The culture in Phoenix is changing. You can feel it. I’m receiving text messages from people who haven’t watched the Suns play since the Nash era, and although some are weary of the fair-weather fan, I’m all for it. Jump on the bandwagon. Put on your purple and orange. Tune in, show up, and support this team. The Valley Boyz need to see that their hard work and dedication to a defensive brand of basketball equates to an arena full of loud, rowdy fans. So again, let me lend you a hand, lift you onto this bandwagon, and give you a teeth cracking cold beer. We might only be 7 games into the 2019-2020 campaign, but optimism is everywhere. Let’s enjoy it.
Last night the Phoenix Suns played host to the only undefeated team left in the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers. Earlier on the first Monday in November the Suns received little love from ESPN’s newest Power Rankings (#17, the lowest of any 4-2 squad), they saddled up to play ESPN’s #1 darling. Yes, Philly was without the service of Joel Embiid, as he was serving the second game of a two-game suspension. The Suns were still without their suspended center as well, for DeAndre Ayton isn’t expected back until December 17. The battle down low would be between two ex-Celtic teammates, Al Horford and Aron Baynes. They certainly did not disappoint.
THE FIRST HALF
In years past, the Suns would come out cold, the opposing top-ranked team would drill a couple of wide-open three’s, and by halftime you’d be questioning the coaching staff’s ability to get this team up for a big game. Igor, Triano, Earl…I never had faith that these coaches knew how to motivate a team. Granted, the talent this season is different, but so is Monty Williams’ usage of said talent. We’ve had bigs in the past: Alex “I’ve Got Bricks For Hands” Len, Dragan “I’ll Just Hang Out Over Here in the Corner” Dragic, Marquese “Airball Dunk” Chriss. Did they have talent? I think so? But they do not have the hustle, drive, and intensity possessed by Super Dario, Frank the Tank, and Aron “Red Beard” Baynes. And Monty knows how to draw these attributes out from these players. The first half was a great back and forth game against Philly, with Aron Baynes going 5-5 from the field (2-2 from downtown) and Devin Booker scoring 13. At the half the 76ers were up 61-55, thanks in part to a non-offensive foul call on Al Horford which led to a 3 just prior to the half.
THE SECOND HALF
Devin Booker began to heat up in the 3rd, and if it weren’t for foul trouble, his 16 points in the quarter would’ve been more. The whistles continued to pierce the air throughout the quarter, and with 6:09 left, Philly was on the foul line. Mid-way through the 3rd, the Suns faced a Catch 22. Either our intensity will take a back seat to avoid putting them on the line, or they’d live there due to our intensity. This was a key moment in the game. How would Phoenix respond? By getting all up in their grill!
Things began to get chippy as Ricky Rubio and Matisse Thybulle tussled, resulting in an offensive foul. The Suns kept putting themselves in position to receive the offensive foul calls, and soon the fast-paced game became a tit for tat free throw shooting affair. Frank Kaminsky ended the quarter on a rough run, hitting 1-4 from the line, and letting the shot clock expire on him with less than a minute to go. Regardless, the Suns gained ground, and trailed by one going into the 4th.
The Suns opened the 4th with our Sixth Man candidate Tyler Johnson hitting some keys shots. The Suns continued to fluster Philly by drawing offensive foul after offensive foul. On a day in which Ricky Rubio released a profoundly personal article pertaining to the struggle she felt as he lost his mother to cancer, his actions on the court mirrored the strength of his personality. Rubio can’t hit the three ball? 2-2 from downtown in the 4th. He played the entire quarter, scored a team high 12 points, and took a key charge with 1:28 left in the game with the Suns up by 4. Ricky is fast becoming one of my favorites, as I am accustomed to having stellar point guard play in Phoenix (KJ, Kid, Steve Nashty). Yes, there were other stars in this game that shined bright, but Ricky’s play in 4th was something we have been missing for a decade.
Even as Devin Booker garnered his 5th foul (on a call that was challenged, and somehow upheld #bullshit), the Suns passion continued. The foul was the changing point. Immediately following a missed free throw, Book went down the court, put up a left-handed layup, and was fouled for an and 1. The “MVP” chants arose and echoed throughout Talking Stick Resort Arena. This contested left-hander was Devin Booker’s 6,000th point and was a microcosm for how he earned the previous 5,999: a passionate struggle, a desire to win, and angry. Devin has lost for a long time in Phoenix. He has been through coach after coach, role player after ole player. In a moment in which he could have folded to the bad officiating, he didn’t. He attacked. And in doing so, he sealed a victory for the Suns.
FINAL SCORE: Phoenix Suns 114, Philadelphia 76ers 109
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Devin Booker: You’ve got to give it D Book. Against a top-ranked opponent, he scored 40 points on 15-19 shooting, 3-4 from 3PT, and 7-7 from the line. I have always been a critical fan of Devin Booker. In the stagnate offenses of prior years, too often Booker would try to take over the game and everyone else would stand and watch. “Booker Ball” I like to call it. It’s different this year. He scored 40, and it was an easy 40. The last time he scored 40 points was March 30, 2019 against Memphis (48). He had to put up 29 shots to do so. Those extra 10 shots are going to other members of the team, and the victories are thoroughly a team effort. I’m happy to see Devin play at an elite level against elite competition.
MY THOUGHTS
It’s safe to say that this ain’t last year’s Suns. Philly is a good measuring stick, as their team is built similarly to the Suns: they have length and physicality. This is a well coached, professional team the Suns defeated. They have All-Stars, a Rookie of the Year in Ben Simmons, and a veteran big in Al Horford. I haven’t even mentioned 6’8” PF Tobias Harris. He may have scored 24, but only 4 in the 4th. My point? The Suns stepped up to the plate, played 48 minutes, and defeated a worthy opponent. There was crisp passing (something that drove me bonkers last season…the lazy passes), hustling to the boards, boxing out, and getting under their skin. All of these little things add up to one big thing: a W.
It was interesting, especially in the first half, that the Horford vs. Baynes match up bled out to the three-point line. Rather than an overly physical paint war, these mammoths were dropping dimes for three-point range. Baynes has really surprised me with his range, which leads me to one very important question:
Is this team better without Ayton?
The rumblings are starting, but I believe the answer is an easy, “No”. Ayton is a double-double machine. Aron Baynes is playing fantastic, which is what this team needs, and will continue to need, to be successful until December 17. The beauty of this is t takes pressure off of Ayton upon his reinstatement. He won’t need to come in a try to get this team some wins. We come back in, provide depth around the basket, and we will be better for it.
#17 my ass ESPN…