Just as promised, I am back with a second Newsletter in as many days. Hopefully for those of you who subscribe, it’s a welcome surprise & not just more junk for your email inbox. If you don’t yet subscribe & want to receive Issues direct going forward, then feel free to hit that little button directly below.

We Win, We Pod…..

As is now tradition - when the Phoenix Suns continue on in the NBA Playoffs, the 7SOL Podcast plugs the mics back in to record another episode. Max & I follow our favorite format; recapping the Pelicans series by dishing out 5 stars to the players who most deserve it & previewing the upcoming Second Round match-up versus the Mavericks. Plus, all the usual segments mixed in between. Hope you have as much fun listening, as we did while recording the episode. Enjoy!

02:50 - Recap Of The Series07:40- 5 Stars 15:30 - 4 Stars23:30 - 3 Stars27:30 - 2 Stars 31:30 - 1 Star37:30 - Other NOLA Thoughts47:30 - Did You Know?56:00 - The Dallas Series & Doncic1:12:30 - Some Other Mavs Observations 1:32:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less

Players discussed: Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Devin Booker, Jae Crowder.

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone.

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

A quick recap of all my Round One content…..

* The Preview Podcast.

* Video Breakdown Of Cam Johnson Starting.

* Video Breakdown Of Chris Paul Hunting.

* Twitter Video Of Deandre ‘Max’ Ayton.

* Twitter Video Of Chris Paul Heroics.

* Mini Game 5 Preview Twitter Thread.

* Quick Look At Ball Pressure Film on Twitter.

The Newsletter is back again. The podcast is back again. The Suns are back again! Phoenix are eyeing redemption & the journey back to the Finals begins very soon. Time to prepare for our First Round match-up, as well as look at the rest of what sits between the Suns & that elusive first ever NBA Championship. A great time to hit that little button below, if you are yet to do so.

Let’s Get Ready To Rumble…..

We were made to wait but the Suns first opponent is now finally set. Time to bring back the Playoff Preview Podcasts with Max & dissect everything we need to know for the Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans battle.

The usual 7SOL format is back again, as we dive into the opening series but also take the opportunity to look beyond the Pelicans & what might lie ahead for the Suns.

02:40 - Recap/News07:45 - First Round Starters - Feat. Devin Booker & Jae Crowder. 31:15 - First Round Reserves - Feat. Cam Payne, Landry Shamet & JaVale McGee. 49:30 - Did You Know? - Feat. Elfrid Payton.59:15 - Broader Suns Playoff Discussion - Feat. Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges & Deandre Ayton.1:25:00 - Something Old, New, Bold, Blue - Feat. Cam Johnson & Bismack Biyombo. 1:41:30 - 7 Seconds Or Less 

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

Just a quick note to let you know that I will be doing my best to feed the majority of my Playoffs content through the Newsletter, which should include:

* Podcasts after every series/before the next one.

* Video breakdowns of key takeaways from certain games.

* Longer form Newsletters covering major talking points.

If you already subscribe, just a note to keep an eye on those inboxes a little more than usual. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, then there’s no better time to start!

Any further ideas or things you want to see, please comment below.

I know it’s been a little while, so I felt I owed you a special Newsletter to make up for the delay. Regular subscribers will know that I try limit publishing new Issues to when I feel passionate enough about a topic that is unique to what might have already been covered elsewhere. And in my opinion, this one is no exception. If you are new here and/or the podcast dragged you in, feel free to check out some of my written film content & hit that little button below if you dare!

This One’s On Monty…..

WD > WS - My favourite Montyism.

“Well done is better than well said!”

But when it comes to this Newsletter, some topics are better said instead of written. Discussing Monty Williams is one of those. A topic that is criminally under-discussed in my opinion. So I linked up with my ol’ podcast pal, Max, dusted off the mic & went The Full Monty.

A giant podcast that gave us both the opportunity to delve into the beauty of Monty’s coaching on & off the court, while also looking through his lenses at the upcoming challenges on the horizon.

03:30 - Recap/News11:00 - The Past (Discussing Chris Paul & Deandre Ayton) 32:00 - The Present - Offense (Discussing Mikal Bridges & Cam Payne)43:30 - The Present - Defense (Discussing Devin Booker & Jae Crowder)59:00 - Did You Know?1:07:00 - The Future (Discussing Johnson, Craig, Biyombo, McGee & Shamet)1:24:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less 

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

I know the Newsletter has been quiet recently but I’ve still been busy elsewhere when possible. ICYMI - below is a recap of recent content since the last Issue…..

