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Suns Notes: Paul, NBA Finals, Booker, Williams

July 1st, 2021 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

By leading the Suns to a berth in the NBA Finals Wednesday night, Chris Paul got rid of a lot of distinctions that he didn’t want, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Among players who had never reached the Finals, Paul had the most All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections, along with the most playoff starts and the most career points.

Those marks all belong to someone else now, as Paul scored 41 points and turned away the Clippers’ best comeback effort with a personal 8-0 run in the fourth quarter. The performance provided some vindication for the veteran guard, whose playoff history has been filled with untimely injuries and blown leads.

“There were questions about his production before tonight, and in my heart I felt like it was a matter of time,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I didn’t know it was going to be like that, but that’s who Chris is. He was tired and he was still making those kinds of plays — getting to the basket, the 3s, orchestrating everything.”

There’s more on the Suns, who will be playing for a title for the first time since 1993:

Paul revealed that he had an MRI before the game that showed torn ligaments in his right hand. He also had to deal with a first-round shoulder injury and a bout with COVID-19 after the second round. “Just a week ago, I was here at home (under quarantine in Los Angeles). Couldn’t be there with my teammates,” he said. “It’s been a lot, and I want it not just for myself but for everybody in that locker room.”
Paul will have a contract decision to make after the Finals, and sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN that he’s leaning toward opting out of his $44MM salary for next season to seek a longer-term deal.
Devin Booker is among the many Suns players who have turned around their reputations with this playoff run, Windhorst adds. It took Booker six seasons to reach the postseason, but he has averaged 27.0 PPG and has earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, which he will join as soon as the Finals are over.
Suns players gave plenty of credit to Williams, who turned around a losing situation when he came to Phoenix two years ago, writes Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Williams was passed over for Coach of the Year honors, but now he has something even better. “Monty coming in, building the culture, him leading us with the preparation meets opportunity. That was these moments right here, and we took it and we ran with it,” Booker said.

Suns Notes: Paul, Ayton, Booker, Nader

June 27th, 2021 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Although Chris Paul has put together a Hall of Fame career, there’s one significant thing missing — he’s never been to the NBA Finals. The Suns are one victory away after defeating the Clippers Saturday night, and Paul’s teammates are determined to get him there, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I’ve been a fan of his for a long time, and I’ve learned so much from him this year, and I always talk about off the court how he carries himself, and he’s just a true professional at every level at all times,” Devin Booker said. “I have a lot of respect for him as a man, not even as a basketball player, just understanding how bad he wants this and how much time he’s put into it … 16 years, that’s a long time.”

Paul has experienced a lot of playoff misfortune during his career, from numerous injuries to blown leads. The closest he came to playing for a title was in 2018 when the Rockets took a 3-2 advantage over the Warriors in the conference finals. Paul hurt his hamstring late in Game 5 and missed the rest of the series as Golden State rallied to win.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “Don’t dwell on things, you always remember, but I’m here now, excited about this opportunity, and all I can worry about right now is Game 5.”

There’s more on the Suns:

Center Deandre Ayton has been outstanding throughout the playoffs and seems well positioned to get a max extension this offseason, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Ayton is averaging 20.3 points and 13.5 rebounds in the four games against the Clippers and contributed 19 points, 22 rebounds, four blocks and three assists Saturday night. He credits the addition of Paul with unlocking his full potential, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “He was the best thing that happened to my career,” Ayton said.
Booker started wearing a mask after breaking his nose in Game 2, but he got rid of it in the third quarter Saturday night. He had a sub-par shooting game on Thursday, but told sportswriter Gina Mizell that the mask wasn’t the only reason (Twitter link). “I’m not blaming anything on the mask, but I haven’t played basketball with the mask ever in my life,” Booker said. “It takes some getting used to and, at that point in that time, I didn’t want it.”
Abdel Nader saw his first game action since March 21, playing 5:22 in Game 4. Nader, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in April and just received clearance to play, tweeted afterward about how good it felt to be back.

Suns Notes: Payne, Paul, Booker, Ayton

June 25th, 2021 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

After turning in a couple big performances in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals – both Suns wins – Cameron Payne was forced to leave Game 3 on Thursday after playing just four minutes. The veteran point guard suffered a sprained left ankle, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

With Payne unavailable, the Suns leaned heavily on Chris Paul, who logged 39 minutes in his first game back after clearing the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Head coach Monty Williams admitted after the game that he didn’t plan to play Paul so much and that he’s hopeful Payne will be available for Game 4 on Saturday to back up the team’s All-NBA point guard.

“Not having Cam to spell Chris put us in a bit of a bind,” Williams said, per McMenamin. “So hopefully (Payne) can come back and play in the next game.”

