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Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ

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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#121 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:09 am

Jdiddy701 wrote:
RunDogGun wrote:
Ghost of Kleine wrote:Definitely pretty disappointing! Not terribly surprising though given that they already have the 1 seed locked up. Still this is a bad pattern developing that needs to be corrected. Legit championship contenders don't mail games in or not show up! They are always hungry and never satisfied. There's time enough in the offseason to relax and reflect on things. But currently, we have not only given opposing teams confidence against us. But even worse, they have a concrete blueprint for beating us! Clearly the same repetitive issues that we have chosen not to address this entire season.

Rebounding and 3 pt defense. These issues can be rectified by actually putting in the effort and focusing on playing together as a team WITHOUT taking things for granted. A lot if it is honestly on the coach to keep the team motivated, focused and hungry! I get his whole zen approach. But you should not be sacrificing focus and effort for a lackadaisical attitude. I hope that William's steps up and gets the players properly locked in and back on track! We cannot afford to let momentum swing any further. Otherwise we risk possible doubt and disfunction seeping in.

Yep, champions are hungry, losers act like games don't matter. Monty needs to step up.

Pretty sure the Suns have been the hungriest team this year in the league. The last few games have been disappointing but let’s not overreact. This is a championship contending team and they’ve shown that all season.


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I am not overreacting, I am saying we look like hot garbage, and winning isn't something one can just turn on, neither is shooting. Our coach isn't making adjustments when the team continues to play this poorly. Lack of effort is not something you see from a championship team. I am super happy we have won 62 games, but down the stretch to lose this badly to Gleague squads, is embarrassing. And can easily end a playoff run, especially when the 8th seed team could be the Clips, who are always hungry no matter who is on the floor.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#122 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:11 am

ThunderCeltic wrote:
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Had fun visiting with Suns fans who came to Oklahoma City tonight and rocked the awesome city edition uniforms. It was also great having Chris Paul back with fans. He's a classy dude and best of luck going into the playoffs.

Your team played great tonight. Sorry our team didn't play with any effort.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#123 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:14 am

Clips are playing like we should be playing, and they are still missing their best player and Powell.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#124 » by Revived » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:16 am

ImNotMcDiSwear wrote:I don't think this is a matter of effort as much as it is a lack of tension. Our guys are comfortable out there. There's only so much you can psych yourself up. A placebo is only so effective.

How about their paycheck psyching themselves up? If they lack motivation they should maybe look at those millions their raking in for salary. Or if they feel that bored and don’t feel like trying then they should decline salary.

Not just the Suns, I feel this same way for all professional athletes across all sports.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#125 » by TeamTragic » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:18 am

I have been saying no rest because this is what happens when you don't give a ****.

I don't know what Monty is doing right now but this a huge disappointment on multiple levels.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#126 » by ThunderCeltic » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:18 am

RunDogGun wrote:
ThunderCeltic wrote:
Read on Twitter


Had fun visiting with Suns fans who came to Oklahoma City tonight and rocked the awesome city edition uniforms. It was also great having Chris Paul back with fans. He's a classy dude and best of luck going into the playoffs.

Your team played great tonight. Sorry our team didn't play with any effort.



It did feel like an exhibition game at times. We're trying to lock the #1 pick and finally decided to play with half the team injured and Jaylen Hoard on a 10 day contract. It's always good hearing Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" during team intros.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#127 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:28 am

Revived wrote:
ImNotMcDiSwear wrote:I don't think this is a matter of effort as much as it is a lack of tension. Our guys are comfortable out there. There's only so much you can psych yourself up. A placebo is only so effective.

How about their paycheck psyching themselves up? If they lack motivation they should maybe look at those millions their raking in for salary. Or if they feel that bored and don’t feel like trying then they should decline salary.

Not just the Suns, I feel this same way for all professional athletes across all sports.

The coach should sit them if they play with little effort and just chucking up shots. If there is no immediate consequence, they will just be lazy. They should be wanting to destroy teams, not give up six games before the playoffs. Holiday would play hard, but he can't get into the game unless its garbage time.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#128 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:30 am

ThunderCeltic wrote:
RunDogGun wrote:
ThunderCeltic wrote:
Read on Twitter


Had fun visiting with Suns fans who came to Oklahoma City tonight and rocked the awesome city edition uniforms. It was also great having Chris Paul back with fans. He's a classy dude and best of luck going into the playoffs.

Your team played great tonight. Sorry our team didn't play with any effort.



It did feel like an exhibition game at times. We're trying to lock the #1 pick and finally decided to play with half the team injured and Jaylen Hoard on a 10 day contract. It's always good hearing Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" during team intros.

