How The Phoenix Suns Became Fun Again

Chriss’ Defensive Improvements

To this point, we’ve hardly mentioned Phoenix’s top two picks in the 2016 NBA Draft, Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Though guys like Ulis and Williams have stolen the show recently, Chriss’ improvement — especially on the defensive end — should not go overlooked.

Though this 19-year-old rookie is still prone to falling into early foul trouble, and though he leaves much to be desired as a rebounder (4.0 rebounds per game since the All-Star break), he’s made strides on the defensive end, where he looked incompetent for the first half of the season.

Against the Celtics, for example, Chriss recorded five blocks — the highest total for a Suns rookie in a game since Amar’e Stoudemire — and forced the late-game turnover that led to Tyler Ulis’ game-winner.

Watson has not been shy about comparing his players to NBA greats, and his frequent calls for Chriss to be this team’s Draymond Green felt outlandish just a few weeks ago.

And yet, with Chriss making a concerted effort to add weak-side rim protection to his game, suddenly it doesn’t seem so outrageous to suggest this moldable ball of clay who has only played basketball for a few years could become a versatile defender.

"“We talk about that a lot,” Watson said. “He understands his goal is to one day be Defensive Player of the Year. That’s a real goal for him and he understands that and I think he is capable of doing it. He can guard 1 through 5. He can play above the rim and he’s still learning, so we’re excited about his growth defensively. He took that to heart last game. He’s now declaring himself as a shot blocker, but he has to do it every game, every night.”"

Since the break, Chriss is averaging 11.3 points, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per game, shooting an encouraging 56.1 percent from the floor and 45 percent from downtown. His potential as a stretch-4 is tantalizing at this stage, even as he takes his lumps on the other end trying to guard some of the game’s best frontcourt players.

However, this trial by fire appears to be paying off in stretches where Chriss blocks Boston’s crafty leading scorer on a fast break and later forces a late turnover that leads to his teammate’s game-winner.

The Draymond Green comparisons are a bit much at this stage, but with 10 technical fouls to tie Devin Booker for the most on the Suns and eighth most in the league, perhaps it’s not as far out of the question as we once thought.

"“I’m gonna be my own person,” Chriss said. “I’m going to do what I need to do to help my team win and if it’s doing something that gets the team fired up I’m fine with that. I think that’s the thing that our team has is we’re real chippy and we’re edgy and we don’t back down from anybody.”"