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Phoenix Suns: The Search For Consistency

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 31, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) during the fourth quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Suns won 101-90. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) during the fourth quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Suns won 101-90. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Oct 30, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Mason Plumlee (24) dribbles the ball against Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler (4) at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Trail Blazers 110-92. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

Defense

If it weren’t for the Phoenix Suns’ newfound proclivity on the defensive end, we might be talking about how they’d be winless right alongside the New Orleans Pelicans.

“We want to be more aggressive defensively,” Hornacek said at Media Day. “We already told the guys that the offense has kind of driven the defense the last couple of years, we want to try to reverse that.”

So far, that’s certainly been the case. While the Suns’ offensive rating of 97.5 puts them at 22nd in the NBA, they’re only surrendering 97.9 points per 100 possessions — the 11th best mark in the league. With Tyson Chandler and Alex Len manning the middle, the Suns always have a rim protector, rebounder and fast break instigator on the court.

Thanks to that luxury of having two starting-caliber centers, the Suns are averaging the second-most rebounds in the NBA right now at 50.2 per game. The Suns have been a surprisingly underwhelming shot-blocking team, but they still rank sixth in steals per game as well.

As Phoenix proved in that very odd Clippers game, this team can hang around with anybody as long as they’re committed to the defensive end. With Chandler or Len manning the middle and strong, long and versatile defenders like Eric Bledsoe, P.J. Tucker, Brandon Knight and even Sonny Weems and Ronnie Price on the perimeter, this defense has the makings of a top-10 unit.

“We’re still kind of working at the offense part of it, and that’ll get better as time goes on,” Hornacek said. “The big focus has been defense. I think our guys have done great these last four games. Going to what our goals are and different parts of the defense that we’re focusing on, we’re seeing improvements. So that keeps you in games.”

However, it’s worth noting that just like every other aspect of this team, the Suns have been prone to bursts where they look unstoppable and lulls where they look downright disinterested. There was no excuse for Bledsoe and Knight to be completely outplayed by the likes of Deron Williams and Raymond Felton in the season opener, but it happened.

Funnily enough, the Suns’ backcourt duo responded to that embarrassing performance by shackling Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in back-to-back wins, which look even more impressive now that Portland’s two guards are lighting everyone else up.

Unfortunately, all that progress was quickly undone when Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope tore the Suns apart in the fourth quarter Friday night, ultimately putting the game away for the Pistons with penetration and a couple of key buckets.

The Suns are only giving up 40.0 points in the paint per game, the sixth lowest figure in the league, so the interior defense has been consistent. It’s on Phoenix’s guards to bring the defensive intensity every night in order to best the backcourts they should and stop being outdone by the ones they shouldn’t.

Next: The Lack Of A Go-To Guy

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