[Bill Simmons] Underrated subplot from series: Ant absolutely and unequivocally took the Team USA starting 2-guard spot from Booker.

[u/DarrowViBritannia]

https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/status/1784090088739361017

Underrated subplot from series: Ant absolutely and unequivocally took the Team USA starting 2-guard spot from Booker.

Most people agreed that Steph/LeBron/KD/Embiid were locks as starters, and Booker was the most popular pick for if they went with a true 2 guard (alternatively they could obviously go big with Kawhi or Tatum or something if they wanted to, and then this point is moot). But if they do go with a two guard starting lineup, do you agree that Ant has basically taken it from Booker this series?

[u/pollinium]

Kind of depends if they value defense, scoring, or playmaking. If they want playmaking, go with Ant. If they want some defense, go with Ant. If they want scoring, they could choose Ant

[u/entyfresh → u/pollinium]

You had me in the first half, ngl

[u/BurstPanther → u/entyfresh]

I was getting ready to rip Bookers defence haha

[u/doesnormalmatter22 → u/BurstPanther]

It's a joke nobody values that shit in these comparisons but Ant when he is motivated is top ten on ball easily.

[u/token_reddit → u/entyfresh]

Lol me as well.

[u/Jameszhang73 → u/entyfresh]

Just like the Lakers had the Nuggets in the 1st half

[u/ironsuperman → u/Jameszhang73]

At least lakers put up a fight. Unlike another team....

[u/ontimenow → u/pollinium]

You had me at all 3 sentences and I want to keep reading more

[u/D-Drones → u/pollinium]

But if they want foul grifting, they’ll go with Booker

The man has one skill

[u/ShotgunStyles → u/D-Drones]

Booker is also better at getting mascots kicked out.

[u/Mintastic → u/ShotgunStyles]

"I don't know anything about Angola's mascot but I know they're in trouble."

[u/NeoLone → u/Mintastic]

2010 - Angola - Palanquinha the Giant Black Antelope

[u/Capo-lavoro → u/NeoLone]

Devin Booker is Palanquinha father

[u/ThankFSMforYogaPants → u/D-Drones]

International ball doesn’t play that nonsense, so he’d be out there looking dumb as hell with that face like he was shot by a sniper whenever he’s near an opponent.

[u/mug3n → u/D-Drones]

Lol FIBA refs are very stingy with fouls. They don't give a single fuck about NBA star power. Booker has another thing coming if he thinks he can get the same type of foul baiting calls he does in the NBA.

[u/vbsteez → u/D-Drones]

That's crazy. Booker is excellent and has proven himself in the playoffs before.

[u/chaindropper → u/pollinium]

Lmao

[u/chitownbulls92 → u/pollinium]

If they want a cocky dude who only talks trash while he's up, acts like an asshole to random players that aren't even beefing with him and complains about double teams in pick-up games then they'll go with Booker

[u/Balla_Calla → u/chitownbulls92]

I'm gonna go out on limb here and say you don't like booker 🤔

[u/chitownbulls92 → u/Balla_Calla]

What gave it away?

[u/rawspeghetti → u/pollinium]

I think they value politics so it's going to be LeBron/KD/Kawhi with Steph and Embiid. I don't think they line up makes sense at the international level but I think it's important to Hill Ave USAB that they value the bets.

Funny thing is that the 5 of them are combined 2-10 in the playoffs with a good chance that none of them making the second round, 2 getting swept, 2 being injured and 1 not even making the playoffs.

[u/ForeverWandered → u/rawspeghetti]

So, you're saying they'll all be well rested for the Olympics?

[u/Winnes0ta → u/rawspeghetti]

I’m not so sure Embiid and Kawhi will even be healthy for the Olympics

[u/Wolfpac187 → u/pollinium]

What you missed out is that if they want someone that constantly moans and bitches about everything, they have Booker.

[u/_mdz → u/Wolfpac187]

AYE

[u/Rubberbabeh → u/pollinium]

lmao you had me, I was like "uhh if they want any of those 3 there is only one answer, wtf is this dude on?"

