The "what went wrong" thread. Darksiders come on in.

[NashDishesDimes]

Missed free throws

CP has zero role on this offense. The ‘point god’ doesnt even bring the ball up

Horrid offensive sets with no movement and no easy baskets

Too much dribbling and iso from Book - move the ball! Get the team in rythm

Terrence ross is the worst player in the NBA. WHY do i have to keep watching this guy.

Out of bounds plays dont even involve someone coming to the ball

Dbook played great D but failed to attempt to box out russ on multiple plays

$180m deandre ayton abused by Zubac on the glass all night

 

[nashman]

That’s on Chris Paul. He got in his feelings b/c of Westbrook and Mann. He should not have been dominating the ball down the stretch but he wanted to be the man. I think he’s smart enough to learn from it going forward.

Don’t really agree Paul was rebounding and being aggressive, if we had a big that wasn’t a complete waste of space he could have had multiple tip ins or O boards. But no we have a clown at the 5 that had ZERO offensive boards and was sleep walking half the time. I am over DA I would rather have a McGee type and a backup PG not named Payne! And a new coach if this **** goes sideways again!

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not really. They averaged 112 ppg and shot 53% from the field without their best player for three games. They laid a stinker in game 4 but that’s normal in a series.

Go back and read the game threads as the season ended and our New Orleans matchup. Struggled doesn't mean sucked. We struggled and didn't play to the same level we had for most of the season and it gradually got worse.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Missed free throws

CP has zero role on this offense. The ‘point god’ doesnt even bring the ball up

Horrid offensive sets with no movement and no easy baskets

Too much dribbling and iso from Book - move the ball! Get the team in rythm

Terrence ross is the worst player in the NBA. WHY do i have to keep watching this guy.

Out of bounds plays dont even involve someone coming to the ball

Dbook played great D but failed to attempt to box out russ on multiple plays

$180m deandre ayton abused by Zubac on the glass all night

That about sums it up

 

[Hoop Head]

Historic collapses 2 years running says contenders who won't get a title.

I'm so tired of this over exaggerating. Last year was bad, primarily because of game 7. How was a finals run after over a decade of not making the playoffs a historic collapse? They were a Cinderella story who got called home before midnight because they faced a legit contender with a generational talent that they had no way to contain. 2021 was not a historic collapse and it was not on Monty. The only people who push that narrative are those here who are convinced they know coaching better than anyone else.

 

[Vacard]

Street Clothes and Zubacs were a terror on the boards. They are in the right position and they have that aggression to get the rebound, particularly the offensive rebounds. Ayton doesn’t have that instinct or aggression. Tallest person on the court and let Mann and Russ outhustle him for rebounds. Valanciunas was outplaying him Smh. He’s suppose to a strong third option. Where’s that defense he had in the Finals?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I'm so tired of this over exaggerating. Last year was bad, primarily because of game 7. How was a finals run after over a decade of not making the playoffs a historic collapse? They were a Cinderella story who got called home before midnight because they faced a legit contender with a generational talent that they had no way to contain. 2021 was not a historic collapse and it was not on Monty. The only people who push that narrative are those here who are convinced they know coaching better than anyone else.

Monty played Ish Wainright in the fourth quarter of a close swing playoff game.

 

[Hoop Head]

Monty played Ish Wainright in the fourth quarter of a close swing playoff game.

What does that have to do with supposed "historical collapses" the last 2 postseasons?

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm so tired of this over exaggerating. Last year was bad, primarily because of game 7. How was a finals run after over a decade of not making the playoffs a historic collapse? They were a Cinderella story who got called home before midnight because they faced a legit contender with a generational talent that they had no way to contain. 2021 was not a historic collapse and it was not on Monty. The only people who push that narrative are those here who are convinced they know coaching better than anyone else.

It's kind of hard to exaggerate being 2 games away from a title and collapsing. Since 2012 the team down 0-2 in the playoffs have won .15% of the time (12-77). It's kind of hard to exaggerate one of the biggest collapses in NBA history having the #1 record in the NBA and getting bounced early.

 

[Hoop Head]

It's kind of hard to exagerate being 2 games away from a title and collapsing. It's kind of hard to exaggerate one of the biggest collapses in NBA history having the #1 record in the NBA and getting bounced early.

Losing to a better team is not collapsing. Go back 2 years on this board and no one talked about it as a collapse. However many did start planning the parade after game 1. It was a great run that came up short. We were never the favorites though. Definitely not a historic collapse though as I've never heard that narrative pushed anywhere but here. Most talk about Giannis' winning like stars are supposed to, not Booker losing or the Suns choking.