Here’s more on the Suns:

Paul, who spent eight days in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, said he got the bad news last week from Suns senior director of health and performance Brady Howe, according to McMenamin. “I was laying in bed with my kids and got a text from Brady,” Paul said. “It is what it is. I dealt with it. Anybody with kids, anytime you’re going through something, the hardest part is being away from your kids and your family. Once you get over the shock of what’s happening, to hell with how and why. You just start figuring out how you can get better.”
After breaking his nose in Game 2 of the Western Finals, Devin Booker received eight shots of a numbing agent and had his nose reset back into place prior to Game 3, says McMenamin. Booker had to wear a face mask in Game 3 and struggled mightily, making just 5-of-21 shots from the floor, but he said he wasn’t affected by the injury or the mask. “The nose feels fine,” Booker said. “We just lost the game.”
The Suns faced some criticism over the years for passing on Luka Doncic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but Deandre Ayton has developed into exactly what the team needed, according to Royce Young of ESPN. “He’s just turning into a really dominant player, on both ends of the floor,” Williams said of his center.

Olympic Notes: Beal, Booker, Brissett, Doncic

June 18th, 2021 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Team USA’s backcourt has been fortified by two All-Stars who pledged on Friday to play in the Tokyo Olympics.

Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal, the league’s second-leading scorer this season, has made a commitment, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Suns shooting guard Devin Booker, who finished 14th in scoring and will be playing in the upcoming Western Conference Finals, has also decided to participate, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Warriors big man Draymond Green are among the other prominent players who have already chosen to play for Team USA.

We have more news regarding the Olympics:

Oshae Brissett will not play for Team Canada at the Olympics, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. The 22-year-old Brissett averaged 10.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG for the Pacers this season.
Luka Doncic had 10 points and 17 assists for Slovenia in a friendly game against Croatia on Friday, according to Sportando. Mario Hezonja scored 37 points for Croatia. The game was a tuneup for the FIBA Qualifying Tournament later this month.
In case you missed it, Jimmy Butler will not play for Team USA. Get the details here.

NBA Announces 2020/2021 All-NBA Teams

June 15th, 2021 at 8:07pm CST by Eli Cohen

The NBA has officially announced the All-NBA First, Second, and Third Teams for the 2020/21 season, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way as the lone unanimous selection for the First Team.

Antetokounmpo and Nuggets‘ MVP Nikola Jokic were the two top vote-getters, combining for 998 out of a possible 1,000 points, with Warriors guard Stephen Curry following shortly behind. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic rounding out the top five.

The full All-NBA teams are listed below, with their vote totals in parentheses. Players received five points for a First Team vote, three points for a Second Team vote, and one point for a Third Team vote, so Giannis scored a perfect 500 — First Team nods from all 100 voters.

All-NBA First Team

Guard: Stephen Curry, Warriors (496)
Guard: Luka Doncic, Mavericks (402)
Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (500)
Forward: Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (323)
Center: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (498)

All-NBA Second Team

Guard: Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers (372)
Guard: Chris Paul, Suns (311)
Forward: LeBron James, Lakers (174)
Forward: Julius Randle, Knicks (253)
Center: Joel Embiid, Sixers (352)

All-NBA Third Team

Guard: Kyrie Irving, Nets (61)
Guard: Bradley Beal, Wizards (71)
Forward: Paul George, Clippers (89)
Forward: Jimmy Butler, Heat (131)
Center: Rudy Gobert, Jazz (148)

Among the players who just missed the cut were Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (69), Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (44), Nets guard James Harden (41), Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (37) and Heat center Bam Adebayo (32). A total of 12 other players received votes. The full results can be found here.

Today’s announcement has major financial implications across the league. Tatum, who received more votes than Kyrie Irving but still fell 20 votes short of a final forward spot, will lose out on a projected $32.6MM on his rookie scale extension, as his next deal will start at 25% of the cap instead of the 30% he would have received if he’d been named to an All-NBA team. Likewise, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and Adebayo will all receive starting salaries worth 25% of the cap on their respective extensions as a result of missing out on All-NBA honors.

Doncic, having been named to his second consecutive All-NBA First Team, will be eligible for a 30% extension that would be worth a projected $201MM+ and is almost certain to be offered this summer. Doncic has previously made clear his intentions to sign the extension when offered. It will go into effect for the 2022/23 season.

Embiid is now eligible for a super-max contract extension, which would run for four years, starting in 2023/24, and would be worth a projected $191MM, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. It’s unclear whether the Sixers will immediately put this extension on the table this offseason.

Bradley Beal‘s deal will not change with his first career All-NBA selection, as he is already eligible for a 35% contract extension on his next deal. Jokic, having been named MVP previously this week, also sees no change in his possible future super-max extension, which will be worth approximately $241MM.

Hoops Rumors readers accurately picked 12 of this season’s 15 All-NBA players in our poll. Devin Booker, Adebayo, and Tatum were your picks who didn’t make the official list.

