NBA PLAYOFFS: Round 2 l Game 2: Phoenix Suns @ Denver Nuggets l Monday l 7:00pm l TNT l Nuggets lead series 1-0

[SunsRback4Good]

Who: Phoenix Suns @ Denver Nuggets

When: Monday, May 1st @ 7:00pm (10:00ET) l TNT

Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO







Phoenix Suns starting lineup:


C- DomiAyton

F- Durant

F- Craig

G- Booker

G- CP3


Reserves: Payne/Okogie/Biyombo/Shamet





Denver Nuggets starting lineup:


C- Jokic

F- Gordon

F- Porter

G- KCP

G- Murray


Reserves: Brown/Green/Braun/Purple

[RedIndian]

If we can't find a settled rotation and get our shot taking maths in order pronto, we should fold quickly from these playoffs and focus on the offseason.

Some of these issues are the natural repercussions of a big mid-season trade and the roster imbalance that creates, but frankly Monty has had about 25 games to sort these issues out.

There is no clarity on rotations in round 2 of the playoffs, and we're averaging an abysmal 23 three point attempts. That's absolute rock bottom out of all 16 playoff teams. The second worst are the Knicks with a whopping 29 attempts.

Literally everyone shoots more than 30 threes a game. We scraped through the Clips on the bank of our star power and the fact that the Clips had no stars by the end.

But you simply can't beat a 2-star or even a 1-star team when the math is stacked so badly against you. I genuinely believe that KD and Book may be the best star duo in the league. But they're completely hamstrung if every other team has a 10 3 point shots advantage every single game.

For the love of God Monty, find a settled rotation and let Payne and Lee / Ross play 15 minutes so that they can get up at least 8 threes between them.

As I see the math on 3PAs has to be:

KD - 5
Book - 7
Craig - 4
CP3 - 4
Okogie - 2
Payne - 4
Lee/Ross - 4

That gets us to 30 threes a game, and should be a basic blueprint.

If Monty continues playing Shamet, who's scared to take shots and gives no minutes to Payne, we aren't getting anywhere

The defense may suffer marginally on account of Lee /Ross and Payne, but you have to live with that. This 90s style offense is simply not meant to survive today.

Also, can we please see some KD-Book screening actions? It should be our most deadly play - but we've barely seen any of it.

[Saberestar]

GAME 2!

[PittsburghSuns]

After watching game 1 I have little faith this team can even play competitively against Denver. Classic example of a good well rounded team playing vs a collection of stars that have no chemistry or depth. Maybe we can win a game in Phoenix as Denver isn’t a strong road team.

[Revived]

The fact that Monty still has no set bench rotation is troubling. This is issue that most coaches figure out in preseason yet we’re well into 2nd round of playoffs and he still has no idea who to play off the bench. The only constant is playing that steaming pile of s**t Landry Shamet.

At some point, James Jones or Ishbia needs to get involved with the coaching when it’s obvious they have a HC that’s clearly lost. Suns paid the absolute premium on a trade and can’t waste that because of a clueless HC. Play Ross, it’s why the hell they brought him here. Give Warren a try. Maybe even Bazley as Suns lack athleticism. He can shoot a little too.

And I do think we’ll see a better game of Ayton tonight. Hopefully it actually continues and doesn’t just disappear after one good game.

Read on Twitter

[Calvin Klein]

I'm probably gonna stay away from the forum during the game but LFGGGGG once again.

[grumpysaddle]

Game 1 drained all my excitement and expectations for this series. Gonna take a monumental effort tonight to get it back.

[SunsRback4Good]

I'm probably gonna stay away from the forum during the game but LFGGGGG once again.

Me too! This forum is toxic nothing but gloom and doom whenever suns lose a game. I’m staying away and will be back once we defeat the Nuggets to even out the series. One game does not dictate the whole series you guys should know that by now. Denver gave the very best and suns hung in there until the 4th but now playtime is over and Suns will play better defense and hit more three. I expect a breakout game from Shamet he’s due to hit 2-3 3’s tonight. Ayton is a man of his word I suppose so we’ll see what type of numbers he will put up after his speech the other day.

[kennydorglas]

3 things

1- SHOOT THE DAMN 3
2 - SHAMET DNP
3- CONTROLLED HUSTLE BC MILE HIGH AINT NICE FOR U.

[MrMiyagi]

We get 3 days between this game and game 3. We'd better bring it.

[sashaturiaf]

This is a must win tonight.

Key to the game - Monty has to change the guys coming off the bench. Play Jock, play Ross and TJ, play Ish even. Less Biyombo and no more Shamet.

If this doesn't change I don't care if we win or lose, since Montys stubbornness will cost us a title guaranteed

[bwgood77]

If we can't find a settled rotation and get our shot taking maths in order pronto, we should fold quickly from these playoffs and focus on the offseason.

Some of these issues are the natural repercussions of a big mid-season trade and the roster imbalance that creates, but frankly Monty has had about 25 games to sort these issues out.

There is no clarity on rotations in round 2 of the playoffs, and we're averaging an abysmal 23 three point attempts. That's absolute rock bottom out of all 16 playoff teams. The second worst are the Knicks with a whopping 29 attempts.

Literally everyone shoots more than 30 threes a game. We scraped through the Clips on the bank of our star power and the fact that the Clips had no stars by the end.

But you simply can't beat a 2-star or even a 1-star team when the math is stacked so badly against you. I genuinely believe that KD and Book may be the best star duo in the league. But they're completely hamstrung if every other team has a 10 3 point shots advantage every single game.

For the love of God Monty, find a settled rotation and let Payne and Lee / Ross play 15 minutes so that they can get up at least 8 threes between them.

As I see the math on 3PAs has to be:

KD - 5
Book - 7
Craig - 4
CP3 - 4
Okogie - 2
Payne - 4
Lee/Ross - 4

That gets us to 30 threes a game, and should be a basic blueprint.

If Monty continues playing Shamet, who's scared to take shots and gives no minutes to Payne, we aren't getting anywhere

The defense may suffer marginally on account of Lee /Ross and Payne, but you have to live with that. This 90s style offense is simply not meant to survive today.

Also, can we please see some KD-Book screening actions? It should be our most deadly play - but we've barely seen any of it.

Yeah, we need to take WAY more 3s or we simply won't win unless the other team is simply really really cold or we are really really hot (probably need some of both). Yeah, the Clips team we beat in the last 3 games wouldn't have been a playoff team, so we went from that to the top seed. I am not sure why Book only took 1 3 pt shot. KD took 3 I believe. They only made 1 3 pt shot between them. That's crazy. Not gonna win playoff games like that.

Need to clean up turnovers and improve rebounding as well.

[Frank Lee]

Mugging CP from the get go

[SkyBill40]

You'd think that would have been an authoritative dunk finish to set the tone rather than a milquetoast drop in, but I guess I should be satisfied he went to the basket at all rather than settling for weak ass fadeaway jumpers like usual.

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[spanishninja]

denver not as hot as they were in g1 so far. we need to take advantage.

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[grumpysaddle]

Better effort so far. Need to make those 3s though. 0-5 to start isn't a good look, but at least they're taking them today.

[kennydorglas]

at least we're actually taking 3's now
doesnt matter if they're not going in... you cant play against those guys without them

[kennydorglas]

early run for biz
something happened with Dominayton?

[SkyBill40]

early run for biz
something happened with Dominayton?

Probably worn out from having to actually try.

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[SkyBill40]

Ice cold shooting on our part. We need to snap out of this funk and quickly before Denver does it first.

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