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Phoenix Suns: 5 Early Season Takeaways

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 16, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) walks off the court after being ejected from the game during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 120-104. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) walks off the court after being ejected from the game during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 120-104. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Nov 2, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (11) high fives guard Eric Bledsoe (2) during the second half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Trail Blazers 118-115. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

3. The Offense Is Severely Flawed

Surrendering 106.3 points per 100 possessions, the Suns currently rank 25th in the NBA in defensive rating. However, that’s to be expected when half your team is under the age of 23, your starting center is an aging 34-year-old and hardly any of your players are defensive stalwarts.

The more concerning problem in Phoenix is an offense that operates under the guise of being fast-paced and high-powered. Sure, the Suns rank eighth in points per game (107.9), but it’s only because they’re leading the league in pace (104.78).

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    • Dig a little deeper and you’ll notice that the Suns’ offense isn’t very potent at all. Phoenix ranks 21st in offensive rating (101.3 points per 100 possessions) and 18th in field goal percentage (44.5 percent).

    One of the underlying reasons? Watson has yet to install an actual offense that doesn’t just rely on the shot creation of so many ball-dominant scorers. There’s a reason the Suns rank 29th in assist percentage (47.8 percent), 29th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.23) and 27th in assists (a measly 19.3 per game).

    Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight have always been scoring point guards, Devin Booker’s up-and-down sophomore season has been primarily due to the Suns giving him the ball and clearing out to let him do his best Kobe Bryant impression, and T.J. Warren is another midrange aficionado.

    Despite having so many “capable” shooters, the Suns are also trending away from the direction of a league that demands floor spacing and three-point threats. Phoenix ranks 28th in three-point shooting (31.5 percent), 26th in three-point attempts (22.4 per game) and 29th in three-point makes (7.1 per game).

    The Suns’ defensive woes have been just as problematic in their 4-11 start, which is to be expected of such a young team. But a quick glance over to a similarly inexperienced group in L.A. finding early success serves as a painful reminder that Phoenix probably didn’t hire Watson for the X’s and O’s.

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