NBA PLAYOFFS: Game 3 - (1) Phoenix Suns @ (8) New Orleans Pelicans l Friday l 7:30pm MST (9:30 EST) l ESPN l Series 1-1

[IamBBAnalysis]

Major props to Brandon Ingram. He's been outstanding this series. Best ball I've ever seen him play.

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Yeah, he is very tough to deal with.

[Jdiddy701]

Seriously, how can anyone that follows basketball, think that pulling a starter shooting 2-4 from three for a guy that can't guard any opposing players and can't hit a three, was a good move, when the result was blowing an 11 point lead? Fact, if CP3 doesn't go off in the fourth in two games, Monty and his bad rotations would be down 0-3 to a ninth seed team.

If players were making shots, Suns would be 3-0 right now. I don’t like putting blame on Monty. Has he made mistakes? Yes, but there’s not a single coach in the league I’d take over Monty. I see a lot of Pelican fans blaming losses to Willie Green, too. Two of the best coaches in the NBA, imo.


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[sunsbg]

Seriously, how can anyone that follows basketball, think that pulling a starter shooting 2-4 from three for a guy that can't guard any opposing players and can't hit a three, was a good move, when the result was blowing an 11 point lead? Fact, if CP3 doesn't go off in the fourth in two games, Monty and his bad rotations would be down 0-3 to a ninth seed team.

You better not compare Cam's to Jae's numbers outside of shooting.

Also you seem to like to speculate what the result would be if this or that, but you have 0 facts to back it.

[Ghost of Kleine]

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As many have already mentioned on here, Ayton needs to more of a focal point in our offense. He's definitely a huge factor to our success.

[Puff]

Bottom line, if we don't get CamJo back into form we do not go far in the playoffs. No one else outside the four other starters can even come close to having a +30 game. I thoroughly disapprove on how he has been used.

The team is more important than Cam Johnson.

We are not playing for Cam Johnson, he is playing for the Suns.

I never said anything like that, what is wrong with you? If the team doesn't get their best three point shooter going, and won't play Holiday, who in limited shots, is shooting 44% from three, we aren't going far in the playoffs. We are getting the bulk of our threes from Chowder, Shamet, and Payne, who can't hit a damn three. There is no way we can go far getting bailed out by CP3 every other night.

Wake up.

The coach you continue to berate started Cam Johnson and Cam Johnson got in foul trouble when he attempted to guard someone. Monty did not get in foul trouble Cam Johnson got in foul trouble.

We all agree with you that we need to get Cam Johnson going. Cam Johnson needs to do his part as well. Crowder also needs to make some threes, that is obvious. However, Crowder had a very good game last night while missing every three he attempted.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Our team can't collectively forget how to shoot for long, the lid will come off the rim eventually. Crowder's had 3 0-fors in a row, so he's due to get hot sooner than later.

We have a good chance as long as we have CP3 out there and Ayton plays up to his capabilities. The formula is there. We can pound the paint into Ayton and McGee with JV and Nance not being big rim protectors, but we need to be ready to hit shots or attack when the defense starts to collapse harder.

Defense needs to keep stepping it up as well. We're still overcommitting on help defense unnecessarily a lot and giving up way too many wide open looks from 3. Rebounding was as little better but still a long way to go.

The Suns were lucky to win games 1 & 3. That and CP3. Ayton is my favorite player but this team needs to win as a team and not with him as the only scorer in a half. They need some big scoring games like during the regular season where guys are making shots. Is that too much to ask?

Hold up if we're talking about luck how about the Pels shooting like 60% from 3 in game 2? That's a big time outlyer shooting performance.


Anyway I do think the suns found something replicable last night going to the hoop. Keep pounding the CP/Ayton two man game and the others need to keep taking the driving lanes when available.

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[bwgood77]

Wasn't the spread 2.5 points? A coincidence that the Suns managed to win by 3?

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McCollum nailed a worthless three in the last second of the game.

Even though it finished closed to the spread it made no difference in which bettors won. The Suns still covered.

[TeamTragic]

Monty made the wrong decisions in the third quarter. We had an 11 point lead at the half and he put in Payne.

That lead disappeared and this has happened in every single game we have played this series. No offense to Monty but that is not what I expect from a COTY candidate.

CamJ needs more minutes because Crowder/Payne are not cutting it. We know he can put up 40 points when he catches fire especially when Booker is not playing!

[TeamTragic]

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As many have already mentioned on here, Ayton needs to more of a focal point in our offense. He's definitely a huge factor to our success.

What a shocker! We win when we actually feed Ayton the ball and make him the focal point?

[bwgood77]

Crowder is so bad but a win is a win! Big game Sunday

Don't you think that Crowder contributed a lot to win this game?

As an example of his value (other than talking about his bad percentages from 3) you can analyze some of his defense and intangibles.

