Game 67: Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns l Tonight @ 6:00pm l FSNAZ

suns12345 · Post #261 » by **suns12345** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:52 am

Feels like Luka has a 40 point near triple double every game. Pretty amazing player. Don't know how he makes it look so easy.

KLEON · Post #262 » by **KLEON** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:52 am

I'm wondering if those refs will have to give back the money the Mavs paid them?

SunsLyf3 · Post #263 » by **SunsLyf3** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:52 am

This why Cam was drafted by the way. He came through tonight.

PharmD · Post #264 » by **PharmD** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:52 am

Frank Lee wrote:That was almost an unwatchable 5 minutes of basketball to end it.

My pelvic floor is exhausted from being clenched the whole time.

That was the Suns just refusing to lose. Didn't even play well and everyone was in foul trouble but just refused to lose.

starbosa10 · Post #265 » by **starbosa10** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:53 am

Wouldn't have won this without Jevon and Payne hitting those big 3s late in the 3rd

matt131 · Post #266 » by **matt131** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:53 am

Man what a frustrating game on multiple levels. I would have been so dejected had we lost. But wow we manage to sneak out with the win.

I'm very concerned with the energy of our two "stars". I get that it's hard to play when the calls aren't in your favor, but Ayton straight up looked like the 10th best player on our team.

Cam Johnson is a stud. Cam Payne brought good energy. Mikal's defense was amazing to begin the game but the calls made it tough for him.

Luka has now failed to take over two straight games where the Mavs had the lead and a chance to win it in the end. But he's still THE BEST PLAYER OH MY GOD LETS GIVE HIM MORE CALLS THAN JAMES HARDEN !!!!

grumpysaddle · Post #267 » by **grumpysaddle** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:54 am

suns12345 wrote:Feels like Luka has a 40 point near triple double every game. Pretty amazing player. Don't know how he makes it look so easy.

FTs and star calls from the refs. Can't breathe on him without picking up a foul, really changes how the defender has to play him and gives him room to look extra impressive. He also pushes off on most drives and doesn't get the call against him. Not saying he's not good, he's clearly talented and a star, just gets that extra little push with how the game is called.

TheLogician · Post #268 » by **TheLogician** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:55 am

This was a gut check. Big win, but even bigger test up next vs. Clips. Need Booker and Ayton to ball out.

PharmD · Post #269 » by **PharmD** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 3:59 am

Devin was friggin awesome despite the foul trouble.

That offensive rebound, offensive rebound, draw charge on Luka sequence was why i love Ricky Rubio. Dude is gonna scratch and claw and even cheat to win.

matt131 · Post #270 » by **matt131** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:05 am

PharmD wrote:Devin was friggin awesome despite the foul trouble.

That offensive rebound, offensive rebound, draw charge on Luka sequence was why i love Ricky Rubio. Dude is gonna scratch and claw and even cheat to win.

Yeah, Ricky was great in the end.

I just wish we would have run some sets for Cam Johnson to get an open look near the end instead of having Rubio try to shoot over Porzingis.

RedIndian · Post #271 » by **RedIndian** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:05 am

Mikal's D on Luka under the basket on that possession was incredible.

Saberestar · Post #272 » by **Saberestar** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:10 am

Huge win, we are truly fighting for the playoffs. I am enjoying a lot this bubble thing.

Rubio, Cam and Booker all played terrific games.

Rubio was capable of getting a charge foul on Doncic and he moved the ball as well as he usually does. And 20 points.

Cam with 12 much needed rebounds. With Ayton playing a bad game and in foul trouble we could have bigger problems at the rim, but Cam surely helped in that regard. And 19 points.

Book scored a quietly 30 points on 50% shooting.

I want to give credit to Payne, Carter, Kaminsky and Saric. The bench played well and with energy tonight.

Ghost of Kleine · Post #273 » by **Ghost of Kleine** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:10 am

suns12345 wrote:Feels like Luka has a 40 point near triple double every game. Pretty amazing player. Don't know how he makes it look so easy.

Funny thing is that about 20 of those points he really wouldn't have if the refs didn't constantly reward him with ridiculous foul calls repeatedly! :wink:

I have to wonder how good he'd actually be IF the refs actually allowed opposing teams to play physical defense on him and hand check him, As opposed to babying him so blatantly? :nod:

MathiasPW · Post #274 » by **MathiasPW** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:10 am

This was fun to watch!

Keith_myath · Post #275 » by **Keith_myath** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:15 am

We played better when DA and DB were off. Less predictable.

With those 2 on it was P&R all the time with Book trying to force a shot. Only shot 50%, meaning 10 wasted possessions.

When there were 5 others on the court it was unpredictable so they were able to wait for a good shot and a higher shooting percentage. With Cam x2 and Saric hitting their shots, it was impossible for the Mavs to sag off, which opened up the floor.

Luka had an inflated game. Only really scored on foul-troubled players. No skill in that. Take away his frees and his stats are meh.

Blonde · Post #276 » by **Blonde** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:30 am

Keith_myath wrote:We played better when DA and DB were off. Less predictable.

With those 2 on it was P&R all the time with Book trying to force a shot. Only shot 50%, meaning 10 wasted possessions.

When there were 5 others on the court it was unpredictable so they were able to wait for a good shot and a higher shooting percentage. With Cam x2 and Saric hitting their shots, it was impossible for the Mavs to sag off, which opened up the floor.

Luka had an inflated game. Only really scored on foul-troubled players. No skill in that. Take away his frees and his stats are meh.

Luka was the best player on the floor all night and is a top 10 guy in the entire league. Knocking him at this point is just sour grapes or the vestige of people who believe Ayton was the right pick in the draft.

And Booker struggled during moments but what he did when he came back and built up the lead in the 4th was something nobody else on the roster is capable of.

nevetsov · Post #277 » by **nevetsov** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:33 am

I'm really liking this starting lineup, it kinda reminds me of the 1995 Rockets:

Ayton = Hakeem (other than tonight)
Booker = Drexler
Rubio = Smith
Mikal = Mario Elie
Cam J = Horry

And they are just going to get better.

It does seem sometimes that Book is playing one way, and the rest of the team are playing another way, but I think in time that will mesh and we'll develop a well oiled offensive machine. Sometimes, like tonight, you need both at different times.

Love the win, and hoping we keep bailing out. But then that begs the question on what to do when Oubre returns...

TheLogician · Post #278 » by **TheLogician** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:36 am

Yeah, it's great to be able to rely on guys like Cam, Bridges, Rubio, Saric when it counts. Mavs were sunk because their role players couldn't hit shots or defend.

nevetsov · Post #279 » by **nevetsov** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:38 am

Blonde wrote:Luka was the best player on the floor all night and is a top 10 guy in the entire league. Knocking him at this point is just sour grapes or the vestige of people who believe Ayton was the right pick in the draft.

I actually give the nod to Mikal tonight over Luka. When they were head to head, Luka had nowhere to go. I'd also argue that Porzingis had more influence than Luka.

And while Luka may currently be the best player from the draft, that doesn't at all mean Ayton wasn't the right pick for us.

Post #280 » by **ATTL** » Mon Aug 3, 2020 4:38 am

Games like this remind me why I hate the NBA and still refuse to give them any money. The inconsistent foul calls and star calls make the game unwatchable to me 99% of the time.