3 observations from the opening 4 games of the Phoenix Suns in the 2021-22 NBA season
The Phoenix Suns participated in the NBA Finals in late July and have now started the following regular season just about three months later. Most NBA teams are working with a significantly longer offseason break. This turnaround was faster than usual for everyone as the league tries to get back on normal schedule post-covid.
The continuity of the Phoenix Suns' roster has had many people optimistic heading into the season, but they have started slowly after four games. The four opponents have not been pushovers in the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings. But the Phoenix Suns were favored in at least two of those.
Their only victory came in game two against the Lakers, who are struggling in their own way to start the season. Chris Paul specifically has not looked like himself early on, although there's not much cause for concern.
Deandre Ayton's contract situation could lead to complications, and there is a looming story revolving around their owner that could break at any moment.
Looking past the behind the scenes drama, here are my three main observations from the Phoenix Suns' first four games of the season.
#3 Short offseason is showing
As I briefly touched on earlier, the Phoenix Suns had a shorter offseason than 28 other NBA teams due to them participating in the NBA Finals. They were the team that succeeded on the defensive end of the floor last season when they posted their ninth-best defensive rating.
This season, the Phoenix Suns currently rank 27th in defensive rating due to lagged rotations, poor containment, and lazy fouling. Denver, Portland and even Sacramento, to an extent, all possess high-caliber offensive rosters that make it somewhat understandable. But the Phoenix Suns should be better than they have been, no matter what.
There are confusing mistakes on most nights, ones that were rare to see for the Phoenix Suns on their way to winning the West last season. Chris Paul, who is 36-years-old, is a player specifically who would have benefited from a longer offseason.
The future Hall of Famer has been racking up his usual assists, but has shown a hesitance to score regularly with back-to-back games of six points or less. Paul and the Phoenix Suns will likely come around in due time, but there seems to a be a slight NBA Finals hangover currently.
#2 Opponents shooting well from 3
In 2020-21, the Phoenix Suns allowed the fifth lowest opponent three-point percentage of 35.4 percent. Through four games this season, they have given up 42.2 percent from beyond the arc, which is good for the worst in the NBA.
The Phoenix Suns are slow to rotate, as mentioned with their shortened offseason, but some of this simply has to do with shots going down on a given night. Here are the most notable shooting nights from Phoenix Suns opponents throughout the first four games:
- Buddy Hield: 26 points on 7/11 from three
- CJ McCollum: 28 points on 6/11 from three
- LeBron James: 25 points on 5/9 from three
- Carmelo Anthony: 16 points on 4/6 from three
- Will Barton: 20 points on 4/8 from three
- Monte Morris: 9 points on 3/6 from three
- PJ Dozier: 10 points on 3/4 from three
- Jeff Green: 13 points on 3/6 from three
Some of those names are expected to be lights out three-point shooters every year in the NBA. LeBron James, Monte Morris, PJ Dozier, and Jeff Green certainly do not fall into that category.
Of the four Phoenix Suns games to take place this season, only one opponent has converted less that 40 percent of these attempted threes. The team was the Sacramento Kings, who barely missed the mark by hitting 39.5 percent of their looks from three, including a heavily contested game-winner at the buzzer.
The Phoenix Suns certainly need to clean up their defensive rotations. But there is also a portion of those that come from simply bad luck and opponents knocking down tough looks.
#1 Not moving the ball well
Only two teams in the NBA averaged more assists per game than the Phoenix Suns last season. Those two franchises were the Golden State Warriors and the Indiana Pacers. Phoenix often succeeds by utilizing its multiple penetrators to find holes in opposing defenses.
Even those on the Phoenix Suns' roster who were not great at putting the ball on the floor. Mikal Brides, Jae Crowder, Cameron Johnson, Deandre Ayton and Abdel Nader grew to understand and quickly recognize the next pass to make.
26.9 assists per game was the average last season, and the Phoenix Suns have reached that mark on two occasions this season. The issue comes after seeing that the other two nights where they significantly underperformed in that aspect and tallied 23 assists in each showing.
Again, this is not something that has me or many others greatly concerned about the Phoenix Suns season moving forward. It's more so that they need to clean up their act and get back to what worked so well for them last season. I'd bet that will happen in due time.
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