We should expect a ton of points in the paint during this match-up. Both teams have players that like to attack the rim and play above it, especially Aaron Gordon.
Assurance 3 – Aaron Gordon will have at least a dozen dunks in the series
During the regular season, Aaron Gordon was a dunking machine, finishing fifth in the Association with 179 dunks in 68 games, averaging 2.6 per contest. Seeing Gordon get a dozen dunks seems almost guaranteed with a series that will likely go at least five games.
Barring injury, this is another assurance you can bet the farm on because Aaron Gordon is a dunking machine, and the Suns do not have anyone to stop him. On Christmas day, when the two teams met, Gordon had seven dunks, including what many considered the dunk of the year, giving Landry Shamet a wonderful Christman poster.
While Suns fans will be hoping Shamet does not get a chance to be posterized again in the series, the reality is, no matter who is on the floor, Gordon will be throwing it down on a Suns team that is a bit thin in the front court.
Possibility 3 – Booker and Ayton may get more dunks than Gordon
On the surface, this is a long shot; combined, Booker (20) and DeAndre Ayton (110) had only 130 dunks combining for 2.41 dunks per regular season game. Then again, with the increased minutes and, more importantly, Booker’s increasing aggression driving toward the rack, Ayton and Booker getting 3-4 dunks per game in the series is not outlandish.
In the first round, Gordon had 11 dunks in five games against a stout Timberwolves interior, whereas Ayton and Booker combined 13 dunks against the Clippers. We should expect Gordon’s numbers to go up, given his history against the Suns, but do not be surprised if the aggression from Booker and DA matches Gordon’s dunk-for-dunk.