2021-22 NBA Basketball Season Thread

[dbackjon]

And Booker and Paul - you know, from the team with far and away the best record in the NBA

But a few posts ago AZ was saying how well the Suns are doing even without Booker and Paul in the lineup. So what is it, are Booker and Paul really great players their team can't live without and therefore MVP's or are the Suns as a team a really great team, even without them?

The Suns are a deep team that can win some games without the stars (just like other good teams) but they wouldn't be in this position without the MVP level play of both.

[Gil Dobie]

Towns drops 60 against the Spurs.

[Gil Dobie]

Wolves win 41st game against the Lakers and can't move out of 7th place in the West.

[Gil Dobie]

Timberwolves blowout Bucks without Giants, getting their 42nd win, still in the 7 spot.

[dbackjon]

Devin Booker showing he should be the MVP

[GannonFan]

Devin Booker showing he should be the MVP

He's not even top 5 on the MVP tracker - it's either Embiid, Jokic, or Giannis with an outside chance for Tatum. A lot of great players, but the MVP is coming from one of those guys this year.

[dbackjon]

Devin Booker showing he should be the MVP

He's not even top 5 on the MVP tracker - it's either Embiid, Jokic, or Giannis with an outside chance for Tatum. A lot of great players, but the MVP is coming from one of those guys this year.

The MVP tracker is a joke. Booker probably won't win, but he should. Go watch the Suns/Nuggets game from last night. Booker was 10x better than Jokic.

If Booker was doing the same thing on the Lakers/Celtics/Knicks, he'd be a runaway choice

[Gil Dobie]

Suns are the best team the Wolves have played this year. Phoenix bench was even out scored by Minnesota going into the 4th quarter.

[dbackjon]

Booker once again outplays an MVP candidate in Embiid and more importantly actually wins games.

[GannonFan]

Booker once again outplays an MVP candidate in Embiid and more importantly actually wins games.

Huh? Embiid went for 37 points (more than Booker) and 15 boards in the loss. The Suns are better than the Sixers, no argument there. But hard to watch that game last night and say that Booker outplayed Embiid. Kind of ignores all the other stuff that happened in the game.

[AZGrizFan]

He's not even top 5 on the MVP tracker - it's either Embiid, Jokic, or Giannis with an outside chance for Tatum. A lot of great players, but the MVP is coming from one of those guys this year.

The MVP tracker is a joke. Booker probably won't win, but he should. Go watch the Suns/Nuggets game from last night. Booker was 10x better than Jokic.

If Booker was doing the same thing on the Lakers/Celtics/Knicks, he'd be a runaway choice

If Booker doesn't win he'll be the first NBA player EVER to average 25/5/5 and NOT win the MVP. And he does it on a team full of no names except for Chris Paul. Oh, and the Suns are 119-35 since the "bubble". This MVP award shouldn't even be close.

I mean, the man is sleeping with Kendall Jenner, for God's sake!!!

[AZGrizFan]

But a few posts ago AZ was saying how well the Suns are doing even without Booker and Paul in the lineup. So what is it, are Booker and Paul really great players their team can't live without and therefore MVP's or are the Suns as a team a really great team, even without them?

Holy misinterpretation, Batman. Saying they're being successful without their two stars for a couple games <> they are going to be a really great team in the long run without them.

Very unlike you, GF.

[dbackjon]

Booker once again outplays an MVP candidate in Embiid and more importantly actually wins games.

Huh? Embiid went for 37 points (more than Booker) and 15 boards in the loss. The Suns are better than the Sixers, no argument there. But hard to watch that game last night and say that Booker outplayed Embiid. Kind of ignores all the other stuff that happened in the game.

Embiid got half his points from Scott Foster, who kept giving him foul bailouts. But the biggest reason Booker outplayed him - the 4th quarter. Embiid disappeared, stopped being aggressive because he was too tired, and was a non-factor. Meanwhile, Booker excelled at the end, hitting shots, playing aggressive D, forcing turnovers, etc.

When the game was on the line, Embiid wilted, Booker shined. That is what makes Booker the MVP.

[GannonFan]

The MVP tracker is a joke. Booker probably won't win, but he should. Go watch the Suns/Nuggets game from last night. Booker was 10x better than Jokic.

