2020-21 NBA Season Discussion

[MartinToVaught]

Holy ****. I have to mentally prepare for the idea that Chris Paul might just win a title as the man with the Nets injured.

Booker is the man on that team, not CP3. I'm not convinced that they'll get past the winner of the Clippers/Jazz series, though.

[ShotCreator]

Holy ****. I have to mentally prepare for the idea that Chris Paul might just win a title as the man with the Nets injured.

Booker is the man on that team, not CP3. I'm not convinced that they'll get past the winner of the Clippers/Jazz series, though.

Lol. And what grand idea are you basing Booker >Paul on?

[MartinToVaught]

Holy ****. I have to mentally prepare for the idea that Chris Paul might just win a title as the man with the Nets injured.

Booker is the man on that team, not CP3. I'm not convinced that they'll get past the winner of the Clippers/Jazz series, though.

Lol. And what grand idea are you basing Booker >Paul on?

Based on the fact that they were still winning playoff games because of Booker's greatness while CP3 was looking like Kendall Marshall out there with his injury.

Just look at Game 6 against the Lakers, for example. CP3 had a rough performance (4-12 shooting night) and the Suns still closed the series out because Booker erupted for 47 points - and grabbed a team-leading 11 rebounds for good measure.

[ShotCreator]

Booker is the man on that team, not CP3. I'm not convinced that they'll get past the winner of the Clippers/Jazz series, though.

Lol. And what grand idea are you basing Booker >Paul on?

Based on the fact that they were still winning playoff games because of Booker's greatness while CP3 was looking like Kendall Marshall out there with his injury.

So the first round playoff series. That’s your entire argument. I’m sure it could stand up to a load of scrutiny that I won’t give it because honestly I’m too happy with the irony of Chris Paul winning a injury-beneficiary title at age 36. In freaking Phoenix, after “beating” LeBron in a playoff series. Just imagine even half of that being true 2 years ago.

If Phoenix makes it out the West, and Philly won the East, he’ll have a clear, dominant FMVP trophy I have no doubts about that.

Milwaukee without Donte and a much slower Lopez also isn’t awful.

I think he wins FMVP either way but he’d incinerate Philly without question. Especially compared to Book/Bridges.

[MartinToVaught]

So the first round playoff series.

Yes, the first-round playoff series against the defending champions with the GOAT, Playoff LeBron, on their team. It's not like they were facing the Wizards or something.

[ShotCreator]

So the first round playoff series.

Yes, the first-round playoff series against the defending champions with the GOAT, Playoff LeBron, on their team. It's not like they were facing the Wizards or something.

It’s not like it’s the NBA FINALS EITHER! CLUTCH PAUL WILL BE GOAT AFTER HE WINS A RING FOR A RINGLESS CITY!

[HeartBreakKid]

Holy ****. I have to mentally prepare for the idea that Chris Paul might just win a title as the man with the Nets injured.

Booker is the man on that team, not CP3. I'm not convinced that they'll get past the winner of the Clippers/Jazz series, though.

Lol. And what grand idea are you basing Booker >Paul on?

Martin basically blamed the Clippers never getting past round 2 on CP3 and naturally he would look bad if he admitted CP3 was better than he says. Ignoring that the Clippers still haven't done any better despite adding "winners" and all that.


It's sad that people are trying to use the Suns bumping the 7th seed as some confirmation bias that CP3 was negligible


Like a 6 game sample size against the injured Lakers matters more than the 80 game sample size of CP3 usually being the best player by a decent amount on his team, lol. We literally just saw him and Booker play 4 games together and Paul was better than Booker in every one.

Like I said before, people hate being wrong. The Suns aren't even close to winning the title yet and people are already going to try to say it's Booker's team or some nonsense.



There is actually no easier way to tell how people don't want to believe that CP3 is good (or the Suns were) other than their interpretation of Suns vs Lakers. It was actually hilarious how much people don't want the Suns and Jazz to be "good".


The Lakers were the 7th seed for a reason. And if someone wants to be a smart ass and say the reason was because they were hurt, then guess what, they were still hurt during the post season. So...in other words they weren't much of a threat to most teams in the West. I mean if that was any other franchise with the same results no one would even harp on it, it wasn't very complicated what happened at all in that series. Lakers were about as good as the Grizzlies (underrated team that most people probably never saw play before the play-in) and Warriors.


You gotta love it though. Curry has been beating teams for years in series while sitting out on injury (100% win rate last I checked), and one time it happens with Paul it's proof that he's not the guy on his team.

[TheGOATRises007]

Yeah, MTV hates CP3.

He will never give him credit.

It's obvious that CP3's the engine of that team.

[Texas Chuck]

HBK spitting truth.

But even more importantly they play on the same team pulling towards the same goal. We don't have to pit Booker versus Kidd despite what narratives we would prefer to prevail.

