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[bwgood77]

Hopefully Monty makes smart in game adjustments. It would be great if Payne starts(if Paul is not cleared) and does what Mann did tonight.

Yeah, Payne needs to start. I think with all this rest him and Book can play close to 45 minutes. We can also slide Book down to 1 and Bridges down to 2 when Payne sits or when Book sits.

If we play anyone else I'd play Moore.

I would just give more minutes to Craig and Johnson, and maybe a few to Moore. Only Dario if Zubac is in, but even then, I would push the group of Payne, Book, Bridges, Crowder, Ayton, Craig, and Johnson the most. Hopefully its only one game we miss Paul.

So if the East doesn't start until Wed, why are we starting Sunday? They should be starting on Monday, right?

I don't know....I was kind of hoping maybe they would start later but probably because the top ratings are Sunday afternoon. Though they could have played the Hawks/Sixers then. Seems like a game 7 would be more appealing to masses than a game 1 with no Kawhi or Paul. But I guess Sunday night is probably the best ratings night too, so they put that on TNT. I guess the silver lining is that if we win our next series and the ECF goes 6 or 7 games, we could get rest again.

[RunDogGun]

If I had to guess I think we will start Jevon Carter and play Point Book at home.

Na, start Payne.

Yeah you start Payne. Because they sub for CP early Cam has played a decent amount of minutes with that other starting 4 and they had a good net rating this season.

This is a big series for Cam Johnson and Craig. You need your wings to play well against the Clips.

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And our wings need to crash the boards. If they watch their threes and stand around, we will lose.

[bwgood77]

Why do the commentators keep thinking Kawhi might come back and play?

Because they haven't said either way. If he does and is healthy enough to play normally I'd have rather played the Jazz. Anyway, he could hurt them if he tries to play...not play well and then throw everyone else out of the rhythm they are in.

He's always been very careful with injuries though.

[RunDogGun]

Yeah, Payne needs to start. I think with all this rest him and Book can play close to 45 minutes. We can also slide Book down to 1 and Bridges down to 2 when Payne sits or when Book sits.

If we play anyone else I'd play Moore.

I would just give more minutes to Craig and Johnson, and maybe a few to Moore. Only Dario if Zubac is in, but even then, I would push the group of Payne, Book, Bridges, Crowder, Ayton, Craig, and Johnson the most. Hopefully its only one game we miss Paul.

So if the East doesn't start until Wed, why are we starting Sunday? They should be starting on Monday, right?

I don't know....I was kind of hoping maybe they would start later but probably because the top ratings are Sunday afternoon. Though they could have played the Hawks/Sixers then. Seems like a game 7 would be more appealing to masses than a game 1 with no Kawhi or Paul. But I guess Sunday night is probably the best ratings night too, so they put that on TNT. I guess the silver lining is that if we win our next series and the ECF goes 6 or 7 games, we could get rest again.

Rest really isn't what we need, its time for Paul to clear his tests. I don't mind a tighter turn around if we advance to the finals...at this moment.

[RunDogGun]

Oh well, lets hope for good news tomorrow on the Paul update.

[spanishninja]

Hope crowd is gonna need to absolutely bring it on Sunday, CP or not. The Clippers don't give a **** about large deficits so they won't fold like the Nuggets did.

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[matt131]

Wrong thread. Whoops

[BobbieL]

If I had to guess I think we will start Jevon Carter and play Point Book at home.

Na, start Payne.

I am actually going to start Moore over Carter or Payne I think you will get maximum out of both players. I think Moore will be better starting with the starters to help around him. And Payne has shown his best role is coming off the bench. Who knows - will trust Monty but I think I am keeping Payne at his best role. Even if its a shorter stint for Moore than normally Paul would have.

[King4Day]

If I had to guess I think we will start Jevon Carter and play Point Book at home.

I had a good argument with some @$$ on the Suns Nation facebook group (don't join it, they're mostly idiots).
I gave reasons why I felt Moore should start and Payne off the bench.
His argument to that was 'you're a crack head' and 'grow a pair'.

I feel like Moore controls better than Carter. Start him to keep the bench in rhythm with Payne. You can still give Payne most minutes anyway.