If Booker was doing the same thing on the Lakers/Celtics/Knicks, he'd be a runaway choice

If Booker doesn't win he'll be the first NBA player EVER to average 25/5/5 and NOT win the MVP. And he does it on a team full of no names except for Chris Paul. Oh, and the Suns are 119-35 since the "bubble". This MVP award shouldn't even be close.

I mean, the man is sleeping with Kendall Jenner, for God's sake!!!

All the 25/5/5 stat means (and the stat is that he's also on the team with the league's best record) is that he's unlucky to have such good competition for the award. Embiid's averaging almost 30 points per game, more than 11 rebounds per game, and is just .8 assists less per game than also getting to the 25/5/5 stat line. Giannis is at the 25/5/5 stat line, just not as many points or rebounds as Embiid. Actually, Jokic and Luka also surpass the 25/5/5 stat line. Oh, and "no names"? Chris Paul is a first ballot HOF'er and Ayton was the top overall pick in the draft just 4 years ago. This is the NBA, you get two stars on a team and you're a playoff team, you get 3 stars on a team and you can win it all. He's got a pretty decent supporting cast.

[dbackjon]

If Booker doesn't win he'll be the first NBA player EVER to average 25/5/5 and NOT win the MVP. And he does it on a team full of no names except for Chris Paul. Oh, and the Suns are 119-35 since the "bubble". This MVP award shouldn't even be close.

I mean, the man is sleeping with Kendall Jenner, for God's sake!!!

All the 25/5/5 stat means (and the stat is that he's also on the team with the league's best record) is that he's unlucky to have such good competition for the award. Embiid's averaging almost 30 points per game, more than 11 rebounds per game, and is just .8 assists less per game than also getting to the 25/5/5 stat line. Giannis is at the 25/5/5 stat line, just not as many points or rebounds as Embiid. Actually, Jokic and Luka also surpass the 25/5/5 stat line. Oh, and "no names"? Chris Paul is a first ballot HOF'er and Ayton was the top overall pick in the draft just 4 years ago. This is the NBA, you get two stars on a team and you're a playoff team, you get 3 stars on a team and you can win it all. He's got a pretty decent supporting cast.

And Phoenix is 14 games ahead of Embiid and Giannis, 17 games ahead of Jokic.

Booker was dismissed as an MVP contender when he put up huge numbers because the Suns sucked. He''s elevated his game, makes his teammates better, is playing 1st team all Defense level, and still gets little respect from the NBA and the refs and the fans.

[AZGrizFan]

If Booker doesn't win he'll be the first NBA player EVER to average 25/5/5 and NOT win the MVP. And he does it on a team full of no names except for Chris Paul. Oh, and the Suns are 119-35 since the "bubble". This MVP award shouldn't even be close.

I mean, the man is sleeping with Kendall Jenner, for God's sake!!!

All the 25/5/5 stat means (and the stat is that he's also on the team with the league's best record) is that he's unlucky to have such good competition for the award. Embiid's averaging almost 30 points per game, more than 11 rebounds per game, and is just .8 assists less per game than also getting to the 25/5/5 stat line. Giannis is at the 25/5/5 stat line, just not as many points or rebounds as Embiid. Actually, Jokic and Luka also surpass the 25/5/5 stat line. Oh, and "no names"? Chris Paul is a first ballot HOF'er and Ayton was the top overall pick in the draft just 4 years ago. This is the NBA, you get two stars on a team and you're a playoff team, you get 3 stars on a team and you can win it all. He's got a pretty decent supporting cast.

Really, wonder why Lebron, Russell, Carmelo, AD, Dwight, et.al, are floundering….if it were only as easy as handpicking your teammates….

Booker - drafted
Aston - drafted
Johnson - draft day trade
Bridges - draft day trade
Payne - G league castoff
Craig - Bucks castoff
Paul - Free Agent
Crowder - Free Agent

Sure, you get 3 stars and you can win it all, but when you can identify stars out of college, it’s a whole different ballgame.

[GannonFan]

Huh? Embiid went for 37 points (more than Booker) and 15 boards in the loss. The Suns are better than the Sixers, no argument there. But hard to watch that game last night and say that Booker outplayed Embiid. Kind of ignores all the other stuff that happened in the game.

Embiid got half his points from Scott Foster, who kept giving him foul bailouts. But the biggest reason Booker outplayed him - the 4th quarter. Embiid disappeared, stopped being aggressive because he was too tired, and was a non-factor. Meanwhile, Booker excelled at the end, hitting shots, playing aggressive D, forcing turnovers, etc.