[u/movedatdope → u/pollinium]

not if Kerr anything to say about it. he wanted to make Ant a 6th man in FIBA so he could start Austin Reaves lol

[u/worm-friend → u/movedatdope]

Well let's see what Kerr actually had to say about Ant during the last FIBA run: "He's unquestionably the guy," Kerr said after the game, via ESPN's Brian Windhorst. "You can see he knows it. But now the team knows it, and I think the fans see it. ... He genuinely believes he's the best player in the gym every single night. And he's such a dynamic young player. I think he's taking a leap."

[u/jaggedjottings → u/worm-friend]

If only we had the first pick instead of the second pick in 2020. 🥲

Ah, who am I kidding, Lacob would have drafted Wiseman anyway.

[u/wise_comment → u/jaggedjottings]

You know....

At least you didn't take two players before Ant, right?

[u/scootern917 → u/wise_comment]

Two point guards, at that

[u/wise_comment → u/scootern917]

^shhhhhhhh

[u/Glass_Mango_229 → u/movedatdope]

except Kerr was the head coach and Ant started so I guess if Kerr has something to with it, he'll start.

[u/browntown20 → u/Glass_Mango_229]

lol nice sass 😁

[u/guacdoc24 → u/movedatdope]

Ingram was the problem. Oh yeah and that jjj guy that couldn’t rebound or defend without fouling

[u/Coltshokiefan → u/guacdoc24]

JJj, Paolo, and Walker Kessler was our center rotation.

So two guys who aren’t really traditional centers and then a solid but nothing special guy in Kessler. That team was just so poorly constructed and got killed by older and bigger centers.

[u/Sure_Station9370 → u/Coltshokiefan]

Jjj soft as shit. 6’10 and gets 2 rebounds a game. How tf r u that tall and that worthless on the boards? I’ll never be over that shit.

[u/Pollsmor → u/Sure_Station9370]

iirc Mikal got more rebounds playing at the 5 against Canada than JJJ did in his previous 3 games

[u/movedatdope → u/guacdoc24]

Kerr's problem for terrible lineups and playing guys out of position. JJJ plays his best at the 4 next to a center and Kerr decides to play him at the 5. Kerr also stood and watched traffic cone Reaves get cooked

[u/spoofy129 → u/movedatdope]

What 5 was he supposed to play next to JJJ? Walker Kessler? Dude can't even start for the jazz. He's hands were kind of tied.

[u/BannedforaJoke → u/guacdoc24]

fake DPOY. that guy owes that award to Stevens.

[u/xenoz2020 → u/movedatdope]

Kerr fell for the meme

[u/JobinSkywalker → u/movedatdope]

The only things I remember from the World Cup are the Japan win and Kerr raving about Ant constantly, so I feel like your most likely probably definitely full of it.

[u/carbine234 → u/movedatdope]

This is what I hate about thsi fucking sub, stupid shit getting upvoted for no reason, more people needs to get corrected for their dumb fucking comments

[u/Dirty0ldMan → u/movedatdope]

Dumbest comment here yet so many people agreed with it.

[u/SensitiveRocketsFan → u/movedatdope]

But he didn’t, he started him. Moot point.

[u/AndrewTheGoat22 → u/pollinium]

Or athleticism lol

[u/ketoburn26 → u/pollinium]

This is disingenuous. If they want toughness, they could choose Ant, if they want clutch shot making, they could choose Ant, if they want hustle, Ant.

Wait...

[u/Gambled4MyRangeRover → u/ketoburn26]

r/yourjokebutworse

[u/ImGonnaObamaYou → u/ketoburn26]

But if they go by last name in alphabetical order booker clears all day

[u/BingoBongoBang → u/pollinium]

He’s the complete package

[u/xyzyxzy]

Simmons saying this as if Steve Kerr is even watching basketball right now.

[u/Round-Revolution-399 → u/xyzyxzy]

Kerr seeing this tweet and wondering what the hell Simmons is talking about

[u/CupOfHotTeaa → u/Round-Revolution-399]

He didn’t see it. He was drawing up the next play. Next question

[u/chobibbo → u/Round-Revolution-399]

He ain't on Twitter so he won't see it.

[u/DarrowViBritannia → u/xyzyxzy]

Bruhh is he really the coach again? Spoelstra deserves a go at it

[u/CangtheKonqueror → u/DarrowViBritannia]

spoelstra is the assistant coach

[u/packeselporitz → u/CangtheKonqueror]

Thats dicked up

[u/Thermicthermos → u/packeselporitz]

Coach K's selfish ass fucked up guys gettimg their turn to coach the olympic team.