* Joined the fellas on the Into The Valley Podcast.

* Looking at Cam Johnson’s big night against the Knicks.

* Monty Williams ran some Suns sets in the All Star Game.

* Cam Payne & the ‘2 Up’ Play.

* Deandre Ayton finishing the Magic game.

* Mikal Bridges & the beauty of ‘Elbow Sneak’.

Hello! I can promise you this will be the last Newsletter Issue to hit your inbox for a little while. I wanted to put a bow on the Suns 20/21 Finals run & go over my thoughts on the off-season so far. While the podcast medium is great to cover a lot of thoughts all at once, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the written format recently too. Once again, thanks to all of you who seem to enjoy it also & continue to support the cause. The eyes, clicks & shares are a huge help! Time for a break now. Go Suns!

One For The Road…..

Max & I jumped back on the mics to dissect what the Phoenix Suns have achieved so far in the NBA off-season. Starting with a brief recap of the NBA Finals & Devin Booker winning gold at the Olympics, we quickly move to all the moves in the order of when they happened. Finally, we decided to mock out how the Ayton & Bridges extension negotiations might go - before ending with some possible trade ideas after the latest Issue of the Newsletter focused on what James Jones might be thinking.

Enjoy!

03:20 - Recap Of Finals & Olympics 20:00 - Landry Shamet Trade30:50 - Cam Payne Returns40:00 - Chris Paul Signs49:30 - JaVale McGee! 53:15 - Did You Know?1:01:00 - Torrey Craig Leaves & Abdel Nader Stays 1:03:45 - Frank Kaminsky 3.0 & Elfrid Payton 2.01:09:00 - Mikal Bridges & Deandre Ayton Extensions1:24:00 - Trades?1:36:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less 

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

A quick summary of links to some items mentioned throughout the podcast…..

* Matisse Thybulle’s YouTube Channel.

* Durag Hoops’ Landry Shamet video.

* Follow Dom Tesoriero & Scott Howard on Twitter.

* JaVale McGee’s YouTube Channel.

* The Loophole Newsletter Issue that discussed CP3s contract options.

* The most recent Newsletter Issue from me that discussed trade flexibility.

* Comparing other PGs signed this off-season to Cam Payne.

* Comparing other Cs signed this off-season to JaVale McGee.

* Listen to The Timeline guys, Mike & Sam.

What a crazy week! What a crazy month! What a crazy season! For possibly the last time, I wanted to thank everyone who read and/or listened to anything I created this season. If you subscribed, an even bigger thank you comes your way. And if you shared my work with fellow Suns fan, you get the largest thank you of all. If by chance this is your first time on this site, please consider subscribing if you enjoy the below.

Four More Wins…..

The Phoenix Suns are just four wins away from their first ever NBA title. Max and I jumped back on the mics, once we knew it was the Bucks that stood between the Suns and that debut ring. We discuss the NBA Finals matchup amidst our regular podcast format, covering all the big and little questions for the upcoming series.

04:00 - Quick Recap 08:30 - The Tale Of The Tape 17:00 - How Do We Guard The Bucks?32:00 - How Do They Guard Us?44:30 - Did You Know?51:30 - Max’s Hall Of Fame Quiz 57:00 - Suns X Factors 1:00:00 - The Suns Edge When It Counts 1:06:00 - Looking At The Benches & Coaches1:14:00 - Deandre Ayton & Destiny Against Giannis1:23:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less Players discussed: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cam Payne, Dario Saric, Cam Johnson, Torrey Craig. 

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

The below list is a compilation of some of the best NBA Finals content I have seen at the time of posting this Issue:

* This is my early season piece on the Suns vs Bucks matchup.

* Suns Twitter fave Sreekar, joined Sam Vecenie on this pod.

* By the time you see this, The Timeline guys likely have their pod out too.

* Kellan Olson has a great written preview of the NBA Finals.

* You should also read this incredible piece from Zach Lowe on CP3.

* The Ringer has a nice preview pod with KOC & Mann.

* Another Suns podcast called Into The Valley have their latest out.

I picked an incredible first full season to cover with this Newsletter and am very excited Volume 2 isn’t over yet. If you are a new subscriber - thanks for jumping on board! If you are brand new - feel free to join everyone else by hitting that button below. Finally, it’s been a surreal couple of weeks as both a Suns fan but also with this Newsletter. So shout out to all the original subscribers for doing your bit!

Without Further Adieu…..

