NBA PLAYOFFS: Game 4: Denver Nuggets @ Phoenix Suns l Sunday l 5:00 l TNT l DEN leads series 2-1

[WeekapaugGroove]

They were the 1 seed so not exactly shocking but Denver is really good, if they beat the suns I think they win the championship. Just a really really hard team to defend.

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Yeah, I figured we'd take these two but it will be tough to win in Denver. Game 5 is pretty good given we have not fared well in elimination games, though those were quite different teams as well. I expect Denver to win game 5, but you never know. I think it will be close. The big test will be if we lose game 5 if we can avoid elimination this year. I think the way Book is playing we can win game 6 either way, so it could come down to game 7. But even if we lose, I won't consider it some epic failure, as you have said, Denver is the 1 seed and is playing very well. We barely pulled out those home games and it too Shamet lighting it up in this one, and of course another crazy good game from Book.

Not exactly breaking news but Jokic is awesome. Last night had to be one of the best performances in a loss a player has ever had.

Combine him with Murray and then their shooters and there just isn't a good way to guard them. Suns have basically said f defense we just need to put score them and I think it was the right call.

I do think Denver is the better team but I think Phoenix was better than Dallas last year and we saw what happened.

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[spanishninja]

They were the 1 seed so not exactly shocking but Denver is really good, if they beat the suns I think they win the championship. Just a really really hard team to defend.

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Yeah, I figured we'd take these two but it will be tough to win in Denver. Game 5 is pretty good given we have not fared well in elimination games, though those were quite different teams as well. I expect Denver to win game 5, but you never know. I think it will be close. The big test will be if we lose game 5 if we can avoid elimination this year. I think the way Book is playing we can win game 6 either way, so it could come down to game 7. But even if we lose, I won't consider it some epic failure, as you have said, Denver is the 1 seed and is playing very well. We barely pulled out those home games and it too Shamet lighting it up in this one, and of course another crazy good game from Book.

Not exactly breaking news but Jokic is awesome. Last night had to be one of the best performances in a loss a player has ever had.

Combine him with Murray and then their shooters and there just isn't a good way to guard them. Suns have basically said f defense we just need to put score them and I think it was the right call.

I do think Denver is the better team but I think Phoenix was better than Dallas last year and we saw what happened.

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you don't even have to look at last season. Milwaukee got gentleman's swept despite being a clearly better team than Miami (yes, even with Giannis out), and the Celtics are tied up with the Sixers right now despite being obviously better. That's why playoffs aren't played on paper.

[Slim Charless]

Read on Twitter

“Landry Shamet, who also said he and Monty Williams are "very close."

Oh trust me, we know Shamet…we know….

Monty and Shamet:

[kennydorglas]

[Jesus_H_Macy]

Here is my unnecessarily detailed and unasked for take on Jokic v. Ishbia:

--Jokic knew that was Ishbia the entire time

--Ishbia was holding onto the ball longer than necessary on purpose and using helping Okogie as his smoke screen

--Jokic only tried to rip the ball out of his hands because it was Ishbia. He wouldn't have done that to a regular fan. A regular fan also wouldn't have held the ball

--If Jokic wouldn't have tried to rip the ball out I think Ishbia probably would have handed it back, and if not he would've gotten a T instead of Jokic

--I think Ishbia only knocked the ball out of Jokic's hands because of how aggressively he tried to rip it out. A regular fan should've gotten kicked out for doing that. Ishbia should've gotten a fine, and maybe a T

--It didn't look to me like Ishbia touched Jokic first, at best it looks like the touch and the elbow happened at the same time. The elbow might have actually happened just barely before. Either way, the amount of that touch didn't warrant an elbow response

--If Jokic elbowed a regular fan like that he 100% would've gotten suspended. But he wouldn't have done that to a normal fan. I'm glad they didn't suspend him. He's lucky they didn't because the rules mention something about shoving people in the upper chest being an auto-suspension. He wasn't suspended because it was Ishbia and not a regular fan. The T was well deserved

--The flop was hilarious. But Jokic did give him a good shove that would've sent him back to his seat. Just not with the arm flailing

--I think the NBA should have fined Ishbia today along with Jokic

--That WWE vid is hilarious and the best NBA+WWE mashup vid since Lebron decision + Hollywood heel turn

--It was the second quarter. That one point was meaningless to the outcome of the game

[Ghost of Kleine]

Seems like Suns fans have been saying "We need more from DA" since he got here.I think he is who he is at this point.I'll be glad when he's gone this offseason.I'm ready for the Ayton experience to end.

So many people want him traded and think he should be traded (including myself) but we’re all gonna be disappointed because trading him on his current contract will not be easy. He has no value and he has ton of years and is extremely overpaid for what he brings to the court.

If someone took ben simmons someone will take DA

But would you take Simmons back for Ayton if that's all we could get back? Or would you then just keep Ayton longer to try and recoup value for a later trade?

[Ghost of Kleine]

BTW, we got away with a clear foul from Ayton in the last jumpball. NOICE.