IIRC he got a charge foul from Valanciunas in the paint, another one from Alvarado in a moving screen, another one from Ingram or Valanciunas in the 4th on another moving screen and he got the ejection from Hayes taking advantage of his immaturity.

So he got (at least) four charges. That's huge and some of them changed momentum in the game.

Yeah, he does a lot. I love Cam but he's played very poorly for a month and 3 weeks, or rather his games since returning.

In this series, the plus is Cam has been our 4th best 3 pt shooter I think, but he's also averaged 2 reb per game, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1.3 turnovers. He is doing nothing besides occasionally hitting some shots.

Obviously our shooters can't play any worse, so things will even out. They are supposed to shoot open shots, and eventually more will fall. You can't destroy their confidence by pulling them. Not making shot is not a mistake...not all shots are going to go in. Crowder brings a lot more of the other stuff.

I might start Cam but we've played great all year with Crowder starting.

[bwgood77]

You don't really make a counter argument to his. Monty probably values Cam J much more than Shamet, so trying to preserve him for end of game is not like doing the same with Shamet. I personally was scared Cam J was injured when he didn't start the 3rd not knowing he had 3 fouls. Now that I know it, not starting him makes some sense though starting and taking out a player on 4th foul is more common in such situation.

Dude, pointing out that Chowder had three fouls at the half during game one, and Chowder starting the third in that game, was the damn counter to his argument. Also, Monty has never done that. He always starts the same guys in the third, unless someone is injured before the half. The three fouls is not a valid excuse.

If he valued CamJo more, why play Sham 3 more minutes in the game? If Monty doesn't start CamJo, he just can't get CamJo 30+ minutes. Moreover, if he valued Cam more, he would get him more plays to get him open looks.

I know your love for Camjo exceeds all I think everyone here does but he has been awful since coming back from that injury. Has he been better than Crowder maybe but just barley. I like Cam but dude he has been terrible right along with everyone not named ayton mcgee cp and bridges. This entire team outside of those guys had been struggling for a month now.

Yeah, he may be slightly over 20% from 3 since coming back but isn't providing anything else. Occasionally a good game from 2 like in game 2, but not enough to outweigh Jae's rebounds, blocks, steals, hustle, D, etc. No one will argue Jae is shooting well, but he's always been streaky as are most players, but him more than most. One of these games he will go like 5-7 and hit some big important 3s when we need him.

[Ghost of Kleine]

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ALSO:

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[SunsRback4Good]

Seriously, how can anyone that follows basketball, think that pulling a starter shooting 2-4 from three for a guy that can't guard any opposing players and can't hit a three, was a good move, when the result was blowing an 11 point lead? Fact, if CP3 doesn't go off in the fourth in two games, Monty and his bad rotations would be down 0-3 to a ninth seed team.

If players were making shots, Suns would be 3-0 right now. I don’t like putting blame on Monty. Has he made mistakes? Yes, but there’s not a single coach in the league I’d take over Monty. I see a lot of Pelican fans blaming losses to Willie Green, too. Two of the best coaches in the NBA, imo.


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Give me Kerr, Popovich, Spolstra & Lue in a heartbeat. Those coaches can make simple adjustments in a blink of an eye should all be ahead of Monty. Our coach is great, what he has done past few years should not go unnoticed, but in terms of adjustments he has ways to go.

We just need to start hitting our threes and things should open up plus play a bit better defensively. Suns haven't had a good beatdown game probably since the 76ers game which was 9 GAMES ago.

[Puff]

Monty made the wrong decisions in the third quarter. We had an 11 point lead at the half and he put in Payne.

That lead disappeared and this has happened in every single game we have played this series. No offense to Monty but that is not what I expect from a COTY candidate.

CamJ needs more minutes because Crowder/Payne are not cutting it. We know he can put up 40 points when he catches fire especially when Booker is not playing!

Crowder is not going anywhere. He is the starter on this team and will remain so. I also expect that Payne will remain in the rotation unless he is injured. He was very important in our run to the finals last year and Monty is going to give him every chance to fail. That said I expect Monty will have to make a move to Holiday if Payne continues to struggle. In games to finish the season I believe Holiday struggled as well. He isn't the 2nd coming.

The question is who is better Shamet or Cam Johnson as the fifth starter? Without Booker, Paul is the only ball handler. Shamet gives some size and can handle some of the ball handling duties. I wanted Cam Johnson in the starting five and that is what Monty did. However, it may make sense to put Cam J back on the bench to start the game. Monty should also employ a quick hook for Crowder if he continues to struggle from Three and replace him with Cam J.

If Ayton and McGee can keep up their great play I expect that our 3 point shooting will come around and we will be better going forward.

Go Suns

[Calvin Klein]

Oh the Crowder should be benched discussion that's been going on for months....

[sunsbg]

Oh the Crowder should be benched discussion that's been going on for months....

The never ending soap opera.

[cberry78]

Oh the Crowder should be benched discussion that's been going on for months....

The never ending soap opera.