WE ARE BACK! Max and I dusted off the mics for at least the second last time, because our Phoenix Suns are into the NBA Finals. On this episode, we focus on reviewing the WCF and everything that went down against the Clippers.

05:00 - Quick Recap 10:00 - 5 Stars 26:30 - 4 Stars38:45 - 3 Stars46:00 - 2 Stars50:30 - 1 Star57:30 - Did You Know?1:04:00 - Honourable Mentions & Other LAC Notes 1:27:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less Players discussed: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cam Payne, Dario Saric, Cam Johnson, Torrey Craig. You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

I’ve tried to keep churning out other content where possible & below is a quick summary if you are interested:

* My Game 1 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* My Game 1 Re-Watch Thread.

* My Game 2 look at Deandre Ayton.

* My Game 2 Re-Watch Thread.

* My Game 4 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* My Game 4 Re-Watch Thread.

* My Game 6 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* My Game 6 Re-Watch Thread.

* A Thread Of All My Work This Playoffs.

Back again quick, so I’ll keep the pleasantries brief. If you subscribe to the Newsletter already, you are legendary. If you don’t, then you can BE legendary. Just hit it!

The Wait Is Finally Over…..

I’m back with my buddy Max for Part Two of this mega Western Conference Finals podcast. In Part One, we covered where things were at with Chris Paul and reviewed the Nuggets series. Now that we know who stands between the Suns and a Finals berth, we bring you a full WCF preview of all the big questions against the Clippers.

02:45 - Quick Recap 06:30 - Chris Paul News11:00 - Game 1 Devin Booker20:00 - Game 1 Deandre Ayton35:00 - Game 1 The Wings 43:00 - Game 1 Cam Payne 50:00 - Game 1 Fix Ups 1:00:00 - Series Outlook 1:11:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less Players discussed: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cam Payne, Dario Saric, Cam Johnson. You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

I spammed all my recent content last time around, so this time I have included a collection of recent Suns coverage from some of my favourite folks:

* The Timeline Podcast Series Preview.

* Kellan Olson’s Series Preview.

* Deandre Ayton wrote on the Suns.

* Mikal Bridges on Duncan Robinson’s Podcast.

* Nekias Duncan has a fantastic Series Preview.

* Michael Pina on the Suns Pick & Roll.

* Half Court Hoops on the Spain Pick & Roll.

Thanks to the continued success of our Phoenix Suns, I get to keep pumping out more Playoff content. There has been a number of new subscribers jump on board in recent weeks, so I just wanted to take the time to thank those of you who might be reading/listening for the first time. And of course, to all of you Day 1’s - thanks for the constant support! If you aren’t in either camp, you likely need to hit that button below.

Suns In 4, 3, 2, 1…..

Originally, Max and I planned to do the usual Playoff Podcast format of reviewing the last series and previewing the next. But with the Suns sweeping, CP3 getting COVID and the Suns opponent still not yet decided - we decided to instead do one GIANT 7SOL episode over two parts. First up, we take a look back at the Nuggets series + a quick recap on where things stand with Chris Paul. 04:30 - Recap Of The Series10:00 - Chris Paul News14:00 - 5 Stars 25:15 - 4 Stars41:00 - 3 Stars49:00 - 2 Stars 55:00 - 1 Star1:03:15 - Did You Know?1:11:00 - Other Denver Thoughts 1:26:00 - Top 5 Moments Of The SeriesPlayers discussed: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cam Payne, Dario Saric, Cam Johnson, Torrey Craig. You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone. 

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

Just like last time, below is a summary of the rest of the content I put out during the Suns vs Nuggets series. Just in case you missed any of it.

* Game 1 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* Game 2 Michael Porter Jnr Break Down Newsletter Issue.

* Game 3 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* Game 4 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* Game 4 Reaction Podcast with The Timeline.

If you are returning to listen to the latest podcast episode, thanks very much. If you listened to the last podcast episode as well, then I appreciate you even more. And if you find yourself here for the first time, hit that little subscribe button below. Oh and don’t forget to check out all the bonus content in the OT section at the end. I’ve been busy.

Keep Winning, Keep Podding…..

We made a pact with each other that we would try our best to do episodes between Playoff Series, for as long as the Suns stayed alive. So Max & I couldn’t wait to return after taking care of the Lakers in six. Last time we previewed the LA series, so this time it only made sense to review what we just watched + preview the next series against the Nuggets. Plus, you get all the usual segments like 5 Stars, Did You Know and 7 Seconds Or Less to finish.

