Bench kat?

[guest81]

I think the 2 bigs lineup is just not going to with in this series. Kat on allen is something the suns just exploited over and over. On the other side, refs don't allow you to just bully a smaller player so kat just gets called for offensive fouls. Could you bring him off the bench for Rudy as a 5 and try to exploit bol bol or whoever the Suns will play as their backup 5?

[Worm Guts]

I didn’t catch any of the Suns games this year, but if we have to bench KAT to matchup with Grayson Allen, we’re probably in trouble. That should be a matchup we can exploit, not hide from.

[m2002brian]

Should have been coming off the bench since he came back. Then worked in slowly. Way too late in the season to be disrupting the offensive and defensive chemistry of the team.

KAT was so lost on defense last game and was an offensive foul waiting to happen on the other end.

[Klomp]

Should have been coming off the bench since he came back. Then worked in slowly. Way too late in the season to be disrupting the offensive and defensive chemistry of the team.

I'm not sure that would have made any difference.

[Guest84]

Finch was never going to bench Kat. Especially not after Ant "publicly" said that it allows Naz to go back to the bench. Now, could he sub him for different stretches? Possibly but he's not coming off the bench.

[m2002brian]

Should have been coming off the bench since he came back. Then worked in slowly. Way too late in the season to be disrupting the offensive and defensive chemistry of the team.

I'm not sure that would have made any difference.

Against Phoenix? Maybe not. But as a whole that’s how you work guys back in late in season.
If he was out 20 games and we had 20 games to go, put him back in starting and let the team resync. But, 2 games left and playoff seeding on the line, you don’t **** with chemistry.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Things are pretty simple on my opinion. We all knew when KAT return that our defense will be weaker. But we all expect our offense will get much more power. Let's see. If KAT is unable to score 20-25 each game, season may ended soon.

[Loaf_of_bread]

Finch needs to get creative, or we are rolled in 6, maybe 5 games. Cannot run our typical lineup and expect a different result.

[shrink]

We all knew when KAT return that our defense will be weaker

I’m not even sure that’s true. Naz is a foul-happy worse defender than Towns, but maybe team defense will drop with less SloMo?

[Note30]

If anything our best shot is to bench Gobert not KAT and run McDaniels at PF with NAW at SF. It would make 5 out possible and we could actually thwart their 5 out as well.

[Loaf_of_bread]

If anything our best shot is to bench Gobert not KAT and run McDaniels at PF with NAW at SF. It would make 5 out possible and we could actually thwart their 5 out as well.

That is a bit out there, but I'm open to anything.

Id try gobert, Towns, Edwards, jmac/Morris, mconley.

2nd unit: mix of starters, naz, naw, jaden, jmac/morris.

Don't play Kyle.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

We all agree about one thing. Limiting Slomo min is probably mandatory. When him and Rudy are on the field together, our offense really struggling.

[TimberKat]

I think we need the one big line up against their shooter Gobert/Towns (if he is ready), JMcd, NAW, Ant, Conley to start. Bring Towns, NAZ, Morris off the bench. JMcL, TJ for spot match up.

Ant needs to drive close to and draw two defenders then kick the ball out instead of try to fight thru 2 or 3 guys to take a shot. Make Suns scramble more on D, like they did to us.

[TimberKat]

We all agree about one thing. Limiting Slomo min is probably mandatory. When him and Rudy are on the field together, our offense really struggling.

There were time where Gobert/KA works but just not against the Suns starting 5 because we can't play D.

[Loaf_of_bread]

I think we need the one big line up against their shooter Gobert/Towns (if he is ready), JMcd, NAW, Ant, Conley to start. Bring Towns, NAZ, Morris off the bench. JMcL, TJ for spot match up.

Ant needs to drive close to and draw two defenders then kick the ball out instead of try to fight thru 2 or 3 guys to take a shot. Make Suns scramble more on D, like they did to us.

Anything, anything... I'm good trying this also.

Guarantee we lose running our standard lineup

[Baseline81]

Anything, anything... I'm good trying this also.

Guarantee we lose running our standard lineup

Wolves played Phoenix three times. The result being three losses. If Finch cannot come up with a gameplan, it's on him. Since Sunday's game, he will have had four or five days to look over film of how other teams were able to overcome the Suns.

