Suns @ Nuggets Sunday Playoff game thread 6-13-2021 - Game 4

[WhyAlwaysMe]

To me it just seemed like he was resigned to what we all know will be the outcome. No sense in lighting into your guys at this point. It didn't work. Suns were just too good. The Nuggets are not the same without Murray.

this exactly

 

[AzStevenCal]

To me it just seemed like he was resigned to what we all know will be the outcome. No sense in lighting into your guys at this point. It didn't work. Suns were just too good. The Nuggets are not the same without Murray.

Yeah I thought that was true too. And maybe I'm reading between lines that aren't there but he seemed outside his comfort zone with what he was saying at times. I don't know him well though so I could be way off.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Come on Clippers make a series out of it

 

[Mainstreet]

Abdel Nader is the only one listed on the Suns injury report.

 

[AZ Native]

Clippers up 94-83 after 3.

 

[Azlen]

Maybe I'm the only one to feel this way but I don't want the Suns to get too long of rest. I would like the Clippers/Jazz series to go maybe one game longer than the Suns series. The Suns are on a roll right now and playing their best basketball of the season. Don't want to see them even have a chance of losing that with a lengthy time before the WCF starts.

 

[Chaplin]

You're right, he didn't, but he almost did several times. He'd start to say something and it seemed he only got part of it out before he changed directions. Did you watch the entire postgame interviews or did you see a different interview maybe?

It was with the press, same as the other two interviews from the other games. In those games he came across as an awful coach, throwing his players under the bus and not taking responsibility. The third one was different. He didn't go all in on taking responsibility but he definitely didn't throw his players under the bus.

 

[Chaplin]

To me it just seemed like he was resigned to what we all know will be the outcome. No sense in lighting into your guys at this point. It didn't work. Suns were just too good. The Nuggets are not the same without Murray.

That's certainly true. I don't know much about Denver, but is there a need for him to try to save his job?

 

[Mainstreet]

It's a great opportunity for the Suns to get some rest if they can finish off the Nuggets on Sunday with the Clippers beating the Jazz.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe I'm the only one to feel this way but I don't want the Suns to get too long of rest. I would like the Clippers/Jazz series to go maybe one game longer than the Suns series. The Suns are on a roll right now and playing their best basketball of the season. Don't want to see them even have a chance of losing that with a lengthy time before the WCF starts.

I agree, too much time off isn't good either. However, I was listening to an interview with Monty discussing how the team hasn't had a chance to practice in weeks. They have had to work things out by talking and walk through practices.

It's been effective but I think the Suns could use the opportunity to heal bumps and bruises. I especially think Chris Paul could use some time to rest. The compact season and playoffs is starting to take it's toll on players.

 

[AZ Native]

The Clippers won today so there's that. I agree that it could be detrimental to sit around too long. On the other hand a few extra days to rest and actually practice would be great. Paul needs it but at this point everyone has some kind of pain, ache or minor injury. We'll see how it plays out.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That's certainly true. I don't know much about Denver, but is there a need for him to try to save his job?

not with Murray out snd after last year’s performance in the bubble.

 

[Azlen]

I agree, too much time off isn't good either. However, I was listening to an interview with Monty discussing how the team hasn't had a chance to practice in weeks. They have had to work things out by talking and walk through practices.

It's been effective but I think the Suns could use the opportunity to heal bumps and bruises. I especially think Chris Paul could use some time to rest. The compact season and playoffs is starting to take it's toll on players.

It's the old rest vs rust debate. Ideally I think 3 or 4 days would be nice. If it gets much longer than that, then I think it starts to be more detrimental.

 

[Superbone]

That's certainly true. I don't know much about Denver, but is there a need for him to try to save his job?

I wasn’t trying to imply anything as far as that’s concerned. As far as I know, it’s secure. I haven’t heard any rumblings to the contrary.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I sincerely hope we would never do something so classless on an opposing teams floor

I think Malone was talking figuratively.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Maybe I'm the only one to feel this way but I don't want the Suns to get too long of rest. I would like the Clippers/Jazz series to go maybe one game longer than the Suns series. The Suns are on a roll right now and playing their best basketball of the season. Don't want to see them even have a chance of losing that with a lengthy time before the WCF starts.

I agree with this. We want a hot team to remain hot. There’s a rhythm to playing well. As long as Paul is healthy we have young guys, this shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[Germz249]

All I can base this off of is highlights of games from youtube. Game 6 against the Lakers it seems Booker came out the gates with that assassin mentality and wanted to take over right away to close them out. I think he might come out with the same approach tomorrow.

We all know how good Booker is but if he comes out of the gate like he did in game 6 vs the Lakers I think the national media will see him as a killer now and give him the credit he is deserves.

Sorry but I feel the media only talks about us cause we are still around. We beat a injured Lakers team and its Lakers didn’t win cause they were not at full strength. Even now its Nuggets don’t have Murray or Jokic is not getting help is why they aren’t winning. There are a few guys who give us credit but its always how the other team is losing and never us winning cause we are good.

