 

[leclerc]

He’s a league-average shooter this year and for his career.

For his (Ross) career he has a pretty good PPG that beats our dudes I think, in D. Lee, Shamet, Okogie. Besides, you can never have enough shooters. We saw that in this game.

 

[Sparky16]

I don’t understand this. Luka can score in many different ways as we all have seen especially from the outside. the suns like most other teams try to get physical and shadow luka up and down the court when he has the ball. They take his space away to prevent him from passing and shooting. He should be physical and bully defenders especially with how big boned he is. That is him evolving his game in my opinion.

Big boned.... spoken like a fat person. There were articles in the offseason on how Luca was taking his physical shape seriously.... it dont look like it. He is still out of shape for NBA standards. The refs bail him out way to much, he has taken the euroflop to the offensive side of the floor