04:00 - Recap Of The Series14:30 - 5 Stars 25:00 - 4 Stars39:00 - 3 Stars46:30 - 2 Stars 55:00 - 1 Star1:05:00 - Other LA Thoughts1:20:00 - Did You Know?1:26:00 - The Denver Series & Jokic 1:36:00 - Some Other Nuggets Observations 1:54:00 - 7 Seconds Or Less

Players discussed: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cam Payne, Dario Saric, Cam Johnson.

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone.

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

The Lakers series moved way too fast for me to do any written work for the Newsletter, but below is a summary of things I covered on Twitter, which I think are worth your time:

* Deandre Ayton’s Offensive Rebounds in Game 1.

* Game 1 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* Making Davis work in Game 1.

* Game 2 Thread.

* Game 3 Thread.

* Game 4 Thread.

* Chris Paul’s heroic Game 4.

* Game 4 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* Game 5 Thread.

* Deandre Ayton’s Screen Assists.

* Game 5 ‘Play Of The Game’.

* Game 6 ‘Play Of The Game’.

After 72 games and a 51-21 record, our Phoenix Suns find themselves back in the NBA Playoffs. Yet, because nothing seems to come easy for this franchise - our reward for securing the #2 seed is none other than the current defending Champions. Before we dive into the LA Lakers match-up, I just wanted to say thank you for supporting the Newsletter this season. I sincerely hope this won’t be the last time you hear from me.

Time To Talk Tactics…..

Max & I jumped back on the mics to preview the series against the Lakers. You might remember that last time, we ranked LA as the team we’d least want to face. We went more in depth on just why that is and what needs to go right for the Suns.

02:45 - Recap Of The Season 05:45 - A Reminder From Max09:10 - 5 Stars For The Season16:00 - Can The Suns Overcome 3 Big Obstacles? 23:30 - How Should The Suns Guard The Lakers?36:50 - Who From The Rotation Can We Count On? 43:00 - Is It Cam Payne Time?47:15 - Did You Know?54:30 - What If We Go Small? 1:03:00 - Can The Suns Target Davis?1:13:00 - Who Are The Most Important Suns? 1:22:30 - 7 Seconds Or Less

Players discussed: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cam Payne, Dario Saric, Torrey Craig.

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone.

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

How are you going to stay across everything Suns during this 1st Round? I’ve got you.

* The Timeline podcast are doing episodes after every game.

* Kellan Olson will have all the words you need to read.

* Zona Hoops and his team will have a bunch of content.

* Gerald Bourguet will have great coverage in multiple places.

* If you’ve liked my breakdowns then Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank, Steve Jones Jnr, Joe Hulbert and Mo Dakhil are likely to provide plenty of good unbiased videos during the series.

* And the following Twitter accounts are just some of the best Suns fans worth a follow to ensure you can enjoy the Playoffs with a bunch of like-minded folks: Dylan, Hyrum, Sean, Kaitlin, Cage, Durag, Ali, Serg, Dom, Cody, Jordan and Rohan.

The first half of the season is in the books and every Suns fan would have to be pleased with the results so far. The current success has meant lots of eyes on this Newsletter and I have to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has read, shared or joined since the start of the season. Phoenix’s fast start has also meant the priorities for the back half of the season have really changed.

So, It’s Time To Talk Playoffs…..

The Suns are currently 24-11 and I decided to jump back on the mics with my good friend Max, to discuss the first half of the season. But there’s a catch!

We don’t record quite as often as we used to, so rather than just recap the season so far we decided to do something different. And scary! So without further ado, I present to you PHOENIX PLAYOFF DISCUSSION ahhhhhhhhh.

04:10 - Recap Of Results So Far06:40 - Impromptu Chris Paul Discussion 16:50 - Tier 1 Of West Teams 30:30 - Tier 2 Of West Teams 47:30 - Did You Know 54:20 - The Danger Team 1:13:30 - Tier 3 Of West Teams 1:31:30 - 7 Seconds Or Less

Players discussed: Cam Johnson, Cam Payne, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Frank Kaminsky, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges.

You can listen to the pod in the media player above, which also has a feature to add it to your regular podcast player - if you open this Newsletter on your phone.

If you’d rather listen on YouTube…..

Overtime!

Given this is a halfway Issue of sorts, I wanted to take the time to shout out many of the great folks creating amazing Suns content this season…..

* You should ALWAYS READ KELLAN (#ARK) - Kellan Olson who writes for Arizona Sports and pods with Kevin Zimmerman over @ Empire Of The Suns.