You want historic collapse, what does 3-1 mean to a basketball fan? 90% will say the Cavs/Lebron spanking the 73 win Warriors. THAT was a historic collapse. Does the Suns coming up short against the Bucks in a tough series equal the same thing? Absolutely not.

As far as last year, it wasn't the first time a 1 seed was embarrassed. What made it bad was the choke job on our home court in game 7. If it's true this team had Covid though then that proves it wasn't coaching, how does coaching cost the series when the team is infected by the same virus that shut down the entire world about 18 months prior?

 

[Covert Rain]

Losing to a better team is not collapsing. Go back 2 years on this board and no one talked about it as a collapse. However many did start planning the parade after game 1. It was a great run that came up short. We were never the favorites though. Definitely not a historic collapse though as I've never heard that narrative pushed anywhere but here. Most talk about Giannis' winning like stars are supposed to, not Booker losing or the Suns choking.

You want historic collapse, what does 3-1 mean to a basketball fan? 90% will say the Cavs/Lebron spanking the 73 win Warriors. THAT was a historic collapse. Does the Suns coming up short against the Bucks in a tough series equal the same thing? Absolutely not.

As far as last year, it wasn't the first time a 1 seed was embarrassed. What made it bad was the choke job on our home court in game 7. If it's true this team had Covid though then that proves it wasn't coaching, how does coaching cost the series when the team is infected by the same virus that shut down the entire world about 18 months prior?

If you say so. It happens so little in NBA history but yeah...that's not a collapse at all. I never said the Bucks were not good but we lost 4 straight. But sure.....we didn't collapse one bit.

I also didn't say it was the first team to be #1 in the regular season and get bounced so early did I? Again, sure...it happens so often it's not historic at all. Let's go with that. The Mavs were not better than the Suns but I guess that applies when it's convenient?

 

[Cheesebeef]

If you say so. It happens so little in NBA history but yeah...that's not historic at all. I also didn't say it was the first. Again, sure...it happens so often it's not historic at all.

lost our last 4 of 5 games by an average margin of 19.5 ppg.

And the Covid excuse is just that. An excuse without basis in fact.

 

[Covert Rain]

lost our last 4 of 5 games by an average margin of 19.5 ppg.

And the Covid excuse is just that. An excuse without basis in fact.

Maybe we still lose that series but if Monty showed any ability to adjust in short spans of time? We at least wouldn’t have lost 4 straight. It’s not like one of the biggest complaints about Monty’s entire tenure is his lack of adjustments and being stubborn about certain players.

 

[Hoop Head]

If you say so. It happens so little in NBA history but yeah...that's not a collapse at all. I never said the Bucks were not good but we lost 4 straight. But sure.....we didn't collapse one bit.

Nothing makes the Suns loss to the Bucks "historic". Ask any NBA fans to name some historic final losses and see how many times it's mentioned. I'd wager it doesn't rank in the vast majorities top 5 or 10. So kind of hard to be a historical collapse when history doesn't remember it the same.

I also didn't say it was the first team to be #1 in the regular season and get bounced so early did I? Again, sure...it happens so often it's not historic at all. Let's go with that. The Mavs were not better than the Suns but I guess that applies when it's convenient?

This is a lot of projecting. I never put words in your mouth. I spoke about how you and some others here it view the losses much more than they are, ie " historical collapses". Thought we were on the same page so not sure why you're getting defensive now about the #1 seed losing bit. I only said we weren't the first #1 seed to lose. It's not historic for it to happen in the 2nd round. 1st round? Yes, that's remembered and talked about regularly like when Dallas lost to the "We Believe" Warriors or when the Nuggets upset the Sonics in the 90's. The #1 seed has lost 15 times before the conference finals, 5 times in the 1st round and 10 times in the 2nd. So 1 every 5 years isn't all that historical, 1 every 10? Ok, I'll buy that a little more.

However it seemed we agreed some since I said the team was embarrassed by Dallas in game 7 at home but you chose to ignore that because you'd rather argue, which is fine but you'll need to find someone else because I'm done.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe we still lose that series but if Monty showed any ability to adjust in short spans of time? We at least wouldn’t have lost 4 straight. It’s not like one of the biggest complaints about Monty’s entire tenure is his lack of adjustments and being stubborn about certain players.

Momentum shifted in the Bucks playoff series with Giannis attacking the interior with Saric out. The Suns didn't have many interior options, although they might have used Kaminsky more, but I doubt it would have worked.