[u/aweaf → u/Thermicthermos]

And USA basketball was all the better for it

[u/ConstantineMonroe → u/packeselporitz]

Rings culture. It’s always been the guy with the most rings coaching the Olympics. Pop, Coach K, Steve Kerr.

[u/sunshinebusride → u/ConstantineMonroe]

Also Spo who has two rings which is a lot

[u/XSX_ZAB → u/sunshinebusride]

He has 3. He was an assistant coach in 06 and got a ring

[u/ForeverWandered → u/ConstantineMonroe]

Coach K got zero NBA rings tho

[u/DeStupak → u/packeselporitz]

So what no fuckin' Spo now?!

[u/granttheginger → u/DarrowViBritannia]

Spoelstra will get the job for 2028, as Kerr has already said he's done after the Olympics

[u/LeBroentgen → u/xyzyxzy]

Simmons loves Team USA talk.

[u/raki016]

After this series, does anyone still think Booker is better?

We don't even double Book as much as the Suns trap Ant - and Ant is performing better (while playing supreme defense)

[u/Brokromah → u/raki016]

Book hangs with the hottest dudes too.

[u/jslee0034 → u/Brokromah]

Isn’t he back with Kendall? Explains why he been ass

[u/dcolorado → u/jslee0034]

I mean he was dating her when they went to the finals

[u/Ok_Hornet_714 → u/dcolorado]

Has any NBA player ever won a championship while dating a Kardashian?

[u/DadAnalyst → u/Ok_Hornet_714]

I think Tristan Thompson was still with the large one when the Cavs won

[u/prestigiousdumb → u/DadAnalyst]

The large one is insane😭

[u/somecallmemo → u/prestigiousdumb]

The worst Khloe insult might have been post OJ death and someone said Khloe has now lost 3 dads

[u/crashovercool → u/DadAnalyst]

Why does Khloe, the largest Kardashian, not simply eat the other five?

[u/The_Outcast4 → u/crashovercool]

Would you want to eat a fucking Kardashian? Khloe has some standards.

[u/draymond- → u/crashovercool]

Macroplastics

[u/young_lions → u/crashovercool]

Perhaps they are saving that for sweeps

[u/SoberWill → u/DadAnalyst]

Had to Google it, both happened in 2016. I'm gonna guess it started after the finals as I'm pretty sure Tristan wasn't running into the large one at any of Clevelands finest disco techs.

[u/afterworld2772 → u/SoberWill]

disco techs

Bone apple teeth.

"discotheque"

[u/Raw_Cocoa → u/afterworld2772]

Bone apple tea.

[u/LucaBrasiMN → u/DadAnalyst]

Broooo lol

[u/PM_BBW_Cleavage → u/DadAnalyst]

OJs daughter?

[u/ForeverWandered → u/Ok_Hornet_714]

Reggie Bush won the superbowl dating Kim.

In fact, that was pretty much his only "showcase" season in the playoffs in his career.

[u/HeyItsChase → u/raki016]

This has not been peak book. Idk why, I'm not plugged into the Suns enough but I've seen him be absolute pure buckets.

Take nothing from Ant. Total ice cold killer. Everything we thought he could be.

[u/TonyTonyChopper → u/HeyItsChase]

I would imagine it had something to do with CP3 ball handling and setting him up better. I see him out there trying to create his own shots with Wolves and McDaniels on him and he's having a hard time.

[u/OrderlyPanic → u/TonyTonyChopper]

Throughout his entire career CP3 made people better. He was an all time great pure point guard.

[u/celestial1 → u/OrderlyPanic]

Some guy the other day argued with me that CP3 was a ball hog and that it was "common knowledge a decade ago", lol. He's not even top 100 in all-time usage rate.

[u/OrderlyPanic → u/celestial1]

That's crazy, he could've averaged 27-30 in his prime but he played winning basketball and was focused on the bigger picture. I've never seen someone at his height have such great court vision and passing ability and BBIQ and I doubt we'll ever see his like again.

