I can try to answer these:
Cyrusman122000 wrote:It’s easy for us to just say booker and Ayton played like crap and Luka balled out, but when you really look at this there were multiple collapses Involved and I’m in total shock at what happened.
1.) Monty Williams was the 2x coach of year who coached a team to the best record in the league. He was honestly out coached in both playoff series this year and could not make ANY adjustments to slow down the mavs 3 point shooting unlike Kidd who made great adjustments.
What happened?
I think this is kind of showing that Monty is good but not as good as he was cracked up to be. He really wasn't impressive his first season here. I was very skeptical about him. I think CP probably had as much to do with us being so good last year and this year and Monty's coaching did. He got outcoached badly by Bud (who the Bucks would've fired if KD's toes hadn't been on the 3pt line) in the Finals last year. Seemed like he had learned something from that but the Pels and Mavs series have proven he didn't. His adjustments are too slow, when he even makes them at all. And I other than maybe Phil Jackson what successful coach has ever had a non-stop easy going demeanor? He never gets animated. Doesn't get into the teams junk and challenge them when they play with crap effort. Doesn't call timely timeouts. Suns will have a run going against them and they'll show Monty on the sidelines and he just has this **** eating grin on his face like he doesn't know what's going on. I don't think we should fire him just because but if we think there's someone better out there I'd be all for it. At this point I can't see us winning a ship with him as the captain.
Cyrusman122000 wrote:2.) suns had the 3rd best defensive rating in the nba this season but that was no where to be found in this series as they got torched. Mavs shot like peak warriors from 3 in their 4 wins.
What happened?
I'm really not sure, but it happened earlier in the season, not in the Mavs series. It's hard to remember everything now but after they lost to the Warriors on Christmas I thought it affected them a little bit. Not much, but they weren't quite the same. They were still great on D on and off though. Then when they locked up the best league record they just stopped caring and they never got their mojo back on D. Ayton was still very good on D this year but he slipped a bit compared to last year, probably because of his increased offensive workload. Bridges had some odd periods of not great D too, I think probably for the same reason as Ayton. But as good as Bridges is he isn't strong enough to guard very tall and/or big strong wings. He can bother them but can't contain them like he can the smaller guys. Ayton is normally really good (for a C) at rotating out on the perimeter and defending, but he hasn't been lately. Book was actually pretty good on D this year. CP and Crowder are a year older and slipped a bit. Payne was terrible on D all year and Craig wasn't good like he was last year either.
Cyrusman122000 wrote:3.) Cameron Payne went from a valuable back up point guard/ role player who played very well last year to an unplayable scrub overnight.
What happened?
He has sucked all season. IIRC I think he was injured at the beginning of the season. Whatever happened he never got his 3pt shot going this year, and his whole game is based on that. Since he couldn't hit 3s every other part of his game was affected. He did have one or two stretches of great play though. When CP was injured he averaged near 10 assists per game. That Payne could have still helped us in the playoffs even if he couldn't shoot. Many of us Suns fans wanted Monty to bench him for Aaron Holiday in the Pels series.
Cyrusman122000 wrote:4.) Chris Paul at the age of 36 years and 363 days looked like he was aging very well. 2 weeks later at the age of 37 years old and 14 days looked completely washed up.
What happened?
Who the **** knows. I guess he was injured? If he was he should have sat his ass down on the bench. The cracks were showing in the Pels series for him but that was 5 straight games of retirement-level play. I'd say it HAS to be injury because no other explanation makes sense. It's not like his body would know the exact second he turned 37 and just all of a sudden shut down.
Cyrusman122000 wrote:5.) Just looking at the mental state of the team they did not look that upset during the game. You wouldn’t think they were getting humiliated on their home court in a game 7 while they won 64 games. It seemed like they completely lost their spirit and confidence.
What happened?
Exactly. The team is mentally broken. I don't know what happened. Maybe a combo of the DA stuff, of whatever is going on with CP, of Monty being Monty, and of Book still not quite seeing the forest for the trees. But they collectively looked like they gave up, either the instant Game 7 started or maybe even before. Them winning Game 5 the way they did and then no-showing Game 6 reminded me of how they finished the regular season. Like they thought the series was over after Game 5 and when the Mavs didn't just roll over in Game 6 the Suns just said **** it this is too hard.
Cyrusman122000 wrote:6.) Ayton looked like he could feast and take advantage of the Mavs small ball. He had a good game 1 and then disappeared.
What happened?
I think you have to put at least some of this on Ayton, but it's more our gameplan (or lack thereof) than it is him, despite what a lot of Suns fans will tell you. He's given an extremely short leash to make mistakes compared to CP and Book.
