What The Phoenix Suns Need to do to Save Their Playoff Hopes

What The Phoenix Suns Need to do to Save Their Playoff Hopes

• The Phoenix Suns added a big three but struggled in the playoffs and need to improve scoring, rebounding, and defense.
• Need efficient big three games, and role players to step up, protect the basketball, win home games, and maintain composure.
• The defensive-minded Timberwolves are dominating the Suns, the series is at risk, requires major adjustments to have a chance at success.

The Phoenix Suns had a complete overhaul of their roster with tons of new additions, including Bradley Beal, Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Eric Gordon, Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol, Nassir Little, Josh Okogie, and Thaddeus Young. The Suns, within the last month of the season, even brought in veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas.

The addition of Beal formed a big three for the Suns, including superstars Devin Booker, who has been on the Suns his whole career, and Kevin Durant, who is in his first full season with the Suns.

The new-look Suns team went 49-33, earning them the sixth seed in the Western Conference. The big three led the Suns’ team in scoring as expected, as both Durant and Booker averaged 27.1 points and Beal with 18.2. However, this team’s biggest weakness is rebounding basketball.

Nurkic led the team, averaging 11, and following him was Durant with 6.6, and O’Neale with 4.2.

Booker led the team in assists at 6.9 per game and Durant and Beal tied at five per game. The assists numbers are low, especially considering the loaded offensive talent on this team and consistent shooting.

Beal’s assist numbers might be the most concerning, as he saw a slight dip in his points per game, but his assist numbers did not increase either. Beal was the Suns’ starting point guard and needed to spread the ball more.

Nurkic, Beal, and Gordon averaged at least a steal per game on the defensive end. Durant and Nurkic each averaged at least a block per game. The Suns were tied for sixth in the league, averaging six blocks per game.

Struggling In The Playoffs

Suns are down 0-2 in the first round to the Timberwolves

In a recent survey where NBA players voted on different categories and superlatives, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was voted the most overrated player in the league, receiving 13.6 percent of the votes among 81 players who voted. However, Gobert has been the complete opposite of overrated as he has been torching the Suns so far throughout the playoffs.

In Game 1, Gobert scored 14 points and a whopping 16 rebounds as well as two assists. In Game 2, Gobert had 18 points, two assists, and just nine rebounds. However, he was much more impactful on the defensive end as the three-time Defensive Player of the Year had three steals and a block.

In Game 1, the Suns lost 120-95, and one of the many reasons they lost that game was due to failing to score at least 100 points and not shooting well from the charity stripe. As a team, the Suns shot 9/28 from three. They were also destroyed in the paint as the Timberwolves won the rebounding department 52-28 and even had 13 offensive rebounds. Also, the Timberwolves had 52 points in the paint to the Suns’ 34.

Also, Devin Booker did not shoot well as he had just 18 points. However, he shot just 5-16 from the field, which is not very good, especially for a player of his offensive caliber. The series cannot be won or lost after one game. However, Game 1 is definitely a huge momentum-swinging game, especially if the road team can steal a game.

Devin Booker Regular Season vs. Playoffs – 2023-24

Category

Regular Season

Playoffs

PPG

27.1

19

FG%

49.2%

37.9%

3PT%

36.4%

25.0%

AST

6.9

5.0

TOV

2.6

3.5

In the game two loss, the Suns once again failed to score over 100 points, scoring just 93. The Suns played a solid first half shot the ball a little better from three (36.4 percent) and won in the rebounding department. However, when the Suns lost this game, they fell apart in the second half and fell outscored by 13 points in the second half, which was enough for them to lose the game.

Turning over the ball an alarming 19 times did not help the Suns either, and they needed to protect the basketball.

Booker and Durant also needed more than 13 and 15 shots a game since they were the best offensive players on their team. Beal did not shoot well as he shot just 6-17 from the field. Also, Beal should not be getting more shots per game than both Booker and Durant.

Tips To Win

Five steps the Suns need to take to save the series

1. The Big Three Need To Play Well

The Suns have the best chance of winning when both Booker, Durant, and Beal are hot and playing well. If only, one of them, and maybe even two of them are hot, then the Suns could crumble as their bench unit is rather lackluster compared to their starting five. They need to be more efficient and combine for at least 75 points if they want a shot at upsetting the Timberwolves and advancing.

2. Role Players Need To Step Up

The Timberwolves are a very solid defensive team as they were the best team in the league in defensive efficiency this past season. They will have a huge emphasis on the Suns’ big three, so somebody needs to step up. Gordon and Allen are both solid three-point shooters who need to step up as well. Gordon going 0-5 from the field and 0-4 from three is unacceptable. In the two games, Allen has taken just five shots total, which is unacceptable for someone who led the league in three-point percentage at 46.1 percent. O’Neale, who is averaging 21.5 minutes per game in the playoffs, can also step up offensively and help out his teammates.

3. Protect The Basketball

The Suns need to protect the basketball and win the turnover battle. Turning over the basketball is a recipe for disaster as not only can it lead to fast break points for the other team, but also takes away offensive possessions and the ability to score points on your own accord. They also need to grab the basketball and control the rebounding department or at least keep it close. Nurkic and Durant need to crash the boards and box out Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.

4. Protect The Home Court

This is arguably the most important considering the next two games are in Phoenix, and they are already down 2-0 in the series, but the Suns need to win these next two home games. So far throughout the playoffs, the home team has had a significant advantage with a record of 12-2 throughout the playoffs so far. Both losses came Tuesday night when the Indiana Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers.

5. Do Not Get Disrespected

Last but not least, the Suns cannot afford to get disrespected. As good as Anthony Edwards is, he loves to talk and get inside the opposition’s head. He was seen trash-talking Durant in Game 1 and Booker has been averaging five fouls per game in the playoffs so far. The Suns need to stay laser-focused and not let Edwards and the Timberwolves throw them off their game. In Game 2, Durant in the first few minutes already picked up two quick fouls, which is also not good.

The Suns need to play smart and play their game and not let their emotions in check otherwise they can be going home a lot earlier than they may have expected. If the Suns can complete the checklist, this has the potential to be a great series.

Related

NBA Playoffs Have Ushered In a New Defensive Minded Direction For The League

Offense has ruled the NBA for nearly a decade, but the league is entering a shift in the style of play.