Trail Blazers @ Suns Thursday game thread 5-13-2021

[Cheesebeef]

And we keep saying why not take easier path to the same location?

Also this: the philosophy of “have no fear” is a relatively stupid one. Fear is a healthy emotion. It’s what allows us to stay alive. It’s what allows us to thrive. In sports, as in life, there are good challenges and there are bad challenges. Jews in nazi Germany should have been afraid and should have fled. Jews in the US facing discrimination should not be afraid, they should stand up for their rights through the legal system. And yes, the Lakers are Nazis.

The whole scared thing is just someone trying to insult someone else.

not being able to comprehend that we believe you need to learn to walk before you can run isn’t that hard to understand. Suns are playing in their first playoffs in a decade. With a healthy Lakers team, you’re basically asking a team just learning to walk to start sprinting against Usain Bolt. That might make you feel courageous beforehand, but you’re just going to look pathetic by the end.

I’m not good with looking pathetic at the end of this season. And that’s what a first round ass kicking will do. I don’t think that does much to make us believe we belong going into next years playoffs.

but hey, if @Finito wants to keep fighting, telling us we’re scared snd how we live our lives, well, that’s exactly what I said he’d do back at the beginning of the thread.

 

[Cheesebeef]

If LeBron and AD are at full strength, they would be favored over any team in the west. Who do you want to see in the first round?

that’s my point. NO ONE wants to face the Lakers in the first round. It doesn’t make us cowards. It makes us fans who want the best shot to win and least shot to get humiliated.

I’d love Dallas or Portland. I think we can win either series, but they’d be tough outs. Or GS. Even though they beat us in the last game, I still think they can’t do that 4 times.

 

[Mainstreet]

That’s pretty amazing. But it’s also indicative of three things:

1. stotts only played nurkic 26 mins
2. Stotts only played kanter 16 mins
3. I think we had like 5 fouls on rebounds trying to smack it away from their bigs.

Also the Suns so effectively going small could be 4.

That one play where Bridges reached over the top of Kanter and took the rebound away was crazy.

 

[Matt L]

If the Lakers win out, do they get the 6th seed?

 

[Chaplin]

Suns win and Ayton once again doesn’t show up.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Also the Suns so effectively going small could be 4.

That one play where Bridges reached over the top of Kanter and took the rebound away was crazy.

Bridges was huge on the glass.

 

[Covert Rain]

Suns win and Ayton once again doesn’t show up.

It's going to be a struggle or close every single time he doesn't.

 

[Mainstreet]

Bridges was huge on the glass.

Yeah. Those long arms paid off with 11 rebounds.

 

[Mainstreet]

Chris Paul and Cam Payne were effective together.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Cheesebeef]

If the Lakers win out, do they get the 6th seed?

no. They need Portland to lose to Denver or Dallas to lose out.

 

[Matt L]

that’s my point. NO ONE wants to face the Lakers in the first round. It doesn’t make us cowards. It makes us fans who want the best shot to win and least shot to get humiliated.

I’d love Dallas or Portland. I think we can win either series, but they’d be tough outs. Or GS. Even though they beat us in the last game, I still think they can’t do that 4 times.

I get your point and I agree that if I were to choose my first round opponent, the Lakers would be low on my preferences.

 

[Mainstreet]

Even a weakened Suns bench had 31 points: Cam Payne with 21 and Torrey Craig with 10.

Portland's bench only produced 14 points: Carmelo Anthony 5, Kanter 6 and Simons 3.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Then why does any team fight for HCA?

meanwhile, back in 1994, when the Nuggets shocked the world and took out the 1 seed Seattle Sonics, the news reported that KJ and Barkley were skipping around the Houston stadium because they just got HCA throughout the West and gave themselves a better chance to win the title.

because that’s what the point of any season is. TO WIN. End of the day, doesn’t matter how, as long as you do.

Fighting for HCA is not the same as trying to avoid playing specific teams. Just don't really see the correlation here.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Fighting for HCA is not the same as trying to avoid playing specific teams. Just don't really see the correlation here.

sure it is. In trying to get HCA, what are you trying to do? The word is literally in the phrase. You’re trying to give yourself AN ADVANTAGE. Same way a team can try to trying to give yourself an advantage by playing a team that’s a better matchup for you.