When the game was on the line, Embiid wilted, Booker shined. That is what makes Booker the MVP.

Huh? Now I wonder if you actually watched the game or decided to post without watching. 4th quarter stats:

Booker - 1-2 FG, 1-1 from the line, 1 turnover. That's it. That's his stat line contribution for the 4th quarter.

Embiid - 3-7 FG, 2-2 from the line, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 assist. Without checking, I think Embiid was the high scorer for either team in the quarter.

How you can possibly say Booker was a force in the 4th quarter is beyond me. Heck, Booker didn't even play half the 4th, he didn't sub back in until halfway through the quarter, and immediately after he did is when the Sixers turned an 11 point deficit into a 3 point deficit. The guy who dominated the 4th was Chris Paul (who coincidentally left the court the same time Booker came on and then had to sub back in after the timeout after the Sixers got it down to 3). Paul had 6 points in the quarter and when he didn't score he assisted on all but two of Phoenix's baskets in the quarter (he had 4 assists in the quarter). You do know the difference between Booker and Paul, correct?

[GannonFan]

All the 25/5/5 stat means (and the stat is that he's also on the team with the league's best record) is that he's unlucky to have such good competition for the award. Embiid's averaging almost 30 points per game, more than 11 rebounds per game, and is just .8 assists less per game than also getting to the 25/5/5 stat line. Giannis is at the 25/5/5 stat line, just not as many points or rebounds as Embiid. Actually, Jokic and Luka also surpass the 25/5/5 stat line. Oh, and "no names"? Chris Paul is a first ballot HOF'er and Ayton was the top overall pick in the draft just 4 years ago. This is the NBA, you get two stars on a team and you're a playoff team, you get 3 stars on a team and you can win it all. He's got a pretty decent supporting cast.

And Phoenix is 14 games ahead of Embiid and Giannis, 17 games ahead of Jokic.

Booker was dismissed as an MVP contender when he put up huge numbers because the Suns sucked. He''s elevated his game, makes his teammates better, is playing 1st team all Defense level, and still gets little respect from the NBA and the refs and the fans.

"Little respect"? He's like somewhere between 4th and 6th on most everyone's MVP list this year. Last night he shot 8 free throws, second only to Embiid's 12 free throws and one guy's an outside shooter versus a big man who's grinding underneath most of the time. You make it seem like no one knows who Booker is.

[dbackjon]

Embiid got half his points from Scott Foster, who kept giving him foul bailouts. But the biggest reason Booker outplayed him - the 4th quarter. Embiid disappeared, stopped being aggressive because he was too tired, and was a non-factor. Meanwhile, Booker excelled at the end, hitting shots, playing aggressive D, forcing turnovers, etc.

When the game was on the line, Embiid wilted, Booker shined. That is what makes Booker the MVP.

Huh? Now I wonder if you actually watched the game or decided to post without watching. 4th quarter stats:

Booker - 1-2 FG, 1-1 from the line, 1 turnover. That's it. That's his stat line contribution for the 4th quarter.

Embiid - 3-7 FG, 2-2 from the line, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 assist. Without checking, I think Embiid was the high scorer for either team in the quarter.

How you can possibly say Booker was a force in the 4th quarter is beyond me. Heck, Booker didn't even play half the 4th, he didn't sub back in until halfway through the quarter, and immediately after he did is when the Sixers turned an 11 point deficit into a 3 point deficit. The guy who dominated the 4th was Chris Paul (who coincidentally left the court the same time Booker came on and then had to sub back in after the timeout after the Sixers got it down to 3). Paul had 6 points in the quarter and when he didn't score he assisted on all but two of Phoenix's baskets in the quarter (he had 4 assists in the quarter). You do know the difference between Booker and Paul, correct?

Of course I know the difference - I also know that seeing body language, actual play, etc will tell a different story that mere stats.

[dbackjon]

And Phoenix is 14 games ahead of Embiid and Giannis, 17 games ahead of Jokic.

Booker was dismissed as an MVP contender when he put up huge numbers because the Suns sucked. He''s elevated his game, makes his teammates better, is playing 1st team all Defense level, and still gets little respect from the NBA and the refs and the fans.

"Little respect"? He's like somewhere between 4th and 6th on most everyone's MVP list this year. Last night he shot 8 free throws, second only to Embiid's 12 free throws and one guy's an outside shooter versus a big man who's grinding underneath most of the time. You make it seem like no one knows who Booker is.