Your guys wanted to win, ours didn't. Its always good to see what your deep bench can do when you are looking at what to do in the offseason.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#129 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:32 am

GoranTragic wrote:I have been saying no rest because this is what happens when you don't give a ****.

I don't know what Monty is doing right now but this a huge disappointment on multiple levels.

The scary part is, I don't think Monty knows what he is doing, or this would have been fixed two games ago. We need shooting, and he goes with Payton, a guy he has already given up on, and most likely won't see a minute of the playoffs?
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#130 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:39 am

18 damn percent from three. The team basically shot worse than Elf from three.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#131 » by ThunderCeltic » Mon Apr 4, 2022 3:39 am

RunDogGun wrote:
ThunderCeltic wrote:
RunDogGun wrote:Your team played great tonight. Sorry our team didn't play with any effort.



It did feel like an exhibition game at times. We're trying to lock the #1 pick and finally decided to play with half the team injured and Jaylen Hoard on a 10 day contract. It's always good hearing Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" during team intros.

Your guys wanted to win, ours didn't. Its always good to see what your deep bench can do when you are looking at what to do in the offseason.



Poku with a Triple Double! I still can't get over that. Basically we're Fools Gold in OKC. Sam Presti will pull of something big on draft night. Just wish Tre Mann would have played tonight. He's so much fun to watch. With SGA/Mann/Giddey/Bazely/Poku and whoever we get in the draft I'm feeling optimistic about the future plus our coach understands the younger generation and Billy Donovan was a joke.

I was still worried tonight even without Booker/Crowder/Ayton. You guys will be good in the playoffs. I hope you guys deep, really deep.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#132 » by TeamTragic » Mon Apr 4, 2022 4:04 am

ThunderCeltic wrote:
RunDogGun wrote:
ThunderCeltic wrote:

It did feel like an exhibition game at times. We're trying to lock the #1 pick and finally decided to play with half the team injured and Jaylen Hoard on a 10 day contract. It's always good hearing Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" during team intros.

Your guys wanted to win, ours didn't. Its always good to see what your deep bench can do when you are looking at what to do in the offseason.



Poku with a Triple Double! I still can't get over that. Basically we're Fools Gold in OKC. Sam Presti will pull of something big on draft night. Just wish Tre Mann would have played tonight. He's so much fun to watch. With SGA/Mann/Giddey/Bazely/Poku and whoever we get in the draft I'm feeling optimistic about the future plus our coach understands the younger generation and Billy Donovan was a joke.

I was still worried tonight even without Booker/Crowder/Ayton. You guys will be good in the playoffs. I hope you guys deep, really deep.


Thank you for the kind words. The season is not over yet we are playing like these games don't matter.

This is not how you finish the season. Kudos to your team for not just rolling over.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#133 » by Maze » Mon Apr 4, 2022 4:52 am

When was the last time a team shot 18% from 3pt range against the Suns? I swear it seems as if every team shoots lights out from 3 whenever the Suns are in town.I guess the stats say the Suns are pretty good at defending the 3, but somehow, they don't pass the eye test imo.They give up a bunch of good looks from 3.I've been saying all year they're one of the most lazy teams I've ever seen when it comes to hustling down loose balls & long rebounds.It felt like OKC grabbed an offensive rebound every trip down the floor tonight.I don't remember the Suns grabbing one single clean rebound.The Thunder beat them to the spot every time.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#134 » by Maze » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:02 am

And I'm not all that big on Aaron Holiday.I thought he looked decent the first week or two after the trade, but he's been pretty much dog water ever since.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#135 » by Puff » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:43 am

I hate to make simple but it is.

Both teams both had the same number of shots. OK City just happened to make 10 more three pointers than us.

Cam "the great" Johnson 2 for 11 and I think 0 forever in the previous game
Bridges 1 for 7
Shamet 2 for 8 the best shooter of the night

We shot 18.7 % they shot 42% from three.

Maybe it breaks down to that they didn't get the normal wide open looks that they normally get with Booker and Ayton on the court. However, I thought that they generally had pretty good shots and just bricked them.

Hopefully this is not what we see come the playoffs.

Will we win one more game to set the franchise record? No more Gimme's like tonight.
      "Vogel has no spine. Booker and Durant do whatever they want on this team and just continue make stupid decisions iso-ball and basically doing whatever they feel like out there. We need a coach with balls."
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#136 » by Saberestar » Mon Apr 4, 2022 7:37 am

RunDogGun wrote:
Jdiddy701 wrote:Might just be me but this is why I don’t believe in resting players. You want to end the season playing well. It’s just an L in the win/loss column but I’m sure confidence is low right now for the team.


