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Phoenix Suns: Luck Is For Losers

By Michael Dunlap

Feb 8, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns center Miles Plumlee (22) reacts after being called for a foul against Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns 85-83. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns center Miles Plumlee (22) reacts after being called for a foul against Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns 85-83. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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If it wasn’t for bad luck, the Phoenix Suns would have no luck at all — but that’s completely fine — because luck is for losers. The reality of the situation is that the Suns (and the elite teams in the league) control their own fate and could have avoided leaving it up to “luck.”

After dropping another heartbreaker to the Sacramento Kings via a DeMarcus Cousins buzzer-beater (the FOURTH the Suns have suffered), the Suns would do well to look in the mirror before cursing the basketball gods for “unlucky” bounces. Let’s look at the four buzzer-beaters and you’ll see why.

DEMARCUS BEATS THE BUZZER

It’s tempting to look at this play and wonder, how does a 6-foot-11 center knock down a 19-footer under heavy contention? He’s a 34.1 percent shooting from 16 feet to the 3-point line, but that’s not what we should be looking at here.

Let’s back up a bit. The Suns trailed by 14 heading into the fourth quarter. They were sleepwalking without Eric Bledsoe (birth of child) and Alex Len (sprained ankle), but did what they always do — they fought back to take an 83-81 lead with 1:21 left.

After Cousins tied the game, Markieff Morris tried to force it and got called for an offensive foul. Another good spurt of defense from the Suns gave them another chance to take the lead. Morris missed a 10-footer, Miles Plumlee couldn’t tip it in and the Kings were left to win the game.

So, the Suns had two different opportunities to control their own destiny — and that’s what they did — by turning it over and missing a relatively easy look. Let’s back up further, to the last time the Suns got “unlucky.”

HARDEN BEATS THE BUZZER

Similar to the Cousins situation, the Suns entered the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets facing a 10-point deficit. They were down by as many as 14, with just 5:31 to play. Again, they had their backs against the wall and had to fight back just to give themselves a chance.

Phoenix pulled to within one with 26 seconds left, needing a stop to give themselves a chance to win. Instead, coach Jeff Hornacek decided to play the foul game, but unfortunately had to foul James Harden.

Harden made both, leaving the Suns down three. Markieff made a layup, was inexplicably fouled and made the freebie, tying the game at 111, with 16 seconds remaining.

As the video above shows, Harden shook P.J. Tucker and Isaiah Thomas couldn’t get over in time. Game, set, match. Was that unlucky? Or was it simply another case of Phoenix being unable to put together full games, leading to them playing against their opponents and the clock?

MIDDLETON BEATS THE BUZZER

This one was different, but the main issue remains. Instead of fighting from behind, the Suns raced out to an early lead and did a pretty good job of fending off the plucky Bucks. Phoenix led by 13 with 4:20 to go in the third quarter before this string of events:

The lead shrunk from 13 to 6, without the Suns getting off one high percentage shot. After building back to a 10-point lead with 8:03 left in the fourth, this stretch happened:

  • Isaiah Thomas bricks 25-footer
  • Markieff Morris turnover
  • Markieff Morris 14-foot miss
  • Markieff Morris offensive foul
  • Markieff Morris 3-second turnover

And just like that, it was a one-point lead. In a span of just over 3.5 minutes (from 4:06 to :42 in the fourth), the Bucks scored just four points — and actually made up two points. How did that happen? Let’s go back to the bullet points:

  • Gerald Green 23-footer blocked
  • P.J. Tucker missed 22-footer
  • Gerald Green makes two FT
  • Eric Bledsoe misses 3-pointer
  • Gerald Green missed 14-footer
  • Eric Bledsoe turnover
  • Isaiah Thomas missed 3-pointer

So…when the Suns needed to get quality shots — ideally going to the basket — they instead kept jacking up 3’s.

To be fair, the shot that Middleton made was guarded extremely well by Marcus Morris. If there was ever reason to feel bad about a shot, that’s the time. But, imagine if the Suns had that killer instinct — imagine if they had even ONE closer on the team who could get to the foul line to get easy points. This wouldn’t have even been a game.

GRIFFIN BEATS THE BUZZER

Ah yes. This we’ve seen before. The Suns entered the fourth quarter with another seven-point deficit and had to expend a ton of energy just getting back into the game. In fact, they had to get back into the game twice.

After taking a five-point lead with 7:22 left, the Suns had the worst of the worst happen. They went into one of their patented cold streaks and their opponent had two guys who know how to get to the foul line, getting easy points. Let’s look at the lowlights from a stretch of 5:20 that saw the Suns get outscored 14-4:

  • Eric Bledsoe misses 25-footer
  • Marcus Morris turnover
  • Gerald Green layup
  • Anthony Tolliver turnover
  • Alex Len miss
  • Eric Bledsoe turnover
  • Alex Len blocked
  • Markieff Morris makes two FT’s
  • Markieff Morris misses 25-footer

During that same time, the Clippers made TEN free throws and had a layup. Even with that, the Suns put themselves in position to win, holding the Clippers scoreless over the last 1:42 of regulation.

But, instead of Bledsoe getting to the basket, he did what all of his teammates would have done — he settled for a contested jumper at the end of the shotclock. Predictably, it missed, and the Clippers returned the favor by missing at the buzzer.

In overtime, the Suns held a four-point lead with 43 seconds left. One successful defensive stop or one single point on offense would have changed how the Clippers played the remaining seconds. Instead, Bledsoe got called for offensive goaltending, Goran Dragic threw up an airball that resulted in a shot clock turnover and Blake knocked down the game winner.

IT’S NOT LUCK THAT’S LOSING THESE GAMES

As with any event that we chalk up to luck, we like to look at the other side to see what “could have been.” National pundits are pointing at the Suns luck (or lack thereof) and are being painfully honest about it:

It doesn’t have to be this way. The Suns didn’t have to lose ANY of those four games. They could have taken luck completely out of the equation by simply learning how to avoid those cold stretches that they seem to be addicted to.

The old adage “live by the jumper, die by the jumper” applies here. Maybe they wouldn’t dig themselves such large holes if they worked to get better shots. Maybe they wouldn’t have to rely on the 3-point shot if they got to the free-throw line more often (and maybe they’d get better looks when they did attempt them).

The Suns have talent. They have quality coaches. They just don’t know how to win, and because of that, they’re going to keep finding themselves in these “leave it up to luck” situations. And you know what they say…luck is for losers.

Next: 25 Best Players to Play for the Phoenix Suns

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