I tried making it a drinking game but I died.

[handsome salary]

My guess on why Shamet started the second half is simply that he had a good shift that first half so Monty was hoping he would replicate that, he didn't unfortunately. I also think they rotations are a little easier with Shamet in that spot.

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But Shamet didn't make a three, and Cam was 2-4 from three. The only baskets Shamet made were the two dunks. Moreover, he was easily exposed defensively. It just doesn't make any sense that after a full season of not pulling game starters for any reason, to then pull our only guy that hit 2 threes, and that was shooting 50% from three.

Nothing to do with 3's...it was about playing with passion. Shamet actually was. Monty saw that, and it allowed him to keep Johnson on the bench with the rotations and matches he wanted.

For me Shamet had the energy, speed and athleticism to match up with the youngsters on the Pels.
Cam Johnsn has been getting blocked making it to the rim cause it seems he can only jump over a 2x4. Same with Crowder. And they both don't run around the perimeter as quickly as Shamet.

[bwoolf2]

Dude, pointing out that Chowder had three fouls at the half during game one, and Chowder starting the third in that game, was the damn counter to his argument. Also, Monty has never done that. He always starts the same guys in the third, unless someone is injured before the half. The three fouls is not a valid excuse.

If he valued CamJo more, why play Sham 3 more minutes in the game? If Monty doesn't start CamJo, he just can't get CamJo 30+ minutes. Moreover, if he valued Cam more, he would get him more plays to get him open looks.

I know your love for Camjo exceeds all I think everyone here does but he has been awful since coming back from that injury. Has he been better than Crowder maybe but just barley. I like Cam but dude he has been terrible right along with everyone not named ayton mcgee cp and bridges. This entire team outside of those guys had been struggling for a month now.

Please don't make assumptions about how I feel, because you are making yourself look foolish. I back all of my comments up with data and stats when it comes to CamJ. Like him or not, we need him to get to form, especially with Booker out. Starting him, then not starting him, limiting his minutes to under 30+ minutes has been ridiculous. Fact is he was the only Sun that made two three point baskets. Shamet gets exposed defensively, as we knew he would, well anyone that has paid attention. We need spacing for CP3 to work, and Chuck Chowder hasn't made a three this whole series.Shamet can't seem to make anything outside of a dunk. We need to run plays to get Johnson open, and we need to get him going as quickly as possible to open the spacing. He is our best player for that job.

As for the new excuse that Johnson was scared (not your comment bwolf)...I think sunbg, you are thinking of Payne, but that would be the reason to try Holiday, who is the only other player on our team that can shoot the three at a consistently high %.

No offense but when 95 percent of you post are about a single player it's pretty obvious how you feel, but whatever... go suns...

[SkyBill40]

Monty made the wrong decisions in the third quarter. We had an 11 point lead at the half and he put in Payne.

That lead disappeared and this has happened in every single game we have played this series. No offense to Monty but that is not what I expect from a COTY candidate.

CamJ needs more minutes because Crowder/Payne are not cutting it. We know he can put up 40 points when he catches fire especially when Booker is not playing!

Crowder is not going anywhere. He is the starter on this team and will remain so. I also expect that Payne will remain in the rotation unless he is injured. He was very important in our run to the finals last year and Monty is going to give him every chance to fail. That said I expect Monty will have to make a move to Holiday if Payne continues to struggle. In games to finish the season I believe Holiday struggled as well. He isn't the 2nd coming.

The question is who is better Shamet or Cam Johnson as the fifth starter? Without Booker, Paul is the only ball handler. Shamet gives some size and can handle some of the ball handling duties. I wanted Cam Johnson in the starting five and that is what Monty did. However, it may make sense to put Cam J back on the bench to start the game. Monty should also employ a quick hook for Crowder if he continues to struggle from Three and replace him with Cam J.

If Ayton and McGee can keep up their great play I expect that our 3 point shooting will come around and we will be better going forward.

Go Suns

Just because Crowder is a starter doesn't mean he should be. He's an undersized guy who can't hit a basket even when wide open. He's an overpaid and overhyped role player, not a prime time starter. Thankfully he's on an expiring contract next year. If we're not looking to move on from him and get someone better, the front office is stupid. Yes, that's you, James Jones.

Payne can go with him. He's regressed from last year and has hurt more than helped. There are better second unit PGs out there, we're just not looking for them or they're not wanting to play here for some reason.

Holiday should be playing but once again, and is as usual, Williams is sticking with "his guys" even if it comes at a huge detriment. He continues to have faith that they'll turn a corner and shoot their way out of it, but that's not been the case at all this playoff series. Holiday is a shooter and has a better stroke than either Crowder or Payne. His only issue is that he's a small SG playing out of position if coming in to take over for Paul.

Biyombo has played less than a minute for the series. Why? He can bang, board, and block shots. Playing him alongside Ayton or McGee would likely solve a lot of our interior woes.