Vol.2, Iss.16: The Game 2 Break Down

How the Phoenix Suns broke Michael Porter Jnr down during Game 2 and what it might mean for the rest of the series.

This Was Not In The Plans…..

No, I don’t mean beating the Denver Nuggets and building a 2-0 series lead. I am sure the Suns had high hopes of doing just that. However, the way they’ve played -particularly in Game 2 - has forced me to quickly pump out another Newsletter Issue when I hadn’t quite planned to. Two quick things on that front; (a) this Issue might not quite have all the bells and whistles of my usual content, so please don’t hold it against me and (b) if you are here for the first time, please check out some of my other stuff in the OT section at the end + hit this little button below if you like what you see.

Speaking Of Plans…..

The Phoenix Suns came into Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets with a clear plan. Attack Michael Porter Jnr at every opportunity.

In fact, they weren't just satisfied with capitalising on opportunities when they presented themselves. They hunted them.

On a night where Porter Jnr went 3 for 13 from the field for just 11 points, it was on the defensive end where he struggled the most. And yeah, I know that's really saying something. But trust me.

Actually, don’t just trust me. Let me show you!

Below is the timeline of events for a possible missing person case. The 28 minutes the Denver wing was last seen as a starter in the Playoffs. Minutes he and the Nuggets would understandably like back. But after this humiliation, it isn’t guaranteed we see MPJ in the same role again this season.

The Early Warning Signs

If I am being honest, the signs were there in Game 1. For example, I highlighted where the Suns were preying on MPJ on the last line of defense. Game 2 though, the Suns took it to another level.

Q1 - 06:58 - Die On The Screen

Once the game settled down, Phoenix started to look for Mikal Bridges in his matchup with Porter Jnr. Here the Suns run Elbow to force MPJ through a screen. The usual read is to pivot back if the defender fights through or under. Mikal does just that, but pulls back for a re-screen to kill his man on the pick. Banks open.

Q1 - 06:07 - The Reverse Pitch Play

This play momentarily got me out of my seat and then tweeting this. I mean it, I’ve tracked this exact play for 2 seasons now and I have NEVER seen it run in that direction. The reason I call it ‘The Pitch Play’ is because Chris Paul pitches it out and has it pitched back right away. CP3 then waits for Mikal to catch Porter napping. It was at this exact moment I started to wonder if the Suns were purposely hunting MPJ.

Q1 - 05:08 - Double Drag Delight

And now my senses were REALLY tingling. Staggered screens are a sometimes staple of the Suns offence. But Paul directing Deandre Ayton and BRIDGES into staggered screens? Yeah, they were targeting him. And with good reason. Watch as MPJ has no idea if he’s supposed to go with DA down the lane or stick with Bridges up high.

It Was Only The Beginning

The punishment continued into the second term but the first quarter already warned us that more was to come. The Suns got Mike defending tight angles, before launching him into space. It’s fair to say he was no more comfortable there either. Roll the tape!

Q2 - 11:50 - Lift & Leave Behind

Zach Lowe recently covered the idea of ‘The Lift’ in his Suns feature. Phoenix run a simple Pick & Roll on the strong side of the floor. With Porter forced to tag a slipping Dario Saric down the lane, it leaves Green guarding two guys on the weak side. Torrey Craig lifts and Porter is far too slow to make it out to Cam Johnson on his rotation.

Q2 - 11:12 - The Deep Freeze

Perhaps it’s a little unfair on MPJ to throw this one in the mix. But what do I care? The Suns aren’t here to make friends with the Nuggets and neither am I. The real reason I wanted to include it, is because it starts with Cam attacking Porter after coming up for a rare Pick & Roll opportunity with Paul. Johnson as a screener is notable again because it rarely happens. Are you believing me yet? Millsap saves MPJ the first time but he’s dead in the water on the transition break.

Q2 - 09:28 - Sign Of Things To Come

Another odd highlight for the Newsletter, as I tend to shy away from misses and drawn fouls. They just aren’t as fun! This one just had to be included though, purely because it was the present giving us a window into the future. Watch CP3 summon Cam, in order to get the switch he was after. As for the rest, just keep it front of mind for later.

Q2 - 01:01 - Path Of Least Resistance

Now it’s not often I like the different TV angles but in this case, it does a great job of illustrating the very purposeful choice Paul makes. As he strolls down court, Ayton comes up to meet him at the logo. Meanwhile, Crowder is looking to place doubt in Porter’s mind with a cut through the paint. Even though he seems to get in Paul’s way, the Suns still manage to get their desired result.

Adjusting To The Adjustment

As the first half drew to a close, it was already evident the Nuggets were looking to hide Porter Jnr on lesser defensive assignments. This prompted me to predict while watching live, that the Suns would make their own adjustment and continue the onslaught.

Q3 - 11:37 - Go To Sleep Baby

Now here’s a TV angle that really does this play zero favours. Even still, it had to be included. Why? Let’s look at the matchups. We see Rivers now guarding Paul. Gordon has started the half directly on Devin Booker and Campazzo is over there trying to hide on Mikal. And the big one? The Nuggets have shifted Porter onto Jae Crowder. My guess is that in theory, the Suns are less likely to run Jae through actions AND he's not as physically gifted as the Mikal/Cam duo to attack. But that’s just theory. We know that in practice, the Suns run a lot of action for Jae. So they went straight to it with a great fake hand off on the inbounds play, which put Porter to sleep.

