Game 24: Phoenix Suns (16-7) @ Dallas Mavericks (11-11) l Monday l 6:30pm l NBATV l BSAZ

[bwgood77]

Lot of excuses in here for this performance. The game against Orlando was a just-one-of-those-nights games but not this one. I want to believe as much as you do but I really just can't understand how anyone who watched this doesn't see it as a major problem

Do you think that will be a normal Booker game against Dallas going forward? And that Cam and Craig will add nothing? We will see about Paul and what we do with Crowder.

Dallas is a very good team though. Best record in 22 last year other than us.

They typically struggle on the road though. We won't win many games though starting Ish and having on bench at all outside of a hot 4th qtr 3 pt shooter in Lee. We are playing like Shamet, Okogie, Saric major minutes. Those guys won't play when we are healthy, outside of Shamet some.

I don’t know man…what reason has Book given us to think this won’t be? How many more of these types of performances against Dallas would it take to be considered the norm? Craig’s offensive rebounding might have provided some kind of spark but hard to see it mattering on its own. Maybe Cam hits some 3s but what else would he change? The problem is in their minds. We have no enforcer. No true bad ass on this team.

I will agree that Shamet sucks though I think that’s probably our biggest area for improvement on the roster considering the production Craig is giving us and that Ish can bomb 3s now. Though if we could teleport Bobby Portis onto this team that would be exactly what we need in every way.

Anyways, thanks for the optimism. I’m not as miserable of an SOB in real life as I sound like on here believe it or not

Booker played well in our first game against them and a number of games in the series against them. Scored 30 or more twice, 28 once, shot over 45% 4 times, 55% or higher twice....we just can't stop Luka and their shooters often enough. I wouldn't expect to stop Luka but stay on shooters as much as possible. We have only lost a few games this year by more than 2 with a very limited roster so I wouldn't freak out too much about every loss. You have bad losses sometimes. Dallas has had a bunch of bad losses and has been bad on the road. They right now overall have been a fringe playoff team. I don't think Luka will let them miss the playoffs, but there are plenty of teams I fear more.

[lilfishi22]

Throwing all resources into stopping Luka is a bit of a lost cause. Despite all the ballhoggery comments Luka gets, he's a guy who if he can find the open man, won't hog the ball more than he needs to. If we continue to try and get the ball out of his hands and he knows that we're going to throw the trap at him, he's going to use that against us. We should play him conventionally and if he puts up 45/12/8 then so be it. If Luka gets the switch, play him straight up and try your best not to foul him. If he scores a 2, give it to him. What we can't do is allow his shooters to get open because once they are in a rhythm, it would be like trying to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Keep the lip shut on them and we have a chance.

Although not an exact comparison, the way we played the Nuggets in the 2nd round is the approach we should take. We put DA on Jokic who played him straight up without doubles or traps. We stayed home on shooters and didn't let them get hot. Jokic being the MVP level guy he is still got his, albeit at below his normal efficiency, but no one else really got hot. There should be no reason Dinwiddie is shooting 52% from 3 over 7 games. There should be no reason Kleber is shooting 46% for the series. There should be no reason DFS is shooting 45% from the 3. These guys are solid shooters but all 3 guys raising their 3PT% by that much in a playoff setting just tells me there's a breakdown somewhere defensively.

[sunskerr]

Ballhogging accusations are just hilarious cope

[garrick]

Throwing all resources into stopping Luka is a bit of a lost cause. Despite all the ballhoggery comments Luka gets, he's a guy who if he can find the open man, won't hog the ball more than he needs to. If we continue to try and get the ball out of his hands and he knows that we're going to throw the trap at him, he's going to use that against us. We should play him conventionally and if he puts up 45/12/8 then so be it. If Luka gets the switch, play him straight up and try your best not to foul him. If he scores a 2, give it to him. What we can't do is allow his shooters to get open because once they are in a rhythm, it would be like trying to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Keep the lip shut on them and we have a chance.

Although not an exact comparison, the way we played the Nuggets in the 2nd round is the approach we should take. We put DA on Jokic who played him straight up without doubles or traps. We stayed home on shooters and didn't let them get hot. Jokic being the MVP level guy he is still got his, albeit at below his normal efficiency, but no one else really got hot. There should be no reason Dinwiddie is shooting 52% from 3 over 7 games. There should be no reason Kleber is shooting 46% for the series. There should be no reason DFS is shooting 45% from the 3. These guys are solid shooters but all 3 guys raising their 3PT% by that much in a playoff setting just tells me there's a breakdown somewhere defensively.

I'd like Monty to try a bigger lineup and possibly cut out Payne from the rotation or make him play off the bench so that Luka can't exploit a tiny player to try to force the double.

Definitely agreed we should just let Luka should most of the scoring load or if we're going to trap do it early in the shot clock or just not play stupid and cheat off the open shooter like Devin often does.

[SlovenianDragon]

\wrong thread

[sunsbg]

Gordon had a field day scoring inside vs Mavs. It's a crime not taking advantage in the paint vs Mavs. Worst team in rim protection.

Also Luka's defense was comical on a few plays. The guy barely got back on D and on one occasion moved a step so that he's not in offside (soccer term).

This in relation to targeting him on offense. Yes, sometimes he does well boding Mikal, Shamet, etc., but someone like Booker should be able to get by him or draw a foul like in one of first plays of the game. Exposing Doncic's D should be good for Booker's confidence and overall chances of winning the game.

[suns12345]

Any chance Booker will EVER show up against Luka?

Maybe he enjoys getting his ass handed to him.

Booker should have had this game circled if he wants to be an all time great. Right now he's still a wannabe.

Watch on YouTube

I thought after this we were gonna see Book go for like another 40 pt night. Instead he let Luka be in his head and got abused on both ends. Booker poked the bear with his stupid ass “Luka special” comment and then CP3 being asked in an interview to give his opinion on Luka being a up and coming star player only to decline comment and talk about some scrub Theo Pinson instead.

https://hoopshabit.com/2022/05/17/luka-doncic-phoenix-suns-bear/amp/

Booker has to know Luka’s gonna come after his ass ever since that, he can either rise to the occasion or get humiliated like this.

This whole Book vs Luka thing is so overblown. The two guys rarely guard each other.

The whole narrative of Booker owning Luka is misplaced. Booker scored 11 points against a double team comprising of finney smith and whoever else. Luke scored 33 against Mikal 1v1 and a switching defense.

Yes Luka played the far better games but its wasn't 1v1 Booker v Luka

[Ghost of Kleine]

Gordon had a field day scoring inside vs Mavs. It's a crime not taking advantage in the paint vs Mavs. Worst team in rim protection.

Also Luka's defense was comical on a few plays. The guy barely got back on D and on one occasion moved a step so that he's not in offside (soccer term).

This in relation to targeting him on offense. Yes, sometimes he does well boding Mikal, Shamet, etc., but someone like Booker should be able to get by him or draw a foul like in one of the first plays of the game. Exposing Doncic's D should be good for Booker's confidence and overall chances of winning the game.

It's amazing what a little size, speed, and athleticism can do when your team's efficiency struggles. Again, for Doncic we need to add bigger, stronger, longer ATHLETIC players that can punish him accordingly in the paint and wear him out. There's nothing wrong with strategizing roster construction to accommodate/ hold an advantage over opposing players in specific matchups. Size does still matter. And athleticism can counter skill equitably too.