[gandlogo]

I'd go KAT, Naz, Anderson, McDaniels, and Ant - length, versatility on offense and defense, good amount of shooting and spacing. Anderson gets the nod over NAW because he's a better facilitator and NAW brings some scoring off the bench more so than Anderson. Bench is Rudy, Mike, and NAW - that's it. Rotations are shortened in the playoffs, so just eight hit the floor.

[Domejandro]

I'd go KAT, Naz, Anderson, McDaniels, and Ant - length, versatility on offense and defense, good amount of shooting and spacing. Anderson gets the nod over NAW because he's a better facilitator and NAW brings some scoring off the bench more so than Anderson. Bench is Rudy, Mike, and NAW - that's it. Rotations are shortened in the playoffs, so just eight hit the floor.

Naz Reid or Karl-Anthony Towns on Kevin Durant feels like a disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion. What will happen is Phoenix would go fully small with Rudy Gobert out, putting Kevin Durant at Center.

[Klomp]

I'd go KAT, Naz, Anderson, McDaniels, and Ant - length, versatility on offense and defense, good amount of shooting and spacing. Anderson gets the nod over NAW because he's a better facilitator and NAW brings some scoring off the bench more so than Anderson. Bench is Rudy, Mike, and NAW - that's it. Rotations are shortened in the playoffs, so just eight hit the floor.

Naz Reid or Karl-Anthony Towns on Kevin Durant feels like a disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion. What will happen is Phoenix would go fully small with Rudy Gobert out, putting Kevin Durant at Center.

I saw someone say they should consider putting Rudy on Durant, and I actually think it's an interesting option.

Gobert is the only player we have who can exceed Durant in length. And Durant isn't really a driver any more, this year his free throws attempted are the lowest average since his rookie year. He's looking to shoot over guys. Gobert's length can neutralize that somewhat. But where it really makes a difference is that it normalizes the rest of our matchups. Towns is fine guarding Nurkic. Have Conley chase Allen. McDaniels can check Booker and Ant can defend Beal.

[winforlose]

I have a couple different takes from you guys.

1. Our biggest failing in all 3 games was the first quarter. We were fine in the 2nd and 3rd quarters and the fourth usually involved non competitive garbage time for large chunks. The biggest issue in the first quarter isn’t on defense, it is turnovers. We can defend the Suns in the half court way better than in transition. Moreover, tired legs effect shooting. Giving the ball away means the Suns don’t spend as much time on defense, and they don’t get worn down the way we do. Taking care of the ball is priority 1.

2. The problem with our playing big is we aren’t getting the big ball benefits. We cannot give up 13 offensive rebounds to a small ball lineup. We cannot let their guards keep us off the offensive glass, I know Finch doesn’t like guys staying down for offensive boards, but that is the size advantage at work. Get second and third attempts, and keep the ball away from the suns offense for longer stretches. Moreover, Rudy cannot let Nurk or Eubanks or anyone else deny him the catch. Throw the ball up when Rudy is on the roll and let him jump up and slam it down. Chest passes, or even head level passes are opportunities for smaller defenders to play defense against bigger players. Finally, use the actual size of the big bodies to set better screens. Ant can get open looks with better off ball movement and screens. Mike can get anything he wants and even Karl can wide open 3s playing pick and pop with Rudy and or Naz. We don’t need to go small, we need to PLAY big.

3. We need to stop letting perfect be the enemy of good. Rudy trying to be perfect on D and closing out to Nurk or Eubanks in the corner is silly. There is a reason teams back off of Kyle when has the ball in the corner. Likewise, Karl trying to chase Allen or Ant trying to guard KD are mistakes. When they have the speed advantage use the length and size advantage and play a modified zone. It is easier in the playoffs when you can structure your defense against only one team at a time, but Rudy should always have a plan to stay down or get down quickly. Make the Suns take a ton of threes and rebound the ball. Maybe they hit 20 in a game, but in another they will hit 15 or less. Plan for long rebounds, and limit them to one shot per possession. It is okay to give up an open shot from an average shooter (midrange Beal,) to avoid giving up an open corner 3 from Allen.