Do you know when people of the analysis speak of “the execution of simulations” to project things?
When the Phoenix Suns play the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s like looking at a real version of these simulations and the computer continues to spit the same result. The Suns will especially play good basketball for at least half, maybe longer. Then, the Timberwolves will increase a combination of aggression, physics and emergency which makes Phoenix to fold impressively. It is so coherent, now in eight consecutive games after a defeat of 124-109 Suns on Friday, that he must involve a greater explanation.
It was one of those nights when Devin Booker looked like his third season, determining where the readings were with all the additional defensive pressure he saw. Its normally routine nature to create beautiful looks that was not there at all, which in turn limited its score opportunities even more. It was aimed in first half, only the second time in more than five years that has occurred, the other being earlier this season at Oklahoma City when similar problems arose.
Sometimes he has the impression that he is stuck in the “Just Make The Good Basketball” mode, with an instance in the first half when his defender made a mistake and left him open from 3. Booker instead was expecting that this error does not happen, so he made the pass to the supposed man open anyway.
This is a subjective answer on if you prefer that Booker The Force through double teams or goes to an open teammate, but when it is in the mentality to do it, as it is almost always, it must be the right basketball game every time, otherwise it simply kills possession. He realized a lot on Friday. Booker played his best basketball ball from the season from the main initiator in recent weeks, so it was not due to a lack of playing in the game.
The timing was terrible because Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards missed the second quarter due to a nasal bruise, a quarter of Phoenix played a fairly good defense. But he could not bring together a large offensive part to stay at a striking distance at halftime.
It was then that the game that we saw a handful of times during the last year has passed from there. A 12 -point Suns deficit quickly increased to 22 reversals and the observation of the balls. There was still a quarter and a half left, but that was not going to have any importance and that was not the case.
Collin Gillespie was the only bright point, marking a 22 -point career summit and adding 10 career assists. His two -way contract will surely be converted into a standard agreement on an extension by the end of the regular season. Booker finished 4 out of 14 for 10 points with six assists and four reversals. Kevin Durant collected a summit of 23 points (7 for 19) with six rebounds, two assists, two interceptions, two blocks and four reversals.
Timberwolves striker Julius Randle continued his solid game against Phoenix this year, displaying 25 points on 15 shots with six rebounds, eight assists and without turnover. Five other Minnesota players were two figures.
Bradley Beal (Left Intéchio-Jumbier strain) missed his sixth consecutive match. Although the balance between the two Phoenix stars looks better without Beal in the fold, the list of Suns has been specifically designed to not have many guys with a set of offensive skills due to the amount of trio that was going to provide. Phoenix (properly) doubled lately by playing the energy guys has almost exclusively made sure that the nights of shooting at 3 hot points to spend an effective overall night offensively. And when one of the stars has gone major as Friday, they are curtains.
Beal’s punch was missed, and during the discussion on the potential movement of alignment Suns, this off -season is something to consider with regard to in particular the set of skills. If during the next year and perhaps also Beal, Booker will need help in creating an offense.
With defeat, the Suns fell at 35-39, a full match behind the 36-38 Dallas Mavericks for the 10th seeded of the Western Conference. The Kings of Sacramento, like Dallas, won Thursday to go to 36-37 in ninth while the Portland Trail Blazers (32-42) and San Antonio Spurs (31-41) were both defeated.
The next nine days will brush a fairly reliable image of what the last week of the regular season will imply, whether it is a race for spots to the thread or something more dramatic requiring a late return. Here is the calendar of these five teams in the next nine days:
Sacramento: @ Orl, @ ind, @ was, @ cha, @ cle
Dallas: @ Chi, against BKN, against ATL, @ lake, @ lake
Phoenix: vs hou, @ mil, @ bos, @ nyk
Portland: @ Nyk, @ atl, @ tor, @ chi, vs sas
San Antonio: Vs
To start at the bottom and progress, the Spurs should mainly be withdrawn from the race with four out of five against the large teams. Portland must almost take care of business against the lower opponents after this New York match, otherwise it will also be brought back.
Suns must fly at least one of these teams against better teams, because Dallas and Sacramento are in a strong position to leave with at least two victories each and potentially more. For example, in a scenario where the Suns abandon the four games and Dallas won two, this would put the Mavericks 38-41 and the Suns 35-44 with three games to play for both. Phoenix might even need to go 2-2. It doesn’t look good for them!