 

[Covert Rain]

Nothing makes the Suns loss to the Bucks "historic". Ask any NBA fans to name some historic final losses and see how many times it's mentioned. I'd wager it doesn't rank in the vast majorities top 5 or 10. So kind of hard to be a historical collapse when history doesn't remember it the same.



This is a lot of projecting. I never put words in your mouth. I spoke about how you and some others here it view the losses much more than they are, ie " historical collapses". Thought we were on the same page so not sure why you're getting defensive now about the #1 seed losing bit. I only said we weren't the first #1 seed to lose. It's not historic for it to happen in the 2nd round. 1st round? Yes, that's remembered and talked about regularly like when Dallas lost to the "We Believe" Warriors or when the Nuggets upset the Sonics in the 90's. The #1 seed has lost 15 times before the conference finals, 5 times in the 1st round and 10 times in the 2nd. So 1 every 5 years isn't all that historical, 1 every 10? Ok, I'll buy that a little more.

However it seemed we agreed some since I said the team was embarrassed by Dallas in game 7 at home but you chose to ignore that because you'd rather argue, which is fine but you'll need to find someone else because I'm done.

Anytime you accomplish something that happens .125% of the time that is historic no matter how you want to spin it. Change the word if you like. Use MASSIVE or MAJOR if you like that better.

You sure sounded like you were trying to put words into my mouth. You said “As far as last year, it wasn't the first time a 1 seed was embarrassed.”

That insinuates that I was saying it was. I never said it was. Maybe that is not what you meant. If not cool.

 

[Covert Rain]

Momentum shifted in the Bucks playoff series with Giannis attacking the interior with Saric out. The Suns didn't have many interior options, although they might have used Kaminsky more, but I doubt it would have worked.

That wasn’t the entire issue though. The Suns had trouble breaking up the double teams and taking Booker off the dribble. They were also disrupting the midrange by keeping a guy that would drop. Monty couldn’t figure that out either. Saric was not the difference maker.

 

[Mainstreet]

That wasn’t the entire issue though. The Suns had trouble breaking up the double teams and taking Booker off the dribble. They were also disrupting the midrange by keeping a guy that would drop. Monty couldn’t figure that out either. Saric was not the difference maker.

The Suns really didn't have another interior defender besides Ayton to hinder Giannis' relentless attacks to the rim with Saric out.

The referees were allowing it and there are only so many fouls to go around.

 

[Covert Rain]

The Suns really didn't have another interior defender besides Ayton to hinder Giannis' relentless attacks to the rim.

The referees were allowing it and there are only so many fouls to go around.

Nobody stops Giannis though. All you can hope to do is slow him down.

 

[Mainstreet]

Nobody stops Giannis though. All you can hope to do is slow him down.

Six extra fouls would have helped and banging into Saric is like hitting a wall.

 

[Covert Rain]

Six extra fouls would have helped and banging into Saric is like hitting a wall.

Saric hasn’t been able to stay in front of anybody his entire career. Giannis would start the offense at the top of the key often then drive. Saric was not stopping that.

 

[Mainstreet]

Saric hasn’t been able to stay in front of anybody his entire career. Giannis would start the offense at the top of the key often then drive. Saric was not stopping that.

Giannis would have to run over Saric. That would have helped.

 

[AzStevenCal]

That wasn’t the entire issue though. The Suns had trouble breaking up the double teams and taking Booker off the dribble. They were also disrupting the midrange by keeping a guy that would drop. Monty couldn’t figure that out either. Saric was not the difference maker.

The injuries to CP3, CamP and Devin hurt even more than the loss of Saric. And there's not much to figure out when you don't have a guard that can drive anymore. And while Saric was never what I'd call a difference maker, the difference between us and Milwaukee might well have been offset by even what little Dario brings to the game. Those last 3 losses were by a total of 15 points.

 

[Covert Rain]

Giannis would have to run over Saric. That would have helped.

Saric has no lateral speed. Giannis would have drove around him at the top of the key and get by him no problem. Plus, Monty never seemed to have patience with Saric. Seemed like when he picked up a quick couple fouls he would be out.

 

[Chaplin]

Saric has no lateral speed. Giannis would have drove around him at the top of the key and get by him no problem. Plus, Monty never seemed to have patience with Saric. Seemed like when he picked up a quick couple fouls he would be out.

Saric was no world beater, but he absolutely would have been a help, even minimally, against Giannis. As Steve said, we lost the last 3 games by an average of 5 points. Even a scrub like Saric could have affected that outcome.