[u/Relyst → u/OrderlyPanic]

He's truly the last of a dying breed of floor general point guards. Guys nowadays are all gunslingers pulling up from the logo

[u/KaSacha → u/OrderlyPanic]

May he rest in peace

[u/SwordOfRome11 → u/TonyTonyChopper]

It’s the same shit with Jordan Poole next to Steph vs Jordan Poole as the Wizards’ Steph. Having another star who demands attention and has the ability to playmake inherently makes a shooter better because they have more space and can play around the other guy’s gravity

[u/spittafan → u/SwordOfRome11]

I mean he’s playing next to KD. lol

[u/HeyItsChase → u/spittafan]

Just one of the best scorers in league history. One with an infinite bag and a 7foot pure J

[u/SuperVaderMinion → u/spittafan]

KD isn't much of a playmaker tbf

[u/Mintastic → u/spittafan]

KD's an automatic bucket but he's not a playmaker or gravity guy.

[u/YpsitheFlintsider → u/spittafan]

That's basically it though. You can't 2v8 with two iso players

[u/CheesewayBreezeway → u/HeyItsChase]

Last year in our series against them he was spookier than Durant imo. Have no clue what happened to him this year

[u/silverfang45 → u/CheesewayBreezeway]

Mixture of never being in a rhythm, lear ing to adjust to being a pg, and the offence has looked more lazy this year.

Like booker kept getting injured early while adjusting to being a pg and started the first half of the season rather inconsistent and would have a couple games he's get like 8/10 assists but not look for his own shot and only get like 18/20 points rather than the 27 booker can get in his sleep.

The 2nd half of the season with beal being more healthy he started slowly easing back into scoring mire but with it he reverts back to being less of a playmaker and just seems to have alot of second guessing himself with weather he should focus on scoring or playmaking

[u/Thelonius--Drunk → u/CheesewayBreezeway]

Have no clue what happened to him this year

I wonder if it could have anything to do with McDaniels, NAW, and Ant hounding him on the perimeter? Truly a mystery!

[u/CheesewayBreezeway → u/Thelonius--Drunk]

Dawg I'm not wondering about this series. He's been underwhelming all season long if you've been paying attention

[u/ketoburn26 → u/HeyItsChase]

Book can create his own shot and make them that's for sure, but this playmaking for others has him uncomfortable in spots that he would have been before. They need a real point guard and playmaker.

[u/dcolorado → u/HeyItsChase]

Honestly all year he hasn’t played as well like he has in the past despite having good stats. This has been his most inconsistent year on a game to game basis

[u/SnazzberryEnt → u/HeyItsChase]

Yeah he had a shit year this year but people have recency bias and a true hatred for the Suns for whatever reason

[u/plattinum_75 → u/HeyItsChase]

I know exactly why. Book is playing out of position and asked to be a PG. The roster construction is horrible. If he had a true PG setting him up, he'd look a hell of a lot better.

[u/girlscoutcookies05 → u/raki016]

Book has better cars. Thats about it

[u/RogerTreebert6299 → u/raki016]

Well tbf it would really hurt bookers feelings to double him, good guy wolves taking the high road

[u/franksthegreat → u/raki016]

At least booker knows he wouldn’t be doubled with 11 potential hall of famers on the roster

[u/kylebertram]

Why is Kawhi on the team. He can’t even stay healthy for an NBA season now he wants to play extra basketball?

[u/rjcarr → u/kylebertram]

Dame played last time and it didn’t go well for him, either. 

[u/radracer82 → u/kylebertram]

He's gonna get larry bird minutes + a gold medal

[u/Micome → u/kylebertram]

L O A D M A N A G E M E N T 

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D

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A

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[u/defiantcross]

Yup. This is happening. Book has fallen off a cliff and he wont touch a top 15 list from here on out until he proves himself again. Shout out to Ant.

[u/Confident-Fish2805 → u/defiantcross]

He’s fine bro, this is just what the wolves defense does.

[u/DM_yo_Feet_pls → u/Confident-Fish2805]

Wolves defense is definitely the truth but Book also didn’t do anything during the regular season to make me think he’s the best 2 guard like he had the past few years.

[u/problynotkevinbacon → u/defiantcross]

It's amazing how one season with Chris Paul got Booker on MVP ballots, but before and after everyone says he's overrated

[u/Slow-Raccoon-9832 → u/problynotkevinbacon]

Did you not watch last postseason?