[Dupp]

Cp3 winning a ring would be so great for his legacy and how he’s viewed. Very similar situation to when dirk won.



It’d highlight all the great he’s done in the post season and the need to have an actual championship level cast.

[HeartBreakKid]

HBK spitting truth.

But even more importantly they play on the same team pulling towards the same goal. We don't have to pit Booker versus Kidd despite what narratives we would prefer to prevail.

That's basically what it will come down to. Some people will try to use Booker as a weapon to degrade what CP3 did. Saw the same thing with Garnett and Pierce. Really makes no sense considering many MVPs have had teammates who were literally MVPs.

[PaulieWal]

Would you guys really take the Suns over the Jazz/Clippers? I see the Suns as underdogs against either opponent.

[Strepbacter]

Holy ****. I have to mentally prepare for the idea that Chris Paul might just win a title as the man with the Nets injured.

Paul ain't winning ****.

And even if he does this Suns team is a great ensemble

Mentally prepare baby boy.

It's just a game bruh. There's no need for insults.

"Mentally prepare"

Ok buddy.

[TheGOATRises007]

Would you guys really take the Suns over the Jazz/Clippers? I see the Suns as underdogs against either opponent.

I'd take them over the Jazz.

The Clippers - more of a toss-up.

[Texas Chuck]

Would you guys really take the Suns over the Jazz/Clippers? I see the Suns as underdogs against either opponent.

Is Conley at full strength? Without him I'm taking the Suns. And taking them over the Clippers regardless.

[Doctor MJ]

Would you guys really take the Suns over the Jazz/Clippers? I see the Suns as underdogs against either opponent.

I think given the level of the Suns during the regular season, I'd have seen the Clippers as clear cut favorites against them. I have to say that though that the Suns have been impressing me more these past few games. It's not just them winning by a certain margin, the team looks like they really know how to player together when locked in on a level above where they were in the regular season and the Clippers...well, they still seem like they're just talent-ing their way to victory.

Regarding the Jazz, I think they look great, but the Suns really had the match up edge in the regular season didn't they? I could see picking the Jazz in the series, but I don't think I can see the Suns as underdogs there.

For the record:

I still take a healthy Lakers team over these Suns, but as has been pointed out, those Lakers may never truly be healthy for the duration they need to be healthy ever again.

[Doctor MJ]

Nets won't win this series without Kyrie and Harden, do you think either of them will be able to come back?

I think the answer to that question is the same as the answer to the question:

Is Harden's injury really, really serious, or not?

It made sense to keep sitting Harden if rest could do him good given the way the Nets handled the Bucks in the first two games, but after Game 4, clearly the ship must be righted ASAP. If there was any possibility that Harden could come back at any time, now is that time.

[Zarozzor]

This is the most wide-open field I've ever seen in the NBA. Even if you remove the Hawks, you still have:

Suns
Jazz
Clippers
Nets
Bucks
76ers

You could make an argument for every single one of these teams to win the championship.

What a great time to be a basketball fan.

[Doctor MJ]

HBK spitting truth.

But even more importantly they play on the same team pulling towards the same goal. We don't have to pit Booker versus Kidd despite what narratives we would prefer to prevail.

That's basically what it will come down to. Some people will try to use Booker as a weapon to degrade what CP3 did. Saw the same thing with Garnett and Pierce. Really makes no sense considering many MVPs have had teammates who were literally MVPs.

So I want to be clear that this season is a BIG win for Paul's career in my book. This whole thing where he goes to a new place with young guys and helps them take a step forward - whether it's from raw to ready, or from ready to contention - is kinda unlike anything we've seen before in the NBA I think.

My polarized response on this topic comes out frustration for the way people act like this team wasn't awesome in the Bubble. While I certainly understand that not every Bubble success story led to comparable success the next season, the idea that it's effectively coincidence that Booker & Bridges looked amazing both in the Bubble and in '20-21. No, they figured it out back then under the guidance of a coach who seemed to work magic on to team that had been stuck in a shame spiral for a long time. And Chris Paul saw this when he decided to come join them.

I don't want to tear down Paul here, but I've been experiencing a good amount of pro-Paul-MVP-candidate folks who feel so quick to shove to the side the fact that the Suns right now have an incredibly scary young 3-man core and a bunch of other guys used to fitting in around them. To me, that's the story of the Suns this season, and to me it feels like people are ignoring it to champion a guy's MVP candidacy who to my knowledge has no statistical avenue that indicates he's been a player on that level this year.

It's like there's a narrative weight being placed on the scale, and makes me feel a need to try to push back to balance.

[bondom34]

Would you guys really take the Suns over the Jazz/Clippers? I see the Suns as underdogs against either opponent.

Actually think I'd lean Suns over either opponent at this point, but more LA. Think Utah's closer, but CP has traditionally done well vs Gobert. I'd debate them.

Think its just at the point now where the Suns are what they are, which is just really good.