Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images Phoenix struggles, but outlasts Hornets to improve to 2-1 on the road trip. A win is a win. The Phoenix Suns need to stack them in order to make their move in the Western Conference standings. Still, when you are playing a depleted Charlotte Hornets team, given the level of talent Phoenix possesses, you expect more. The Suns won last night but posted only 107 points. A timely third quarter spurt provided the Suns with a bump in scoring that they desperately needed, but the other three quarters were underwhelming in a few capacities. Garnering the win was the goal. Check that box off. The goal within that is reestablishing good habits and building momentum headed to Milwaukee was not accomplished. Context of the second night of a road back-to-back certainly has to be applied, especially with the Celtics being in the front end of that. However, the Suns will need to rekindle that two-way sharpness that spanned the second half against Cleveland, and the first quarter vs Boston, in a sustained manner. Here are a few of my quick-hitting takeaways. 1.) Charlotte's Three-Point Woes Persist Coming into last night’s game, the Charlotte Hornets were last in three-point percentage post-All-Star Break, at 31.8%. Additionally, they were 27th in three-point makes per game, at 11.2. Them going 2-for-22 in the first half wasn’t an anomaly or much of a surprise. Neither was them finishing 6-for-37. Having the three-point line as an anticipated weakness for an opponent lends itself to plenty of room for error, which Phoenix needed a bit of tonight. Tonight’s efforts, albeit understandable considering the schedule context and point in the season even more, will have to be entirely sharper and crisp the rest of the way. Nonetheless, wins are accepted regardless of how they look, it’s all about just getting them and they were able to do just that, handily. 2.) Nurkić Dominates the Glass Jusuf Nurkić is second in the NBA Post All-Star Break in rebounds per game, at 15.2 — narrowly outdone by Sabonis (15.3). The tone he continues to set in the paint and on the glass cannot be overlooked in the Suns' process. He’s now at four games with 20+ rebounds after the break and has five on the season. Having an elite rebounder that is able to end possessions as often as either he directly, or his presence, enables the Suns is invaluable. 3.) Complexity in their Simplicity There’s been plenty of conversation regarding the Suns and their offensive approach. Questions about why certain actions haven’t been run as frequently as they were in the previous rendition, if Kevin Young is actually good, etc. Though I understand the cause for questioning, my consistent answer has been patience — and yes Young is very good at his job. Those known actions (77/Double Drag, Spain Pick-and-roll, Elbow Pick-and-roll, etc) are still at the team's foundation and can be reintegrated whenever they desire, because of that. Experimenting with new ways in which they can flow into offense, rep those actions out against a multitude of opponents as well as gather film, then add those in addition to the known base, and now you have a much more diverse and robust offensive process — that’s now multifaceted. The goal in compiling the pieces for them here has been to add more unpredictability to their attack, and to be able to put opponents in conflict in a blend of ways, that’ll keep opponents in compromise come playoffs. Birthed into hat has been plenty more false action and misdirections, small-small pick-and-roll with ghosting and slipping to attack switches, play off the Splits with Nurkić, Empty 2-man play with Nurkić (or O’Neale), ram screen play out of stack — they’ve added to the process and while it hadn’t been pretty in stretches, those reps were needed for the overarching goal of diversifying the attack. The all-inclusive unpredictability of attack to come will be beneficial for keeping opponents on their toes, and keeping the Sun in position to dictate to them. Read and react elements for them and the reps that have persisted in it as well, are invaluable. Sets and actions will be game planned for, and taken away, as they were against Boston. They need to build in that dynamic of their offense. Combining movement, with the read and react, as well as the known actions and ones they’re sure will hold two to the ball — that’s a bevy of offense. Given the pieces in dynamic that they have that constantly tug at opponents’ defensive decision-making and general thought process — layers — there’s so much complexity in their simplicity. Beal bringing the "Waldo" to action now, in Mann. Notice Beal playing with the screen angle leading into itShort-roll for Beal & he beats the rotation to the corner — now Durant has a close to attack
All 3 touch the ball on the possession pic.twitter.com/M8cxRPR4DQ— Stephen PridGeon
(@StayTrueSDot3) March 16, 2024 Simple action, in a small-small pick-and-roll with Booker and Beal, made complex because of their spacing (with both wings cleared), how the defense has to react in rotation, and who that inevitably concedes a dynamic closeout over to, in Kevin Durant — who’s enabled to play off advantage created by others. 4.) Ball Movement Phoenix had 31 assists in last night’s win. That makes for their 20th game doing so this season. In said games, the Suns are 18-2, and average just 12.2 turnovers — the equivalent of the 3rd best in the league in ball security. Up next: Game three of four on this east coast swing takes place in Charlotte tomorrow, for a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks. Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024 ... -charlotte