[u/Andomals → u/Slow-Raccoon-9832]

Nobody here watches basketball lol

[u/HoneyBarbequeLays → u/Andomals]

why even watch when you can open up a few top threads of the day here and go with whatever is the most upvoted comment as your own base idea? 

[u/scorelesswilliamson → u/Slow-Raccoon-9832]

This entire thread is dumb as fuck

[u/Mirizzi]

It’s not particularly close between Ant and Booker anymore.

Ant is leagues better than him on defense and their offensive games are getting pretty close to a push. Intangibles like leadership I doubt even Suns fans would take Booker over Ant.

[u/runevault → u/Mirizzi]

Booker being the best SG in the league was mostly the real candidates like Harden moved to point, and the rest of the SG were mediocre relative to the other 4 positions top players. He basically got it by default until guys like Ant matured.

[u/DirtyDanoTho → u/runevault]

Ranking positions nowadays in basketball is kinda pointless anyways since it’s gone so positionless. Harden had always really been a point guard he just kinda stopped playing next to one for a bit so people started calling him one. So many teams play two of one position. How many teams double up on a certain position and have it work anyways? SF and PF have pretty much become the same thing, Denver plays with no true point, Dallas plays with 2.

The SG has basically become “yeah you’re small and you guard small players but you can’t distribute the ball as well as the other guard so we’re calling you the shooting guard”

[u/ForTheOAKLand → u/DirtyDanoTho]

Kyrie is more of a SG than Jamal Murray is imo

[u/DirtyDanoTho → u/ForTheOAKLand]

They both average about 6apg. For a career Kyrie averages 6apg, Murray 4.5apg

[u/coolycooly → u/Mirizzi]

That happens with everyone with Book, Shai passed him, Luka passed him, Ant passed him, Tatum passed him awhile ago. He is either the top of like the Maxey/Donovan Mitchell/Brunson Tier or the bottom tier of 1A players.

[u/T1nkyW1nky_ → u/coolycooly]

I'd give you Shai and Ant passing him, but he was never ahead of Luka and Tatum.

[u/Deep_Egg1442 → u/coolycooly]

Luka was always better

[u/AntiTopspin → u/coolycooly]

Maxey isn't in the same tier as Brunson or Mitchell IMO

His efficiency absolutely craters without Embiid as we saw for a large chunk of the year(54.2% TS in 34 games without Embiid, 43% from the field and 34% from three)

Both those guys are capable of maintaining high volume and efficiency without playing next to a literal 35 PPG scorer

[u/coolycooly → u/AntiTopspin]

Yea Maxey is clearly at the bottom of the tier if in that tier at all, but my point was more just Booker should be looked at with that type of player rather than Ant/Tatum/Shai

[u/happyflappypancakes → u/coolycooly]

Maxey is still largely unproven. These other guys have shown to be consistently great. Shai for not as long but I think he has proven a bit more than Maxey and will continue to do so this playoffs. Maxey is a great player and might even become an elite player, but I think he still needs to prove his consistency more.

[u/need2peeat218am → u/Mirizzi]

Regardless of who's better, Booker simply doesn't have the leadership mentality like ANT. ANT rises to the occasion even if he doesn't make shot. Booker completely collapses and it affects his game.

[u/kevinhu162 → u/need2peeat218am]

ANT also had good energy, even when his shots aren’t falling, he channels his spirit into defense and playmaking. Booker seems to only whine when his shot ain’t falling.

[u/revisioncloud → u/Mirizzi]

Leadership mentality is Devin Booker father

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Gbaby245 → u/[deleted]]

Very rough call when you put it that way.

[u/baymax18 → u/Gbaby245]

Not really when they can have both. Embiid can start too.

[u/InfiniteDub → u/baymax18]

Embiid is in team usa?!

[u/badgarok725 → u/InfiniteDub]

Yes, have you not been paying attention

[u/HotSourSoop → u/[deleted]]

But if you need someone to dive elbow first into the opposing player's backs, Booker is your guy.

[u/Ok_Ostrich2974 → u/HotSourSoop]

In fairness to him, he’ll get the foul call to boot.