* The Timeline Podcast is elite. As is Mike & Sam’s YouTube channel.

* Gerald Bourguet is one of the best Suns people I know and you can check out his breadth of work in one easy to link place.

* The Great Zona created an awesome Suns & Draft website.

* My friend Durag Wallace has a great Suns YouTube Channel.

* And if adding as many Suns podcasts to your roster as possible is your thing, try these on top of those above: LockedOnSuns, SunsSolarPanel, SunsJAM,

* Bonus: if you like my Newsletter and want a General NBA podcast, I reallllly think you will like The Dunker Spot.

Something different to discuss the start of the Suns season so far. If this your first time on the Newsletter page, please consider hitting the subscribe button below. Even if you are here simply as a returning 7SolPod listener, your support is much appreciated and there’s bound to be more in the future.

So How About A Podcast Special…….

I’ll keep this brief.

The Suns are 5-1 and there was far too much to jam into one normal Newsletter Issue for the first week back. So instead, Max McCauley and I reunited for a Special Edition of our old podcast.

We covered everything we felt was worth talking about and had a lot of fun doing so! All in a near 2 hour extravaganza, so plenty to keep you occupied until the next more traditional written Issue.

To listen - you can click the audio player on this page or through the YouTube embedded video below of you’d prefer. In the O.T section I have also included instructions to help you find it on your normal podcast player, if you like that better.

Below I have included timestamps in case you want to skip ahead and just so there is also a little bit of familiarity, I have also included some of my favorite clips from the first 6 games. There are all directly or loosely referenced in my chat with Max, so should be fun to follow along with while you listen.

Timestamps & GIFs

* 02:30 - Recap Of Results So Far.

Including…..

* 07:20 - Mikal Bridges’ Surprising Start.

Featuring…..

* 23:10 - More Thoughts on Chris Paul

* 34:10 - Jae Crowder vs Cam Johnson

Mentioned…..

* 48 :00 - Defense and Devin Booker

We Discussed…..

* 59:45 - Did You Know?

* 1:06:35 - Stop Doubting Cam Payne

Including…..

* 1:16:00 - What To Make Of Deandre Ayton

We Discussed…..

* 1:30:10 - We Need Dario Saric

Featuring…..

* 1:34:00 - Credit to Monty Williams and James Jones

* 1:43:50 - 7 Seconds Or Less

YouTube Version

Overtime!

OT1 - Most of the GIFs in this Issue should be able to be saved and shared on Twitter, as I kept them all quite small. Feel free to use them, if you like.

OT2 - If you’d prefer to listen to this on the go, you should be able to open the link on your phone and hit the “listen on your podcast app” link in the player. Shoot me a DM on Twitter or comment below, if you have any issues. Apple Podcasts should have a private link to listen your usual way or I can look into other avenues that you use to listen to pods. I’ll comment any links I can find after it is published.

The Suns were so fun in Orlando, it brought the Seven Seconds Or Less podcast out of retirement. More of a fun one off reunion than anything permanent but it was fun to discuss the whole team in the Bubble with one of my favorite people, after gushing on my own about Devin Booker in Issue 5.

I would assume most of you know Max and our old podcast but if not, this is a special episode of a podcast we created together and produced 78 episodes of over the last two seasons. We decided to jump on a call to discuss the Suns Bubble games, follow the old pod structure and hit record, so we could share it with you all.

You can listen on the playback feature included, below on the YouTube video if that’s better for you, or I believe it will even turn up on the usual podcasts apps soon (so I am told). Not the old 7solpod feed though, to be clear.

Hope you enjoy!

Timestamps

I have listed the timestamps for specific discussions below, if you want to skip ahead.

3:15 - Recap9:00 - Shoutout To Monty & The Coaching Crew 18:00 - Devin Booker Gushing Session30:50 - The Impact Of Mikal Bridges 39:20 - Ricky Rubio Is Underappreciated46:45 - Backup C Dario Saric55:00 - Cam Johnson Surprising As A Starter1:02:20 - “Did You Know” Segment1:09:10 - Was Deandre Ayton Disappointing?1:16:10 - The Cam Payne & Jevon Carter Duo1:24:40 - Who’s Coming Back From The Rest?1:25:55 - “7 Seconds Or Less” Segment

Overtime

Not much else to say for now. With 2 Issues this week and over two hours of words, video and audio for you to digest - my guess is I might take a bit of a break now. We do have the draft lottery coming up, followed by the NBA draft and then free agency. So if there’s specific things you’d like me to cover during the off-season, feel free to comment below.