He wasn't on the top 10 list most of the season. Hasn't been in the top 5-6 until recently.

If Booker got foul calls like LeBron, Giannis, etc - he'd be at the line 20 times a game. And the other part - LeBron, Giannis, Embiid can mug players with no fouls, Booker gets hammered on one end, plays good D on the other end, but the only foul called is on Booker.

[GannonFan]

Huh? Now I wonder if you actually watched the game or decided to post without watching. 4th quarter stats:

Booker - 1-2 FG, 1-1 from the line, 1 turnover. That's it. That's his stat line contribution for the 4th quarter.

Embiid - 3-7 FG, 2-2 from the line, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 assist. Without checking, I think Embiid was the high scorer for either team in the quarter.

How you can possibly say Booker was a force in the 4th quarter is beyond me. Heck, Booker didn't even play half the 4th, he didn't sub back in until halfway through the quarter, and immediately after he did is when the Sixers turned an 11 point deficit into a 3 point deficit. The guy who dominated the 4th was Chris Paul (who coincidentally left the court the same time Booker came on and then had to sub back in after the timeout after the Sixers got it down to 3). Paul had 6 points in the quarter and when he didn't score he assisted on all but two of Phoenix's baskets in the quarter (he had 4 assists in the quarter). You do know the difference between Booker and Paul, correct?

Of course I know the difference - I also know that seeing body language, actual play, etc will tell a different story that mere stats.

You literally said, "... hitting shots, ..., forcing turnovers..." and in his 6 minutes of play in the 4th quarter he hit one shot from the field and had zero steals. How does his "body language" translate into hitting shots and forcing turnovers that don't then also appear in the stat line? And again, Booker came on, Paul came off, and the Sixers immediately turned an 11 point deficit into a 3 point deficit, in about a minute, only reversed by a timeout and reinserting Paul into the lineup. Again, Booker's a great player, but your analysis of the 4th quarter play of Embiid versus Booker, and the seemingly inability to notice Paul's contributions (both on the floor and in the "body language") appears to be untethered to what actually happened in the game.

[UNI88]

Of course I know the difference - I also know that seeing body language, actual play, etc will tell a different story that mere stats.

You literally said, "... hitting shots, ..., forcing turnovers..." and in his 6 minutes of play in the 4th quarter he hit one shot from the field and had zero steals. How does his "body language" translate into hitting shots and forcing turnovers that don't then also appear in the stat line? And again, Booker came on, Paul came off, and the Sixers immediately turned an 11 point deficit into a 3 point deficit, in about a minute, only reversed by a timeout and reinserting Paul into the lineup. Again, Booker's a great player, but your analysis of the 4th quarter play of Embiid versus Booker, and the seemingly inability to notice Paul's contributions (both on the floor and in the "body language") appears to be untethered to what actually happened in the game.

So Paul should be the MVP and Booker and Embid are pretenders?

[GannonFan]

You literally said, "... hitting shots, ..., forcing turnovers..." and in his 6 minutes of play in the 4th quarter he hit one shot from the field and had zero steals. How does his "body language" translate into hitting shots and forcing turnovers that don't then also appear in the stat line? And again, Booker came on, Paul came off, and the Sixers immediately turned an 11 point deficit into a 3 point deficit, in about a minute, only reversed by a timeout and reinserting Paul into the lineup. Again, Booker's a great player, but your analysis of the 4th quarter play of Embiid versus Booker, and the seemingly inability to notice Paul's contributions (both on the floor and in the "body language") appears to be untethered to what actually happened in the game.

So Paul should be the MVP and Booker and Embid are pretenders?

Nah, just Paul being Paul. There's a reason why you could induct him in the HOF right now. Picking him up in that trade is by far the best move the Suns have made in the past few years.

[UNI88]

So Paul should be the MVP and Booker and Embid are pretenders?

Nah, just Paul being Paul. There's a reason why you could induct him in the HOF right now. Picking him up in that trade is by far the best move the Suns have made in the past few years.

Has any NBA team made a better move?

Kind of sounds like the real MVP.

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[AZGrizFan]

Nah, just Paul being Paul. There's a reason why you could induct him in the HOF right now. Picking him up in that trade is by far the best move the Suns have made in the past few years.

Has any NBA team made a better move?

Kind of sounds like the real MVP.

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