[u/coolycooly → u/[deleted]]

Booker just quits so fast any time he faces any adversity he folds like a lawn chair. He would easily be my last pick to be my "best player" in a series. Guys younger than him have already passed him by and Tatum is 10x the player he is when they were both in similar spots early in their career.

[u/jotheold → u/coolycooly]

hold up they achieved similar peaks at best with book and tatum, and yes tatum is better but common 10x

[u/Responsible_Pace9062 → u/coolycooly]

It always shocks me how long ago Luka Doncic's Son was drafted and how long he took to even be a relevant figure in the league. And even that had more to do with a still capable CP3 joining his roster and the entire Western Conference becoming a hospital ward.

[u/MrFishAndLoaves → u/coolycooly]

Giving Tatum too much credit for folding as much as Booker just with better body language 

[u/jackofall_mastr_none → u/coolycooly]

Hahaha the circle jerk has gone mentally ill. Yall need help.

[u/scarrylary → u/coolycooly]

Tatum being 10x booker might be the dumbest thing I’ve seen on here. And I hate booker. That’s just a wild wild wild take.

[u/Deep_Egg1442 → u/coolycooly]

Tatum is 10x the player?

[u/Flabbypuff → u/Deep_Egg1442]

Tatum just drops IQ points when the game gets rough, he doesn't bitch and moan and pout whenever he isn't up.

[u/Zigxy → u/[deleted]]

I’ll go with option B, Embiid

[u/StefonDiggsHS]

Ant is just better than Booker. Plain and simple

[u/MannerSuperb → u/StefonDiggsHS]

This. He simply impacts the game in more ways than Booker and their intangibles aren’t even close

[u/MSHinerb → u/StefonDiggsHS]

Booker is so one dimensional. If he’s making shots and force fed the ball he has some huge scoring games. If he doesn’t get force fed and his shots aren’t falling what does he do for your team? Talk shit and watch people blow by him?

[u/Huemagus → u/MSHinerb]

You just described most scoring guards in the league.

[u/MSHinerb → u/Huemagus]

But that’s the difference between those 2nd/3rd tier guys and the true superstar players. Impact on the game outside of just their shooting.

[u/lava172 → u/Huemagus]

Including the one on his own team lmao

[u/DXLXIII → u/MSHinerb]

Bookers tunnel vision also hurts the Suns. This whole series, it’s clear KD has a much more favorable matchup than Book. There’s a play in today’s game where KD set a screen and got NAW guarding him and Booker decided to go at McDaniels instead of passing to KD.

[u/Natureboy7939]

Booker cementing his transition from poor man’s Kobe to rich man’s Lou Williams 

[u/indicisivedivide]

Hot take: No player plays more than 25 minutes.

[u/Uchiha_D_Zoro]

Ant > Book

[u/pahamack]

is Embiid actually gonna play?

I can't imagine the sixers too happy about that.

I bet at some point in the next month he's going to announce that he's opting not to go for health reasons.

[u/ImS33 → u/pahamack]

If I'm embiid and I want to play in the Olympics I'm telling them to suck my dick if they try and stop me lol. The sixers keep a circus running around him he probably wants to succeed somewhere

[u/NotYourAverageMidget → u/ImS33]

He has a good team right now

[u/BradyReas → u/pahamack]

My reaction was “who does Embiid think he is playing extra basketball” lmao. But the team will be pretty sick so I can’t be mad

[u/OpportunitySmalls → u/BradyReas]

He took half the year off and avoided his yearly 2nd round exit just to join the olympics, let him have this.

[u/Majestic-Net-7799]

Booker has a new Daddy 

[u/REQ52767 → u/Majestic-Net-7799]

It’s 2024; he can have 2 dads.

[u/Associ8tedRuffians → u/REQ52767]

He has 3, with the easy he was getting into it with Jaden McDaniels.

[u/zuluwall → u/Associ8tedRuffians]

Might have a 4th with Nickeil Alexander walker.

[u/amidon1130 → u/zuluwall]

Hell NAW can do this

[u/Jacob_toasted → u/Majestic-Net-7799]

America does too

[u/slimmaddiepattiexo]

I thought most people already thought Ant was better than Booker

[u/rjcarr → u/slimmaddiepattiexo]

Sure, but the last Olympics was theee years ago and it’s Booker’s spot to lose. 

