Phoenix delivered this embarrassing debacle despite getting Devin Booker back from a groin injury that had sidelined him since December 19. With Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal both healthy, the Suns finally had their big three together. The fact that they were missing starting center Jusuf Nurkic (suspension), Royce O’Neale (ankle), and Grayson Allen (shoulder) is a poor excuse given the Grizzlies’ availability issues.
During the game, however, Beal took a couple hard falls and left with a hip contusion. There hasn’t been a clear update on his status.
Since Durant got injured following a torrid 8-1 start, the team has struggled to find any sort of consistency. Their stars have been in and out of the lineup and the defense and offense rarely seem to be humming at the same time.
Less than halfway through the season, is it an overreaction to say that owner Matt Ishbia’s $442 million concoction is cooked? What’s wrong with this team?
Devin Booker’s Frustrated Wisdom for Phoenix Suns
During the postgame presser, reporters asked Booker and Durant essentially the same question. How did Jackson and Bane have the nights they did when Phoenix should have been able to key on the Grizzlies’ best players, forcing reserves to beat them?
“In the first half, I think we weren’t helping enough on Jackson and Bane,” said Booker, “and then helping too much on other guys we shouldn’t. That was a point of emphasis for us in the second half.” Relatively speaking, at least, the Suns did get it together, allowing a respectable 48 points after being bled for 69 in the first 24 minutes of play.
That’s where it all starts for D-Book, who emphasized the importance of communicating as a unit: “I always like to hang my hat on the defensive end. I think if we can do that…the rest of it will take care of itself.”
Both Phoenix stars commented on the inconsistency of their defensive and offensive performances. “Got to put it together,” Durant concluded.
For his part, Booker is fed up with the way the team has played.
“Frustration level is high,” admitted the four-time All-Star. “We’re all competitors in here and we realize these games are going to cost us at the end of the season. You want to do your work early, pre-all-star break, before it comes down to the nitty-gritty.”
With Phoenix sub .500 and currently outside a play-in spot, the time is now for a squad with pre-season title aspirations to find their footing.
Woes Won’t Be Fixed with a Single Solution
Booker has had, for him, a substandard season, scoring 24.7 PPG on 42.9% from the field, to go with 6.5 APG. His FG% is his lowest since 2017-2018. Coming off injury against Memphis, he went 4-20 for 16 points, though he did drop nine dimes.
Durant, meanwhile, was balling in Booker’s absence, which coincides with the Suns’ six-of-seven losing streak if you count the game in which he was injured. Naturally, KD’s shot volume is up; in that time frame, he hoisted more attempts than he had all season on four different occasions. His 32.1 PPG elevated his season average to 27.7. In what is mostly a typical year for the all-time great, he is shooting 51.2% overall and 41.1% from deep.
He has turned the ball over at times, notching eight giveaways twice during the streak.
Despite his overall numbers, Durant put the onus on himself: “I just got to be better.” He didn’t have a bad game on Tuesday night, sinking 11 of 19 shots for 29 PTs, along with 10 REB and 6 AST while turning it over three times.
This is a team riddled with problems: injuries, ball security, an 18th-ranked defense, and levels of effort and execution that vary nightly. Durant said he “doesn’t get frustrated over injuries,” and that “you can’t complain over stuff you can’t control,” but Booker, Beal and himself have combined for 32 missed games. Health continues to be a concern for a superstar core accounting for $149 million on the payroll.
Phoenix has three days off before visiting Indiana on January 4–the teams’ last matchup was the game Booker got hurt. At this point, fans should just pray for health and that Booker’s comment about costly losses does not prove clairvoyant.
Leave a Reply