Read on Twitter

Yeah! Focus on that one play after Ayton and Durant has been repeatedly taken out minimized throughout the series by glaring ref bias for the nuggets. Also the sheer disparity of free throws and calls in general benefitting the nugs when both teams ( nuggets included) are playing physically! The Nuggets players have been reaching, hacking, body blocking, hard bumping our players throughout the entire series and they haven't been called for fouls at nearly the rate our players have if any nuggets players so much as yawn sneeze or fart!

It's been pretty obvious at times too. The point being GOOD FOR AYTON! seeing as the tone of the series and physicality has been equally aggressive by BOTH TEAMS and we've been on the short end of the stick with fouls called the majority of the time. This is just equity with the level of physicality not held accountable has gone. Glad to see him being physical back and responding in kind!

[Slim Charless]

So many people want him traded and think he should be traded (including myself) but we’re all gonna be disappointed because trading him on his current contract will not be easy. He has no value and he has ton of years and is extremely overpaid for what he brings to the court.

If someone took ben simmons someone will take DA

But would you take Simmons back for Ayton if that's all we could get back? Or would you then just keep Ayton longer to try and recoup value for a later trade?

Aren't Booker and Simmons still beefing, or is it squashed and both of them hate Bad Bunny now?

[spanishninja]

If someone took ben simmons someone will take DA

But would you take Simmons back for Ayton if that's all we could get back? Or would you then just keep Ayton longer to try and recoup value for a later trade?

Aren't Booker and Simmons still beefing, or is it squashed and both of them hate Bad Bunny now?

or they are both celebrating the baggage being offloaded to some other dude now

[Maze]

Seems like the national media is working overtime to turn Jokic into the victim.I don't want to see him suspended, but the guy did unnecessarily shove a "fan".I'm even seeing people say he didn't deserve a technical! I wouldn't be shocked if the refs did a number on the Suns tomorrow.I'm calling it now.Jokic will get 18+ FT's.

[Ghost of Kleine]

If someone took ben simmons someone will take DA

But would you take Simmons back for Ayton if that's all we could get back? Or would you then just keep Ayton longer to try and recoup value for a later trade?

Aren't Booker and Simmons still beefing, or is it squashed and both of them hate Bad Bunny now?

Nope! Kendall's now making her rounds with Bad Bunny! And Book and Simmons are both considering themselves lucky that they got away without a buffet of STD's and further unwanted media drama. They can share empathy on past bad choices....lol.

Also, I actually wouldn't be completely opposed to considering an Ayton/ Shamet trade for Simmons/ 22nd pick? But would much more prefer a Paul/ Shamet for Simmons trade. And I absolutely think the Nets would do it to get off of Simmons deal a maybe advance their young guys progressions from Paul's mentoring. ALSO, I truly believe that Simmons can still regain some value and become an asset IF he just focuses on being a lockdown defender for us and his offense can be from lobs, back cuts, post scoring, fast break opportunities. Then you save Ayton for another trade to add depth assets and possibly a pick or two. I still like the Ayton for Nurkic/ Simons/ Little from Portland. Or Charlotte for Rozier, Bouknight (bought out)/ Richards/ 27th pick/ 39th pick/ 52nd pick. Or this recent trade board proposal didn't look too bad (all things considered.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2288129
Basically it is Ayton for Valuncias/ Caruso/ Portland 24' lotto protected (who knows when it might convey though). Chicago fans seem very on board with this idea too! And I could also see the Pels being on board with a sign n trade for Vucevic possibly IF they can do that with their cap situation.

I think I could like the idea of
Booker/ Caruso/ Simmons/ Durant/ Valuncias. Or you could run Simmons at the 4 defensively and for secondary frontcourt playmaking like what Draymond does for Golden State. Valuncias would also definitely solve our rebounding and size/physicality issues at half the cost of what Ayton makes. At the 4, Simmons can also help Valuncias cover as a weakside rim protector not having focus on shooting, but only defense and playmaking. With Booker and Durant, He wouldn't have the offensive pressure and pressure to shoot! So he theoretically should be able to find his game again! At least 1st team all defense. And I'd be happy to have him defend the Kwahi's, Doncic's, Ingram's, Lebron's, etc to free up Book and Durant even more on offense. It could be a big time under the radar move honestly! Big risk though too admittedly!

[oddity]

Keep Ben Simmons far away from my team, please and thank you.

[sunsbum]

So many people want him traded and think he should be traded (including myself) but we’re all gonna be disappointed because trading him on his current contract will not be easy. He has no value and he has ton of years and is extremely overpaid for what he brings to the court.

If someone took ben simmons someone will take DA

But would you take Simmons back for Ayton if that's all we could get back? Or would you then just keep Ayton longer to try and recoup value for a later trade?

no way

[lilfishi22]

Lol DA for Simmons

[kennydorglas]

Yeah we'll only get trash offers for DA.
Thats the price we paid when we couldnt offload him earlier.
Obviously we couldnt let him go for free as well, so this is just a terrible situation for both.

(but JJ doesnt care about asset management at all, he might accept those trash trades just to get rid of him)

[Calvin Klein]

get the new game thread going. we need some hope