There are multiple ways to get advantages in the playoffs. If you don’t see that, I don’t know what to tell you.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

sure it is. In trying to get HCA, what are you trying to do? The word is LITERALLY in the phrase. You’re trying to give yourself AN ADVANTAGE. Same way a team can try to trying to give yourself an advantage by playing a team that’s a better matchup for you.

if you don’t see the correlation in trying to find an advantage in the playoffs, I don’t know what to tell you.

Give yourself an advantage regardless of who you are facing. One is in your control and the other isn't. You can have the mindset of being down to face whoever is put in front of you while also wanting to give yourself the advantage of homecourt.

Paul and the rest of the Suns are likely very aware that they will probably have to go through the Lakers at some point if they want to get to the finals. Therefor it makes some sense that they aren't terribly worried about facing them in the first round.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Give yourself an advantage regardless of who you are facing. One is in your control and the other isn't. You can have the mindset of being down to face whoever is put in front of you while also wanting to give yourself the advantage of homecourt.

Paul and the rest of the Suns are likely very aware that they will probably have to go through the Lakers at some point if they want to get to the finals. Therefor it makes some sense that they aren't terribly worried about facing them in the first round.

Lol. Okay. If you don’t think they’re hoping Portland loses out and the Lakers get the 3, I think you’re incredibly naive.

no team wants to play their toughest matchup in the first round. And if the Suns don’t believe that’s the Lakers then they’re complete morons.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Give yourself an advantage regardless of who you are facing. One is in your control and the other isn't. You can have the mindset of being down to face whoever is put in front of you while also wanting to give yourself the advantage of homecourt.

Paul and the rest of the Suns are likely very aware that they will probably have to go through the Lakers at some point if they want to get to the finals. Therefor it makes some sense that they aren't terribly worried about facing them in the first round.

To be honest, I don’t think they think that. I think the best teams don’t even look ahead. I think the suns likely concentrate on their next two against the Spurs and that’s it. Then they wait and watch to see who they get in the first round and focus solely on that series. If they win then they concentrate on that next series. I don’t think they think “have to play the Lakers eventually” bc that’s not necessarily true. Someone else could take out the Lakers.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

To be honest, I don’t think they think that. I think the best teams don’t even look ahead. I think the suns likely concentrate on their next two against the Spurs and that’s it. Then they wait and watch to see who they get in the first round and focus solely on that series. If they win then they concentrate on that next series. I don’t think they think “have to play the Lakers eventually” bc that’s not necessarily true. Someone else could take out the Lakers.

I think this is probably true. Though they will have to beat good teams and likely even one's they don't match up too well with in order to make a deep playoff run. They odds are very low that they can avoid these teams all the way to a title or even to the WCF or finals.

 

[Superbone]

Suns lose again.

and book has suuuuucked tonight. And he loses the game.

Man, I didn't used to believe in alternate realities but who am I to argue?

 

[Superbone]

That was a foul, no doubt about it. Powell had his arm on Booker.

I think he also reached across and hit his shooting elbow too:

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Russ Smith]

It's a tough call because Booker was using his offhand but I think Powell made contact with Booker before Bookers off arm made contact with Powell so it's a foul. Certainly seen that level of contact go uncalled but as someone said I think he ticked the shooting elbow too.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Man, I didn't used to believe in alternate realities but who am I to argue.

Lol. Against a good team that double dribble by book should have been a death blow.

 

[Mainstreet]

Monty is more concerned how the Suns play rather than the seeding.

By Kellan Olson, Arizona Sports:

“We’ve been in these big-time games now for, shucks, what, three weeks, so it’s not anything we’re not used to,” he said. “Obviously, we understand what’s on the line. But, look, in the Western Conference seeding doesn’t necessarily matter, man. There’s tough teams 1-8. You gotta win on the road, you gotta be able to protect homecourt in any matchup … As I told you guys before, I’m more concerned with how we play than the seeding and I’m gonna stick to that.

“I think if we play the way we played tonight and get everybody healthy, we’re gonna be a tough team to beat.”

https://arizonasports.com/story/265...pendous-lillard-outing-beat-blazers-portland/

 

[Finito]

Lol. Against a good team that double dribble by book should have been a death blow.

they came in winning 9 of there last 10 and have been in the playoffs year in and year out but there not a good team?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

they came in winning 9 of there last 10 and have been in the playoffs year in and year out but there not a good team?

I didn’t say they aren’t a good team. I said it should have been a death blow against a good team, providing insight into why I said it was over.