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Phoenix Suns: 5 Positives From Brutal Season Opener

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) reacts in the second half against the Dallas Mavericks in the season opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 111-95. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) reacts in the second half against the Dallas Mavericks in the season opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 111-95. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) drives to the basket against Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and center Tyson Chandler (4) in the first quarter of the season opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

1. It’s Only The First Game

Perhaps a bit cliche, but let’s not jump to hasty conclusions. Even after a 16-point smackdown at the hands of a Mavs team that some are predicting to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference, the Suns are still okay.

While it’s disappointing that Phoenix spent the last few weeks talking about how they needed to approach every game like a must-win affair after dropping so many winnable games early in the season last year — only to do the EXACT same thing to start the 2015-16 campaign — it’s only one game. It’s far too early to start with the doomsday proclamations.

Was it ugly? Yes. Was it startlingly disappointing how unprepared the Suns were? Yes. But even with Phoenix clearly being a few steps behind where everyone hoped they’d be, this team has too much potential to get hung up on one dismal performance.

Don’t forget, this starting five hardly played together during the preseason, and the Suns have six new players on the roster (seven if you include Brandon Knight, who only played in 11 games for Phoenix last year).

Take a look around the league and you’ll see the Suns are still okay. Even if you want to keep a vigilantly paranoid eye on the Western Conference standings, the Mavs are the only team competing with Phoenix for one of those final playoff spots that got a win over the last two days. The New Orleans Pelicans (0-2), Utah Jazz (0-1) and Sacramento Kings (0-1) are all in the same boat.

Hell, even the San Antonio Spurs are 0-1!

The excitement of opening night can often cloud one’s judgment, and if last night’s game were any indication, fans had a hard time locating their judgment thanks to storm clouds that left everyone thunderstruck in the worst possible way. But this is a new-look team that needs time to build some chemistry before anyone lets one bad loss define the whole season.

Next: Phoenix Suns: 5 Steps To Reaching The Playoffs

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