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Does it matter though? We have looked like crap for three games, one of which we were at full strength. Monty can't rest players, because then he doesn't have anyone to cover for him.

I wouldn't go that far.

I was really frustrated watching this game and I thought that it was our worst game by far, but I can't ignore that is an 82-games season and we have a 62-16 record (we won 9 in a row recently).

I disagree about us playing "like crap" in the last three games. You don't win on the road against the Warriors playing like that. They didn't have Curry but other than him they were healthy and wanted that win badly.

We didn't have Cam Johnson and McGee so there is that too. We won an ugly game but fighting really hard until the end.

Against the Grizzlies we didn't played well but we were on the road and we were in the game until the last couple of minutes. I can understand that loss.

So I hated the game against the Thunder but overall the season is terrific and playoffs is another story. And Monty is doing an amazing job, this game was an absolute outlier.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#137 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 12:50 pm

Maze wrote:And I'm not all that big on Aaron Holiday.I thought he looked decent the first week or two after the trade, but he's been pretty much dog water ever since.

He doesn't get any consistent minutes. He is still shooting 54% from three for us. In a game where we can't buy a three, it would seem like Monty would try him before the last 5 minutes, right?
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#138 » by RunDogGun » Mon Apr 4, 2022 1:02 pm

Saberestar wrote:
RunDogGun wrote:
Jdiddy701 wrote:Might just be me but this is why I don’t believe in resting players. You want to end the season playing well. It’s just an L in the win/loss column but I’m sure confidence is low right now for the team.


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Does it matter though? We have looked like crap for three games, one of which we were at full strength. Monty can't rest players, because then he doesn't have anyone to cover for him.

I wouldn't go that far.

I was really frustrated watching this game and I thought that it was our worst game by far, but I can't ignore that is an 82-games season and we have a 62-16 record (we won 9 in a row recently).

I disagree about us playing "like crap" in the last three games. You don't win on the road against the Warriors playing like that. They didn't have Curry but other than him they were healthy and wanted that win badly.

We didn't have Cam Johnson and McGee so there is that too. We won an ugly game but fighting really hard until the end.

Against the Grizzlies we didn't played well but we were on the road and we were in the game until the last couple of minutes. I can understand that loss.

So I hated the game against the Thunder but overall the season is terrific and playoffs is another story. And Monty is doing an amazing job, this game was an absolute outlier.

I respectfully disagree. We have played with little to no effort for three games, and have been thoroughly out worked for every 50/50 ball and rebounds. We have given up way too many offensive rebounds and can't seem to get out on guys shooting threes. We let guys get hot, and then decide to try and guard them. By then its too late.

What has happen before the GS game is now moot. If the team thinks they can just switch on good shooting and solid defense, they are sorely mistaken. Monty is not doing a terrific job these last three games. He is slow to make adjustments, and has been relying on the players being clutch at the end of games. And when they aren't, we see results like the last two games, where we get completely run out of gyms by guys that should be in the Gleague.

Great regular season record, and crapping the bed the last three and counting. Can they turn it around, sure. Do I trust Monty to make the right moves to get there...at this point, no. If we face LAC in the first round limping our way there, we are one and done in probably our best chance to win a chip. We will get out hustled and out coached.

We will see the next few games, but it is depressing to watch the team give up like this.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#139 » by pj0tr » Mon Apr 4, 2022 1:43 pm

I'm not worried at all lol.

Yall forget we ended last year with 3 losses in 4 games down the stretch with the team looking just like this.

Try and motivate a bunch of NBA vets to play whatever it is the Grizzlies and Thunder threw out on the floor yesterday, after locking up the overall 1 seed with 8 games left lol.

Bunch of NBA couch experts firing off stupid takes right now.
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Re: Game 78: Phoenix Suns (62-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-55) l Sunday l 4:00pm l BSAZ 

Post#140 » by pj0tr » Mon Apr 4, 2022 1:45 pm

RunDogGun wrote:
GoranTragic wrote:I have been saying no rest because this is what happens when you don't give a ****.

I don't know what Monty is doing right now but this a huge disappointment on multiple levels.

The scary part is, I don't think Monty knows what he is doing, or this would have been fixed two games ago. We need shooting, and he goes with Payton, a guy he has already given up on, and most likely won't see a minute of the playoffs?


Pretty sure hes giving Payton one last shot at showing why he should be on the playoff roster.

I think they'll end up waiving Payton, and promoting Ish Wainright to the playoff-active roster.

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