2021 Playoff and Offseason Speculation - the playoffs. PLAYOFFS????

[bwgood77]

Sometimes I think that is only for the laughs.

McGee is a legit anchor. If you have him as a bench enforcer, that's a premium.

12-14 minutes of a high motor McGee is a legit threat against most bench units, a plug and play sort of C....if you have 4 other shooters (which we do) and easy lobs for CP3 against bench defenses.

McGee is a fine minimum option. Nothing more than that. He's a solid contributor in limited minutes and has championship experience. But you want him as a luxury player, not someone you need to rely on for big minutes in crucial moments. I also like him as someone for Ayton to go against in practice. I think having someone for Ayton to bang with daily is really important to his development.

I think he's fine, but I think a lot of guys would be fine as backups. It also depends on whether you want a stretch 5 like Saric as a backup. We should have another banger especially in case of an Ayton injury. McGee has played on some good teams too like GS, LAL and DEN, and there is probably a chance we sign him if we can get him for the minimum, but a lot of guys could probably play that role.

[bwgood77]

WCF might be harder than the actual finals.

Rest up and film time the Clippers like crazy. They're peaking at the right time.

Ayton is averaging 15/10.5 rebounds a game. We'll need 22-24/12 from him to win against the Clips IMO. We could get by with 15/10 against the Jazz (with excellent defense) but not the Clippers.

I wonder if this will be the difference between a max contract and a slightly under the max, Clippers and Utah.

Several GMs think he will get the max regardless. I doubt one playoff series makes a huge difference. I think a matchup with Gobert might do more for him than the Clips, even if he scored less.

[Slim Charless]

No, Reggie Jackson starts. The last 3 games, Beverley has been the bench guy and Rondo with DNPs...but up until game 2 Beverley was getting DNPs and Rondo coming off the bench, sometimes playing more than Jackson.

Rondo plays a lot better in the playoffs than regular season too.

Now I don't know if Rondo got hurt or what. In some of the games earlier against Dallas, all 3 played. But since Utah has size at everywhere except PG, maybe that's why they only play one at a time right now.

Punish them with Ayton too. There's no size on that team. If it gets bad enough, they'll have to double him and open things up for 1 of our shooters.

His defense has helped get us here, but now it's time for Ayton to earn his self given nick-name on the other side of the ball.

They do have Zubac, but yes, we should go inside to Ayton as much as we can. They have Cousins too, but he doesn't usually play and I'm not worried about him anyway.

I don't think Zubac has the speed to cover DA. I hope they put him out there so we can run him off the floor and target him for PnRs. I just don't see a viable answer for him on that team-as long as he plays like he has been. Again his defense has gotten us here, if his offense goes like it should then we should get to the finals.

Clips have nothing for a 6'11 260+ guy who moves like a gazelle.

DMC would be a good answer, but I don't know if he has anything left. Those injuries robbed him of his ability.

[WeekapaugGroove]

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Really good article if you're into the technical aspect of what the suns are running on O.

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[spanishninja]

WCF might be harder than the actual finals.

Rest up and film time the Clippers like crazy. They're peaking at the right time.

Ayton is averaging 15/10.5 rebounds a game. We'll need 22-24/12 from him to win against the Clips IMO. We could get by with 15/10 against the Jazz (with excellent defense) but not the Clippers.

I wonder if this will be the difference between a max contract and a slightly under the max, Clippers and Utah.

Several GMs think he will get the max regardless. I doubt one playoff series makes a huge difference. I think a matchup with Gobert might do more for him than the Clips, even if he scored less.

He'll get the max, even if it's for no other reasons than to keep other teams from getting and further developing him.

[spanishninja]

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Really good article if you're into the technical aspect of what the suns are running on O.

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reading articles and watching videos on plays like this make it painfully obvious why so few nba prospects end up being great at the professional level. So much to learn and eventually master, even as a role player.

[bwgood77]

From ESPN

Real or not: Donovan Mitchell is the best guard in the conference semis

NOT REAL. We can stop the debate about whether Mitchell deserves to be considered a superstar. He has eliminated any doubt, proving again that he's capable of frequently taking over playoff games. Mitchell is averaging an efficient 32.9 PPG this postseason, causing the Clippers to scramble to find schematic solutions despite being stocked with guards and wings with reputations as defensive stoppers.

But the best guard still playing -- and available -- in these playoffs has already wrapped up his Western Conference semifinal series. He's resting his 36-year-old body, waiting on the Jazz-Clippers winner. And Chris Paul just reminded the world of how great he still is, conducting a point guard clinic in the Suns' sweep of the Nuggets.

Paul, whose arrival in Phoenix turned the Suns from a bubble success story with a promising young core to a real contender, controlled that series from start to finish. He averaged 25.5 points on shooting splits (.627/.750/1.000) that are absolutely ridiculous. He made 10.3 assists per game and committed a total of only five turnovers in the series.

That 8.2 assist-turnover ratio is the second best in a series since turnovers became an official stat, behind only Paul's 10.0 ratio from his first playoff series way back in 2008, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

And that isn't even the most impressive CP3 stat from the series. Take a gander at his numbers from the four fourth quarters: 43 points, 10 assists, zero turnovers on 84% shooting from the floor.

Devin Booker, Paul's 24-year-old co-star, also belongs in this conversation. He certainly has hushed any talk about his lack of playoff experience, scoring a total of 81 points in his first two closeout games -- pretty solid proof of killer instinct.

But Booker rode shotgun in this series, with Paul steering the Suns into the conference finals, a destination Mitchell and the Jazz are still trying to reach.