Q3 - 10:42 - Running Out Of The Building

What else do the Suns run with Crowder? A ton of Elbow with Ayton. This set in particular is beautiful. Ayton receives the ball at the high post, while Jae flares off before turning into a screen for a curling Booker. We see the all too familiar Gordon/Jokic trap on the ball, and Porter is now forced to contain Ayton in the lane. But that leaves Crowder wide open! It’s not all bad though, it did give us one of the worst close outs I’ve ever seen from an NBA player. Thanks Mike!

Q3 - 10:09 - Same Play, Different Result

Here’s where things start to get just downright mean. The Suns run the exact same play the next time down the court. BUT there was a timeout in between. I can just picture Monty or Chris telling the huddle they want to run it again with a wry smile on their face. Look how closely Gordon is guarding Booker in the corner this time. Ayton receives the ball again, Crowder lifts instead of going to screen for Book and none of the Denver defenders (not just Porter this time!) have a clue what to do.

Q3 - 09:23 - Inside Your Head

Now Phoenix is well and truly in the heads of every Nuggets player on the floor, with Porter clearly in the worst way of the bunch. Paul takes the attention of all 5 defenders as his feet touch the paint, so Porter is forced to choose between two Suns wings on the perimeter. We see the all too familiar lift from Crowder again and Porter chooses incorrectly. Paul stares him dead in the eye while he makes the pass, almost as if to say he’s “not mad, just disappointed”.

This Is Just Getting Cruel Now

Before the final break, the game was well and truly over. We have now officially entered ‘soul crushing’ territory. But for as much as I kid, these last plays definitely hold significant importance. It was during the final term that I begun to wonder if this could have a lasting impact on Porter and force his coach’s hand with a lineup change.

Q3 - 00:20 - Help The Helper

Yet another example where Porter is left as the backline help in the paint. While he again does his job of tagging the roller, he has that bad habit that a lot of young guys possess. Defense never ends with the first job. Morris flies to his man to help, so Porter’s rotation is to then ‘help the helper’. Too slow.

Q4 - 11:39 - Get Over Here

Captain Chris really smells blood now. Watch as he motions to bring Porter up for the screen. He may as well be preparing MPJ to walk the plank. The Nuggets switch the screen and Paul has his victim right where he wants him.

Q4 - 09:21 - On An Island

It doesn’t stop there though. Porter has moved onto Craig. He can’t handle the torture any longer. As if Paul cares. CP3 calls Craig to screen this time. Nuggets switch again. Porter is in the all too familiar position of being placed on an island but now Chris wants to ramp up the degree of difficulty. Really test that shoulder out! Cash.

Q4 - 08:47 - Can’t Wait To Get Off

By this point, MPJ desperately wants off this ride. He’s moved onto Mikal this time but it doesn’t matter. Paul just calls Bridges up instead. Everyone gets a turn! Porter just can’t handle the thought of yet another switch, so he tries to stick with Mikal. I think he may have forgotten to tell Morris that was his plan though. Don’t worry Mike, it’s all over now.

What was the final damage according to NBA.com tracking data? Well, Phoenix shot 64.7% on 17 field goals defended by Porter. Not too shabby. Yet, the 5 of 9 from two point range looks sub-par when you compare it to the 6 of 8 the Suns went from deep.

Okay look, I know I haven’t mentioned it yet. Yes, MAGA Mike was reportedly less than 100% in this game. Did Phoenix sense that early and choose to attack the wounded member of the Nuggets herd? Or did they already see him as the runt of the litter? MPJ hasn’t exactly earned a reputation as a defensive stud early in his career.

Whatever the answer is, one question remains either way. Will the Nuggets be forced to remove Porter Jnr from the starting lineup in order to try save the series? Monty Williams and his men have no doubt thrown the first punch and Denver has well and truly been rocked by it.

I for one, cannot wait for Game 3.

If you want to watch all the clips again uninterrupted…..

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Overtime! 

For anyone who is new here, I usually leave this OT section to share some of my other work and highlight other great Suns content. So here goes nothing…..

• Check out the last Issue of my Newsletter here, which includes a podcast but also all my recent video content on the series vs the Lakers.

• Kellan Olson is my favourite Suns writer and this is his take on Game 2.

• The Timeline Podcast has been doing a new episode after every game, here is their Game 2 Review.

• If you aren’t familiar with the phenomenon that is #ChuggingWithTheFellas, then follow my buddies Serg and Chase on Twitter and join in.

• Follow Gerald Bourguet’s coverage of the Suns, which often includes all the best quotes from the interviews with Monty and the players.

• And if you liked the above content, my other favourite Issues this season are; this one on Ayton, this one on Crowder, this one on Monty and this one on Payne.

• Finally, just a shout out to Sreekar who sent a bunch of you here and is just an all-round great human being!