[dmastro32]

If I had to guess I think we will start Jevon Carter and play Point Book at home.

I had a good argument with some @$$ on the Suns Nation facebook group (don't join it, they're mostly idiots).
I gave reasons why I felt Moore should start and Payne off the bench.
His argument to that was 'you're a crack head' and 'grow a pair'.

I feel like Moore controls better than Carter. Start him to keep the bench in rhythm with Payne. You can still give Payne most minutes anyway.

Ha I made that same mistake a few years ago it took like a month before I left if even that!

[King4Day]

"Los Angeles Lakers don't renew contract of head trainer following injury-riddled season"

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31667425/los-angeles-lakers-renew-contract-head-trainer-following-injury-riddled-season-sources-say

Funny to read this given LeBron roasted the league for starting early. Basically, the Lakers saying they don't agree with him.

[bwgood77]

I would just give more minutes to Craig and Johnson, and maybe a few to Moore. Only Dario if Zubac is in, but even then, I would push the group of Payne, Book, Bridges, Crowder, Ayton, Craig, and Johnson the most. Hopefully its only one game we miss Paul.

So if the East doesn't start until Wed, why are we starting Sunday? They should be starting on Monday, right?

I don't know....I was kind of hoping maybe they would start later but probably because the top ratings are Sunday afternoon. Though they could have played the Hawks/Sixers then. Seems like a game 7 would be more appealing to masses than a game 1 with no Kawhi or Paul. But I guess Sunday night is probably the best ratings night too, so they put that on TNT. I guess the silver lining is that if we win our next series and the ECF goes 6 or 7 games, we could get rest again.

Rest really isn't what we need, its time for Paul to clear his tests. I don't mind a tighter turn around if we advance to the finals...at this moment.

Yeah, I know you wanted Utah to win for time for CP3. I want that too but I also prefer what I feel is the better matchup for us and road to the finals. My first preference is winning though I'd love for Paul to be there in as many games as possible. Utah was the best team this year, have HCA, was getting healthier, etc.

[bwgood77]

Surprised to read this (bolded part):

Mitchell ended up averaging 32.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds during the playoffs. He had 39 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists -- while making nine 3-pointers -- in his final game against the Clippers, becoming the first NBA player to post that stat line in a playoff game.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31669331/donovan-mitchell-says-utah-jazz-latest-playoff-collapse-hurts-more

[darealjuice]

The crowd counting while Giannis is at the line is cracking me up

[darealjuice]

Jrue Holiday is not what the Bucks needed in my opinion

[bwgood77]

Jrue Holiday is not what the Bucks needed in my opinion

Yeah what's up with Holiday and Middleton. A combined 5-29 from the field? How is that even possible? 1-9 from 3 is a little understandable given streakiness from outside but 4-20 from inside the arc?

Feels like those guys are just choking.

[SunsRback4Good]

Jrue Holiday is not what the Bucks needed in my opinion

I don't think Bledsoe would have done much better. JRU at least is a better defender than Bled.

[RunDogGun]

If I had to guess I think we will start Jevon Carter and play Point Book at home.

Na, start Payne.

I am actually going to start Moore over Carter or Payne I think you will get maximum out of both players. I think Moore will be better starting with the starters to help around him. And Payne has shown his best role is coming off the bench. Who knows - will trust Monty but I think I am keeping Payne at his best role. Even if its a shorter stint for Moore than normally Paul would have.

Payne has played many minutes with the regular starters, and that group has decent stats. Moore does fine coming off the bench. The last game of the year we started Payne, and Moore came off the bench. It worked out just fine.

[darealjuice]

Jrue Holiday is not what the Bucks needed in my opinion

Yeah what's up with Holiday and Middleton. A combined 5-29 from the field? How is that even possible? 1-9 from 3 is a little understandable given streakiness from outside but 4-20 from inside the arc?

Feels like those guys are just choking.

They're choking, but I don't think Jrue was the ideal type of guard they needed to pair with Giannis and Middleton

[SunsRback4Good]

If Jru had a somewhat of an average game the bucks would be up 7+ at this point. Giannis looks completely exhausted not sure how much he has left in the tank but he just airballed a ft and looks worn down.