Suns Notes: Ayton, Payne, Booker, Paul

May 29th, 2021 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns center Deandre Ayton is enjoying his first playoff experience, even though his team has lost two straight games to the Lakers, writes Rachel Gossen of Arizona Sports 98.7. Ayton led Phoenix with 22 points and 11 rebounds in Game 3 and is averaging 21.7 PPG and 12.3 RPG throughout the series.

The first pick in the 2018 draft suffered through a lot of losing before getting a shot at the postseason. The Suns began to turn things around with an 8-0 record during last summer’s restart and carried that momentum into a No.2 seed this season.

“It’s a big opportunity that we’re in the playoffs,” Ayton said. “We showed that the work that we’ve all put in, the stuff that we’ve went through, the adversity that we’ve went over, it brought us here. Now it’s just time to maintain and just play the best basketball we can play at the highest level.”

There’s more on the Suns:

Cameron Payne has been a surprise in the series, scoring eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter of Game 2 and 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. But even with Payne’s outburst, the Phoenix bench has been disappointing, providing just 26.7 PPG in the playoffs after averaging 37.0 during the season. “The bench has won us games this year and I’m looking for that right now,” coach Monty Williams said. “Every good playoff team has a game or two where the bench comes in and sustains or increases the momentum.”
Devin Booker won’t be suspended for his Flagrant 2 foul on Dennis Schröder late in Game 3, Rankin tweets. Booker was ejected for shoving Schröder to the ground on a drive to the basket. “That wasn’t a basketball play,” Schröder said, “and regular season, it’s probably a suspension as well.”
Chris Paul is listed as questionable on the Suns’ injury report for Game 4, according to NBA writer Gina Mizell (Twitter link). Paul sat out practice today with soreness in his left shoulder and has been limited since a collision in Game 1.

Western Notes: Booker, Paul, Curry, Muscala

May 23rd, 2021 at 8:51pm CST by JD Shaw

Suns star Devin Booker is ready to produce in the playoffs after Phoenix’s six-year postseason drought, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.

“It’s been a long journey since I’ve been here,” Booker said. “A full six years to get to this point and I know it’s been even longer for the city of Phoenix and this organization to get to this point. So I don’t want to take these opportunities for granted. We gave the fans what they wanted with a playoff berth and now, we want to give them even more of what they asked for.”

Booker is looking to create something special in Phoenix, finishing with 34 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a Game 1 victory over the Lakers on Sunday. The team will host Game 2 on Tuesday.

There’s more out of the Western Conference tonight:

Suns guard Chris Paul sustained a right shoulder contusion in the club’s game against the Lakers, the team announced (Twitter link). Paul appeared to be in significant pain before exiting for the locker room. He later returned for a brief stint, exited again and returned to finish the game. With Phoenix up 1-0 in the series, it’s an injury to monitor as the team looks to take a 2-0 lead this week.
The Warriors owe Stephen Curry more next season, says Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Golden State failed to make the playoffs despite an excellent season from Curry, who averaged a league-best 32 points per game on 48% shooting from the floor and 42% shooting from deep.
Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman examines why veteran big man Mike Muscala wanted to stay with the Thunder this season. Oklahoma City shut down Muscala and teammate Al Horford to focus on its young core late in the season, but Muscala had no interest in leaving the team. “I’m going to get a little emotional probably,” he said as part of a larger quote. “But coming to OKC, it was just like — I’m grateful for it, and it helped me a lot as a man and as a player.”

Pacific Notes: CP3, Suns, Oubre, Kings, Metu

April 20th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns, who last made the NBA postseason 11 years ago, remain very much in the hunt for the top seed in the Western Conference, as their 41-16 mark puts them just a game-and-a-half behind the 43-15 Jazz. While the ongoing development of several young Phoenix players has been a major factor in the team’s improvement, the offseason arrival of Chris Paul was arguably the key turning point in making the Suns a legitimate contender.

“I don’t have enough time to talk about everything he’s done,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said of Paul, per Royce Young of ESPN. “He’s brought such a — he’s improved the winning mentality. All of our guys want to win. But when you see a guy that has done it from afar and then you look at how he does it, from his diet to the exercise routine he has every day, and then in game when he’s able to be in those situations and really lift the level of our team, it’s pretty cool to watch.”

In addition to impressing Williams, who said he has “story after story” about the impact Paul has had in Phoenix, the veteran point guard has made a lasting impression on his young teammates, including fellow All-Star guard Devin Booker.

