Suns @ Pelicans Friday Playoff game thread 4-22-2022 - Game 3

[Mainstreet]

It's on to New Orleans to play the Pelicans.

Games 3 and 4 will be played on Friday and Sunday at the Smoothie King Center.

Suns will try to recover from a devastating loss on Tuesday which included Devin Booker leaving the game due to a reported hamstring injury.

The game on Friday will be televised on Bally Sports Arizona and ESPN.

Start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Arizona time.

 

[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[Chaplin]

Books going with the team. That’s interesting.

 

[Vacard]

Pelican is like the worst bird of all time

 

[dscher]

DA looks excited about those tasty treats... If he could only show as much excitement on the court.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Im gettin my bong rdy im tired but i cant zzz lol lets just say bit more puffs than usual poff fan nerves

This gm is huge if suns fail than i can sadly see pels beatin suns and suns using book hurt as exuse

 

[Ronin]

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[mjb21aztd]

Books going with the team. That’s interesting.

Let us as fans all say the please play book prayer togather for gl lol

Prob just for morale

 

[Mainstreet]

The biggest issues I see is the Suns lack of rebounding and defense.

It's hard to get excited when they are being crushed on the backboard. Suns were out rebounded by 26 rebounds the first two playoff meetings.

And the Pelicans shot the lights out on Tuesday shooting 54.8% from the field and 56.7% from 3P range.

I really don't see how the Suns are going to fix the rebound deficiency.

 

[Superbone]

The biggest issues I see is the Suns lack of rebounding and defense.

It's hard to get excited when they are being crushed on the backboard. Suns were out rebounded by 26 rebounds the first two playoff meetings.

And the Pelicans shot the lights out on Tuesday shooting 54.8% from the field and 56.7% from 3P range.

I really don't see how the Suns are going to fix the rebound deficiency.

There's a little thing in basketball called blocking out. There is no reason the Suns can't improve the rebounding disparity if they desire. Also, it might be a good idea to start guarding some of those threes. Yes, the Pelicans made some tough ones but there is no way they can sustain 50%+ three point shooting efficiency.

 

[Chaplin]

There's a little thing in basketball called blocking out. There is no reason the Suns can't improve the rebounding disparity if they desire. Also, it might be a good idea to start guarding some of those threes. Yes, the Pelicans made some tough ones but there is no way they can sustain 50%+ three point shooting efficiency.

Right. We won 64 games, we have adapted to all kinds of adversity. We saw it just a few weeks ago in a couple games in the regular season. They can do it, we know they can do it, we've SEEN them do it.

 

[Mainstreet]

There's a little thing in basketball called blocking out. There is no reason the Suns can't improve the rebounding disparity if they desire. Also, it might be a good idea to start guarding some of those threes. Yes, the Pelicans made some tough ones but there is no way they can sustain 50%+ three point shooting efficiency.

I hope the rebounding can be improved but the Suns may have to quit switching as much on defense so they are not out of position for rebounds. Obviously the switching didn't help much in games 1 and 2 in regard to rebounding.

The Suns can't let the Pelicans get any shot they want and win.

 

[Covert Rain]

Right. We won 64 games, we have adapted to all kinds of adversity. We saw it just a few weeks ago in a couple games in the regular season. They can do it, we know they can do it, we've SEEN them do it.

We have guys who have stepped up all season when our players were down and out. The Suns have no excuses if they are as deep and as good as we think they are.

 

[nashman]

All we can hope for is this big kick in the nuts will fire the team up, hopefully not demoralize them. It’s terrible luck but did we expect any different? We can’t ever have anything come easily so here is our first taste of adversity, how do we step up? Hopefully the get fired up and say let’s smoke these fools so Book is ready for round 2!

 

[Covert Rain]

The Suns have played like a team all season long through thick and thin. They have to play even more perfect without Book but they can do it IMO. They have all season long. It's time to put up and shutdown the naysayers.

 

[Mainstreet]

Suns have to do more together as a team, not necessarily individually.

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[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[eastcoastSUN]

So what's the game plan tomorrow?
- Less Crowder (with the way he is shooting, I'd like to call him Clam Chowder)
+ Get Biz some burn, if nothing else to create some space and box out JV. The problem with Biz is that unless he is two feet away from the basket, there is no offensive production from him. Honestly, I would play him and DA together if not just for the rebounding alone. Crowder's recent offensive production pretty much cancels out Biz's O
+ If Cam Payne comes out and misses his first few shots, sub Holiday in and let him work the drive in and dish out to our three point shooters
+ Pray to the Suns Gods that Shamet can fill even partially Book's shoes and justify his large contract this offseason
+ Double Ingram. Mikal's reach and lankiness cancels out with BA since they are kinda the same length (Ingram being a little taller) so we need some help to force Ingram to kick it out to another teammate. There is no way the Pels shoot >50% from 3 again. Not sustainable.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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Yup, you do DA. Talks cheap. How about you not get outrebounded by 10 rebounds by valencunius, this game

 

[SirStefan32]

Suns have got to come out with their full intensity and they have to maintain it throughout the game. When they do that, they beat anyone.
Specifically, they have to move the ball in offense, and they have to get back on defense quickly. The second a shot goes up, find your man and block them out. Those are the big things. On a more granular level, I'd like to see Holiday get some minutes, just to see how it goes. As for Payne and Crowder... they are streaky- you can't just stop playing them because they are missing shots. They'll start making them.
Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges will need to step up on offense. I also think Shamet needs to come out firing. You are stepping in for Book, act like it. Ayton needs to rebound but he also needs to recognize that JV cannot guard him. Ayton should be dropping 30 points on him with ease. JV can't move his feet and he cannot jump much.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Suns have got to come out with their full intensity and they have to maintain it throughout the game. When they do that, they beat anyone.
Specifically, they have to move the ball in offense, and they have to get back on defense quickly. The second a shot goes up, find your man and block them out. Those are the big things. On a more granular level, I'd like to see Holiday get some minutes, just to see how it goes. As for Payne and Crowder... they are streaky- you can't just stop playing them because they are missing shots. They'll start making them.
Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges will need to step up on offense. I also think Shamet needs to come out firing. You are stepping in for Book, act like it. Ayton needs to rebound but he also needs to recognize that JV cannot guard him. Ayton should be dropping 30 points on him with ease. JV can't move his feet and he cannot jump much.

All this. It would help if Ayton had any handles at all. It doesn’t matter if valencunius is a statue of you can’t effectively drive on him. That’s hopefully the next evolution of Ayton’s game. Ring able to put the ball on the floor would also likely get valencunius on the bench with foul trouble.

 

[Big Al]

The biggest issues I see is the Suns lack of rebounding and defense.

It's hard to get excited when they are being crushed on the backboard. Suns were out rebounded by 26 rebounds the first two playoff meetings.

And the Pelicans shot the lights out on Tuesday shooting 54.8% from the field and 56.7% from 3P range.

I really don't see how the Suns are going to fix the rebound deficiency.

Bismack used to play power forward. Since there's hardly any minutes at Center for him with Ayton & McGhee taking up all those minutes why not try him at power forward and to see if we can Narrow that rebounding difference and provide a bigger body that Crowder. Because Crowder just isn't getting it done. I know everyone says Jae blocks out and plays defense well and spaces the floor with some 3's but with him getting 3 points and what 7 rebounds total for these last two games is underachieving pretty much. Maybe he'll slap out and have a great game tonight as it will be needed. Hope everyone steps up tonight.