Why did Suns Collapse in Playoffs?

[Chaplin]

Agreed. If you can't enjoy the journey, you shouldn't be a Suns fan. That's for sure.

It'll all be that much sweeter when we finally win it all.

As Suns fans, all we've had for 50 years is the journey!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

As Suns fans, all we've had for 50 years is the journey!

So true . . . so freaking true . . .


Longest journey ever . . .

 

[Sunburn]

I doubt the Mavs celebrate their 2007 season. Kinda feels like that to me.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Eh the regular season has never meant less than it does in 2022. Pacific division banners don’t move the meter.

I could live with losing to the Warriors in the WCF’s but completely flaming out the way they did makes the season un-celebratable for me.

Same. I’m glad they played well because they entertained in some tough moments for me, but historically this season is meaningless and goes down only as an epic disappointment. Couldn’t even get to the WCF. I think we were only the 2nd team in history to win 64 games and not get out of the second round.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I doubt the Mavs celebrate their 2007 season. Kinda feels like that to me.

Bingo. They’re the only other 64 plus win team to not even make it to the Conference Finals in NBA history.

When you finish a season with a monumental collapse, against a much weaker opponent and that collapse is accentuated by an All-Time historical Game 7 loss (and probably a title window slamming shut) I just don’t see much to celebrate. And I hope the FO feels that way, otherwise we just don’t have people in place who understand what it will take to finally win a ring.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I doubt the Mavs celebrate their 2007 season. Kinda feels like that to me.

Maybe I've missed it but I don't think anyone plans on actually celebrating this season. We fell too far short of our goals and expectations for anyone to feel like celebrating.

I will remember this year's wins fondly but that won't diminish the loss I will continue to feel from our postseason collapse. We had a great regular season and it was overshadowed by a hugely disappointing postseason. Overshadowed but not erased, YMMV.

 

[elindholm]

Yup. Watch, even if we roll it all back next season we won’t be considered one of the contenders despite finishing with the beat and second best records the previous two seasons.

Nor should they be. The Chris Paul Suns haven't shown that they can elevate their level of play in the postseason. Of the four series they've won, two were against a team missing one of its best players (Lakers and Clippers last year), and one was against a team below .500. Only in the Denver series did the Suns reach a higher level.

 

[Mainstreet]

If anyone has The Athletic, I'd like to know more about what this article has to say.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

If anyone has The Athletic, I'd like to know more about what this article has to say.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

First I’m hearing of the outbreak

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is another link which discusses a possible COVID outbreak with the Suns during the playoffs with the Mavericks.

We are likely to see more articles about it.

Suns dealt with COVID-19 outbreak during Western Conference Semifinals vs. Mavericks

 

[Mainstreet]

First I’m hearing of the outbreak

I heard rumors to this effect but I dismissed them as such until I heard more.

 

[Mainstreet]

This is a link from RealGM:

Suns Had COVID Outbreak Near The End Of Second Round Loss

Suns Had COVID Outbreak Near The End Of Second Round Loss - RealGM Wiretap

basketball.realgm.com

 

[Finito]

This is a link from RealGM:

Suns Had COVID Outbreak Near The End Of Second Round Loss

Suns Had COVID Outbreak Near The End Of Second Round Loss - RealGM Wiretap

basketball.realgm.com

Complete BS.

They looked bad long before the Mavs series. Games 3,4 were bad then they magically all got better for game 5 then went right to being sick?

 

[AzStevenCal]

I heard rumors to this effect but I dismissed them as such until I heard more.

I hadn't heard anything about Covid specifically but if so and if it actually reduced player effectiveness, I can't help but wonder if the Mavericks dealt with the same just a few days behind us? I don't know if I really believe this was a factor for either team but I sure hope the Warriors are all boosted.

 

[TJ]

So we were running out players who were COVID positive? Wow. Monty looks really stupid right now

 

[AzStevenCal]

Complete BS.

They looked bad long before the Mavs series. Games 3,4 were bad then they magically all got better for game 5 then went right to being sick?

I've no personal experience with Covid but I've had colds and flus throughout my life and I know I'm not in peak condition well before I realize I have a cold or the flu. I can imagine it might be an even bigger issue for professional basketball players as it takes a lot more energy to play the game at a high level than it took me to push papers around.

Anyway, I'm not buying into it but I'm not dismissing it either. And like I said in a previous post, if it's true it should probably show up in the Mavericks and the Warriors locker rooms soon.

 

[Mainstreet]

Complete BS.

They looked bad long before the Mavs series. Games 3,4 were bad then they magically all got better for game 5 then went right to being sick?

I hadn't heard anything about Covid specifically but if so and if it actually reduced player effectiveness, I can't help but wonder if the Mavericks dealt with the same just a few days behind us? I don't know if I really believe this was a factor for either team but I sure hope the Warriors are all boosted.

I put it out there because it's being reported.

It's for FWIW but it does make sense why we have not heard more about the Suns collapse.

 

[Finito]

I've no personal experience with Covid but I've had colds and flus throughout my life and I know I'm not in peak condition well before I realize I have a cold or the flu. I can imagine it might be an even bigger issue for professional basketball players as it takes a lot more energy to play the game at a high level than it took me to push papers around.

Anyway, I'm not buying into it but I'm not dismissing it either. And like I said in a previous post, if it's true it should probably show up in the Mavericks and the Warriors locker rooms soon.

Right. Covid spreads like wildfire. The suns had it but didn’t pass it to any of the Mavs players in that series?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Right. Covid spreads like wildfire. The suns had it but didn’t pass it to any of the Mavs players in that series?

Again, I'm not saying it's true but the Mavericks looked like a different team in the next series. And I don't mean compared to how they played us but how they played the second half of the season. I blamed that on playoff style basketball and the Warriors intensity but who knows?

 

[TJ]

Right. Covid spreads like wildfire. The suns had it but didn’t pass it to any of the Mavs players in that series?

In fairness, we couldn’t get close to them defensively so we wouldn’t have been able to spread it

 

[Finito]

Again, I'm not saying it's true but the Mavericks looked like a different team in the next series. And I don't mean compared to how they played us but how they played the second half of the season. I blamed that on playoff style basketball and the Warriors intensity but who knows?

It’s also a horrible style match up for them.

The Mavs are like a poor man’s Warriors. What are you gonna do play 5 out and try and out shoot the greatest shooting team ever.

Even when won win in the Mavs series we blew them out it was just such an odd series

 

[Chaplin]

Don’t act like game 5 was a total domination and a complete return to form.

 

[Finito]

Don’t act like game 5 was a total domination and a complete return to form.

We won by 30

Is 30 not good enough?

 

[Chaplin]

We won by 30

Is 30 not good enough?

It's more than margin of victory. Come on, you know that.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I have separated out the COVID thing. It's a rapidly escalating story locally.

Suns were well aware that there was COVID in their locker room and no one was testing since it is basically up to the player to admit if they need to be tested or not.