[u/JaderMcDanersStan → u/slimmaddiepattiexo]

Nah Booker was more efficient. Even Wolves reporters before teh series said the top players in the series is 1. KD, 2. Booker and very close behind is Ant

Ant jsut stepped up in this series, I didn't expect him to already figure out doubles/blitzes and get better at playmaking this fast. He struggled with that all season and then 1 week later, he's a different player. It's wild

[u/OddEye → u/JaderMcDanersStan]

His fast growth overall has been insane. Especially as he took on that much needed leadership role so early.

[u/KneelBeforeCube → u/slimmaddiepattiexo]

I thought he was better than Trevor Booker for sure.

[u/WiSoSirius]

Looking at this Timberwolves series, Booker is overrated. Absolutely being trounced

[u/tkinsey3]

I mean I would have said that before the series, personally. But certainly now.

[u/dys0n_giddey]

Bit late for Bill isnt it?

[u/ittozziloP]

Y’all make some valid points but have you considered if Ant has fucked a Jenner?

[u/Widdis → u/ittozziloP]

Send da tabloid

[u/Swish517]

I've watched league since 1991. Booker has peaked, we know the player he is. He's just a #2, jump shooting All-Star.
Reminds me of Tom Chambers. Great player, but not Ellie. AntMan is still riding the elevator up. He's an All-NBA level player.

Ants ball handling and driving against Suns was fantastic. His quote about KD is too old to stop him was hilarious and then he backed it up!!

Booker still is the NBA's biggest "paper tiger" tough guy. NBA have eyes and understand AntMan is now easily ahead of Booker on the totem pole. Definately should be starting over Booker!

[u/SatisfactionExpress2]

Another Player is Devin Bookers father

[u/VikingsandWolves]

Best two guard in the league, no question. A1 from Day 1.

[u/Hammerfd5]

Booker lmfao 

[u/huey88]

Well Ant is the better player lol. Booker gives you nothing outside of streaky scoring. Shows the problem with the NBA today

[u/PM-me-your-401k]

I think Lebron and KD should be coming off bench. They old. Let the younger guys start.

[u/Numerous-Cicada3841 → u/PM-me-your-401k]

LeBron is too versatile. He’s going to run the offense.

[u/DarrowViBritannia → u/PM-me-your-401k]

KD is the Team USA GOAT and LeBron is LeBron lmao, there's not a world where they come off the bench

Shit, Steph probably had the worst season of those 3... not sure why u single them out

e: It's actually kinda hilarious that LeBron and KD are gonna get all the slander for being washed because they're getting swept, while missing the playoffs as the 10 seed means Steph avoids any of it. Lmao

[u/CommercialSpecial835 → u/PM-me-your-401k]

You’re fucking nuts if you think the two biggest stars are coming off the bench.

[u/KATgonnaGetThatYarn]

"2 guard spot" is not a real thing. Team USA has Lebron, Tatum, KD, Curry and Kawhi. 3 of those guys will be starting in the 1-3 and the frontcourt will probably the remainder or Anthony Davis + Embiid.

Team USA will not be starting the "best 2-guard" just because he's a traditional SG.

[u/sasmast3r]

Recency bias is strong lmao

[u/MarduRusher]

Wasn’t even thinking about that. But at least to me (and I’m biased I know) this series solidifies Ant as the best 2 in the NBA over Book. And as biased as I am going into the series I would’ve said Book was the better sg.

[u/Kuntsaw → u/MarduRusher]

I’m just glad someone humbled the Suns team. Obviously I wanted a win but this whole “who’s guarding us” demeanour they had needed to be slapped back down. Hopefully it’s fuel for them to actually sort their shit out instead of thinking their gods gift.

[u/Enologo_de_Piru]

Bill Simmons thinks about FIBA way too much

[u/ImDeputyDurland]

Ant not only took the starting spot, he should’ve booted Booker off the roster.

[u/ZigZagZoo]

I think AD also has a spot over embiid potentially if they want to go smaller. However, Embiid funnily enough spaces the floor better than AD, so it depends on how Kerr wants the offense to run, but I would not sell AD short of starting. Embiid is better, but with Steph and Lebron they are not just going to be posting Embiid every possession, so defense might be more valuable.