-- Tim MacMahon

[Mr Puddles]

Booker not making the all-nba team is like the all-star game all over again.

Last year "sure you've got the stats, but your team has to be winning in order for you to make the all-nba team"

This year "sure you're virtually tied for the best record in the league, but have you seen Bradley Beal's stats?"

[bwgood77]

Booker not making the all-nba team is like the all-star game all over again.

Last year "sure you've got the stats, but your team has to be winning in order for you to make the all-nba team"

This year "sure you're virtually tied for the best record in the league, but have you seen Bradley Beal's stats?"

He was also 4th in voting of guards that didn't make it, and 8th in votes of all other players who received votes who didn't make it.

[Mr Puddles]

Booker not making the all-nba team is like the all-star game all over again.

Last year "sure you've got the stats, but your team has to be winning in order for you to make the all-nba team"

This year "sure you're virtually tied for the best record in the league, but have you seen Bradley Beal's stats?"

He was also 4th in voting of guards that didn't make it, and 8th in votes of all other players who received votes who didn't make it.

Russell Westbrook getting more than twice the amount of votes of Booker is absolutely unjustifiable.

[Calvin Klein]

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Really good article if you're into the technical aspect of what the suns are running on O.

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Thanks. This is great.

[BobbieL]

McGee is a legit anchor. If you have him as a bench enforcer, that's a premium.

12-14 minutes of a high motor McGee is a legit threat against most bench units, a plug and play sort of C....if you have 4 other shooters (which we do) and easy lobs for CP3 against bench defenses.

Plus, we were fortunate that Ayton was healthy this season. If he missed a few weeks, without a backup big like McGee, we'd be in trouble. Next season is a great opportunity to fix that.
Unless we're adamant about having a big who can shoot.

Yup. These are the reason why we are "fascinated" with him... Nobody is saying he is a lot better than Frank, but he is a better fit. Thats about it. If it's not clear by now, it's not worth arguing about.

This! He is not worth more than the minimum to me. And if Frank were to come back.. fine. I just think McGee is better for the same 2.1m

[bwgood77]

Booker not making the all-nba team is like the all-star game all over again.

Last year "sure you've got the stats, but your team has to be winning in order for you to make the all-nba team"

This year "sure you're virtually tied for the best record in the league, but have you seen Bradley Beal's stats?"

He was also 4th in voting of guards that didn't make it, and 8th in votes of all other players who received votes who didn't make it.

Russell Westbrook getting more than twice the amount of votes of Booker is absolutely unjustifiable.

I would respond with "Well maybe voters were deciding which Sun and went CP3 instead" which is why Westbrook got so many. But then I realize Beal made it.

Westbrook's efficiency is awful. He turns it over a lot too but he gets a ton of assists. Westbrook is probably always going to appeal to voters because he leaves it all on the court..he won MVP and I don't think OKC was that high of a seed. Then he dragged the banged up Wizards squad to the playoffs. Of course he had Beal but Beal was missing quite a few games.

Doesn't mean I think he should have gotten more votes then Mitchell or Booker. Or Trae for that matter. It will always be hard to make it as a guard as long as Luka, Steph, Lillard, and Harden are there. CP3 I am not sure how much longer. Beal had incredible numbers on great efficiency (59.3% TS%), and Kyrie had incredible numbers on even better efficiency (61.4% TS%), but he would probably be my biggest gripe mainly because he missed 18 games. Though Kawhi missed 20.

Booker's numbers were not far off from Beal's...almost exact same assists and turnovers...slightly less efficient, but 6 fewer PPG. They are almost mirrors of each other...both were not great 3pt shooters but were great from 2 and the line.

Even though Beal and Kyrie had better #s, I would have put in Mitchell and Book on the 3rd team. Tatum has an argument too as a G...he should have made it as a guard over Kyrie if they would count the votes in a better way. I don't know if he was really deserving over Mitchell and Booker either though.

[King4Day]

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[sunskerr]

Lmao Book not making all NBA is hilarious. Keep feeding young gun the fire and he might just drop 70 in the playoffs. Idiots have no idea how this sort of stuff fuels athletes to their absolute bone. Go ahead, please, keep doubting these guys.

[Kyler Murray]

Media awards are worthless, coathletes and coaches should be the voters.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Even less defensible than Booker not making the cut is the omission of Donovan Mitchell. The best player on the best team. I swear, some of these guys just check the stats at the end of the year and go no further when making their selections.

[Ghost of Kleine]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2021/6/15/22535894/phoenix-suns-podcast-free-agency-look-ahead-mailbag-dispatch-airport-party

Locked On Suns Tuesday: A Suns free agency look-ahead mailbag plus a dispatch from the Suns’ airport party with Katherine Fitzgerald

Early thoughts on the Phoenix Suns offseason and a dispatch from the big airport celebration.

By Brendon Kleen@BrendonKleen14  Jun 15, 2021, 4:12pm MST

The Bright Side (@BrightSideSun) Tweeted:
.@LockedOnPHXSuns Tuesday: A Suns free agency look-ahead mailbag plus a dispatch from the Suns’ airport party with @kfitz134 https://t.co/nHrQ1I04Vo

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[DRK]

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Great video with CP3 from last year. Can see how much influence CP has on our offence, especially his comment about how much shooters get open by having the big man roll hard to the rim.

[King4Day]

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Great video with CP3 from last year. Can see how much influence CP has on our offence, especially his comment about how much shooters get open by having the big man roll hard to the rim.

I'd love to see something like this with Paul on the Suns after the season is over.