If we sweep tomorrow that Suns in 4 guy who went viral will achieve legendary status..

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

I am assuming that everyone claiming that extra rest would be counterproductive has some actual data to cite as opposed to their generic musings of a team getting rusty due to lack of game action, which is a ready-made narrative if they play poorly for some reason.

I for one have no data on whether extra rest helps teams in the playoffs when they have a rhythm and are humming, but I do know that we cannot beat anyone left in the playoffs without a 100% healthy Chris Paul and more rest seems to have improved his performance following the Lakers series win. I would also suspect that more rest would minimize his risk of re-injuring the shoulder (which already happened once in the previous series).

The other benefit as far as I can see is that the Clippers-Jazz series going longer increases injury risk for their key players (Mitchell and Conley are already a little banged up), and clearly increases wear and tear, which could sap necessary energy to deal with our taxing motion offense.

Chips on the table I see no logical argument for not wanting us to get the maximum amount of time off. If someone has data that NBA teams tend to do worse after having more than 4 or 5 days rest between playoff series I will happily revise my opinion.

 

[JerkFace]

I’m still worried a bit about Paul’s shoulder, and since rest has proven to be the best solution for it, I want the most rest possible.

 

[AZ Native]

LOL. I am a Sun's fan, I don't have that data. You can look it up as fast as anyone. No one knows for sure how a long break would affect this particular Sun's team. They are very well coached by a very intelligent basketball coach. I have no idea what he will have his team do during a long break. I believe we all agree a few extra days off as to our opponent's time off would be beneficial to the Suns. An extra 2, 3, 4, 5 days off. Who knows? But it seems possible that a team with an extra week or more off could get stagnant. Maybe, who knows? I have been watching sports for over 60 and I have seen teams blame long layoffs for poor performance the first few games. But that is all I remember. I cannot summons the exact details. With Monty at the helm, I think we will be fine. The players respect him.

 

[Strongstyle]

If we came out and laid an egg in game 4 and extended the series, wouldn't the rust argument be irrelevant at that point?

 

[AZ Native]

If we came out and laid an egg in game 4 and extended the series, wouldn't the rust argument be irrelevant at that point?

Maybe. If the Clipper win the next game that series is going at least 6.

 

[Mainstreet]

@AZ Native

Someone has a really cool new avatar. I like it a lot. A new generation of Suns fans on the rise!

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am assuming that everyone claiming that extra rest would be counterproductive has some actual data to cite as opposed to their generic musings of a team getting rusty due to lack of game action, which is a ready-made narrative if they play poorly for some reason.

I for one have no data on whether extra rest helps teams in the playoffs when they have a rhythm and are humming, but I do know that we cannot beat anyone left in the playoffs without a 100% healthy Chris Paul and more rest seems to have improved his performance following the Lakers series win. I would also suspect that more rest would minimize his risk of re-injuring the shoulder (which already happened once in the previous series).

The other benefit as far as I can see is that the Clippers-Jazz series going longer increases injury risk for their key players (Mitchell and Conley are already a little banged up), and clearly increases wear and tear, which could sap necessary energy to deal with our taxing motion offense.

Chips on the table I see no logical argument for not wanting us to get the maximum amount of time off. If someone has data that NBA teams tend to do worse after having more than 4 or 5 days rest between playoff series I will happily revise my opinion.

Actually it's much more than our "generic musings", anyone that's watched basketball for any period of time has heard analysts, announcers and coaches talk about it.

But I sort of agree with your point, it's been mostly anecdotal although when it comes from coaches and former coaches it gains some credibility IMO. I think they usually say anything more than 3 days rest starts impacting the players game conditioning and mental readiness.

But they don't really talk too much about how long it takes to get that conditioning and edge back. Is it 3 games, is it a quarter or a half? Don't know but my guess it's probably no more than the first half if you're only talking about 5 or 6 days without an actual game - longer if you're out for health reasons and can't do a full workout.

And if it's a half or less, even if it might cost you the game, isn't it possible that the extra rest will benefit you more throughout the series than what that one potential loss will cost you? Again, don't know.

I guess I'd take the extra rest especially with Paul's shoulder.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

LOL. I am a Sun's fan, I don't have that data. You can look it up as fast as anyone. No one knows for sure how a long break would affect this particular Sun's team. They are very well coached by a very intelligent basketball coach. I have no idea what he will have his team do during a long break. I believe we all agree a few extra days off as to our opponent's time off would be beneficial to the Suns. An extra 2, 3, 4, 5 days off. Who knows? But it seems possible that a team with an extra week or more off could get stagnant. Maybe, who knows? I have been watching sports for over 60 and I have seen teams blame long layoffs for poor performance the first few games. But that is all I remember. I cannot summons the exact details. With Monty at the helm, I think we will be fine. The players respect him.

Ex post facto narrative explanations for poor performance? Yeah, that is pretty weak sauce.