Phoenix Suns: Biggest strengths and weaknesses for 2017-18

Weakness No. 1: Making offensive possessions matter

Playing at a fast pace is one thing, but actually putting those extra possessions to good use is another thing entirely. Though the Suns ranked second in Pace and ninth in points per game, their offense was actually ranked 22nd overall thanks to an underwhelming 103.9 offensive rating.

The reason? The Suns weren’t particularly good at setting up teammates or taking care of the ball.

Averaging 19.6 assists per game with a 49.1 assist percentage, Phoenix ranked 29th in the NBA in both categories. Though Tyler Ulis did an admirable job racking up assists when the Suns made him the starter and shut down Bledsoe, for most of the season, this team operated without an elite playmaker or much of an offense to put players in the right spots to be successful.

Related Story: Phoenix Suns - Complete 2017 offseason grades

Phoenix’s high turnover rate further exacerbated the problem. The Suns committed the fourth-most turnovers in the association at 15.4 per game, and their 1.27 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked dead last.

Snagging rebounds, pushing the tempo and getting easy buckets are great ways to win games, but the Suns were often playing at a breakneck pace without the playmaking, offensive sets or ball control to actually capitalize on them.