“I’m inspired every day. I tell Chris that every day. It’s not something I’m going to take for granted,” Booker said of his Suns’ backcourt mate. “I pick his brain. I listen to him — closely. I watch how he moves, and even when he’s not talking or leading us, I just watch how he goes about his business. There’s so much respect for him and not just from me, but leaguewide and worldwide.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Warriors forward Kelly Oubre made some comments in March suggesting he wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea of coming off the bench, but he accepted a reserve role in stride upon his return to action on Monday, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters (video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Oubre’s role as a sixth man gives the second unit a boost this season and could be a preview of next season’s rotation if the 25-year-old re-signs with Golden State, writes Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Kings have been in a brutal slump this month, but their deadline additions continue to look good, as Delon Wright and Terence Davis played key role in a Sunday win that snapped a nine-game losing streak, writes Jason Jones of The Athletic.
Kings big man Chimezie Metu, who missed nearly a month-and-a-half earlier this season due to broken wrist he suffered when he was thrown to the court by Jonas Valanciunas, said he’s not holding a grudge toward the Grizzlies center, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays. “It is frustrating looking back on it at times because who knows what could have happened in those six weeks for myself and what that could have meant for my career or for the team, for the team’s success,” Metu said. “… It’s tough looking back at it. It was tough in the moment, but I hold no hate in my heart for Valanciunas.”

USA Basketball Expands Finalist List for Olympic Roster

March 11th, 2021 at 11:31am CST by Arthur Hill

Fifteen players have been added to the list of finalists for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, USA Basketball announced today in a press release. The group will eventually be pared down to 12 players who will participate in the Olympic Games, which are set for July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will serve as coach for the U.S. team, with Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Villanova coach Jay Wright and former Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce as his assistants.

No tryouts will be held this year. Instead, USA Basketball will choose the final roster by early summer. Training camp is scheduled to being in early July before the conclusion of the NBA playoffs.

“With the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics from 2020 to 2021, it’s important that we continue to remain flexible and consider all players who can contribute to our efforts to field the best USA team possible,” USA Basketball men’s national team managing director Jerry Colangelo said. “These additions we are announcing today will help ensure that we are doing that. Having a larger player pool than what we normally have is critical because of all of the uncertainties we face about availability. But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”

The new names under consideration are:

Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
Eric Gordon (Rockets)
Jerami Grant (Pistons)
Blake Griffin (Nets)
Jrue Holiday (Bucks)
DeAndre Jordan (Nets)
Zach LaVine (Bulls)
Julius Randle (Knicks)
Duncan Robinson (Heat)
Mitchell Robinson (Knicks)
Fred VanVleet (Raptors)
John Wall (Rockets)
Zion Williamson (Pelicans)
Christian Wood (Rockets)
Trae Young (Hawks)

Forty-two players remain from the original list, which was announced in February 2020:

Bam Adebayo (Heat)
LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs)
Harrison Barnes (Kings)
Bradley Beal (Wizards)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Malcolm Brogdon (Pacers)
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Jimmy Butler (Heat)
Mike Conley (Jazz)
Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Anthony Davis (Lakers)
DeMar DeRozan (Spurs)
Andre Drummond (Cavaliers)
Kevin Durant (Nets)
Paul George (Clippers)
Draymond Green (Warriors)
James Harden (Nets)
Montrezl Harrell (Lakers)
Joe Harris (Nets)
Tobias Harris (76ers)
Gordon Hayward (Hornets)
Dwight Howard (Sixers)
Brandon Ingram (Pelicans)
Kyrie Irving (Nets)
LeBron James (Lakers)
Kyle Kuzma (Lakers)
Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
Damian Lillard (Blazers)
Brook Lopez (Bucks)
Kevin Love (Cavaliers)
Kyle Lowry (Raptors)
JaVale McGee (Cavaliers)
Khris Middleton (Bucks)
Donovan Mitchell (Jazz)
Victor Oladipo (Rockets)
Chris Paul (Suns)
Mason Plumlee (Pistons)
Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
Myles Turner (Pacers)
Kemba Walker (Celtics)
Russell Westbrook (Wizards)
Derrick White (Spurs)

Two players removed from that list are Warriors guard Klay Thompson, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, and Celtics guard Marcus Smart. Sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic that Smart turned down an invitation because of injury concerns due to having a short offseason and playing late into consecutive seasons (Twitter link).

Mike Conley Replaces Devin Booker In All-Star Game

March 5th, 2021 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz guard Mike Conley has been named by Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Suns guard Devin Booker on Team Durant in Sunday’s All-Star Game, according to a league press release.

It’s the first All-Star appearance for Conley, who is in his 14th NBA season. He’ll also sub for Booker in the 3-Point Contest, which will be held prior to the game.

Conley is averaging 16.1 PPG and 5.7 APG in 29 games this season for Utah, which has the league’s best record at 27-9. He joins Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell on Team Durant. Another Jazz starter, Rudy Gobert, is on Team LeBron.

Booker will miss the All-Star extravaganza due to a left knee sprain. He had been named as an injury replacement for Lakers forward Anthony Davis.

According to NBA rules, when a player selected to the All-Star Game is unable to participate, the Commissioner shall choose a replacement from the same conference.