Phoenix Suns 2013-14 Player Grades: P.J. Tucker

Highlights:

When Tucker brought his A-game, the Suns became that much more deadly and surprising. On Dec. 15, the Suns eked out a four-point win against the Golden State Warriors because of Tucker’s terrific defense on Stephen Curry that could have tied the game with 23 seconds to go. Just a few weeks earlier, he held James Harden to 14 points on 3-of-17 shooting (0-for-10 from downtown) while posting his own impressive stat line of 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Tucker’s best game of the season, however, came in Phoenix’s most epic win of the year that came against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Apr. 6. Goran Dragic’s late-game heroics and Gerald Green’s 24 points off the bench stole the spotlight, but Tucker chipped in a career-high 22 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, to help the Suns reclaim the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference playoff race. He added seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks while shooting 7-of-9 from the floor. The Suns would go on to lose their playoff spot, but it was a tremendous night that showed just what kind of player P.J. Tucker is blossoming into.