Buying or selling early trends of the 2019-20 NBA season
4. The Phoenix Suns seem good?
If consistency was a word used to describe the Phoenix Suns this decade, it was for all the wrong reasons. The once proud and respected franchise became a bottom feeder in the NBA standings and a laughing stock league-wide.
Since Devin Booker was drafted in 2015, Phoenix has registered no more than 24 wins in each of his four full seasons. This includes just 19 last season despite the presence of No.1 overall pick Deandre Ayton.
A new head coach in Monty Williams along with the addition of guys like Ricky Rubio and Dario Saric — among others — was destined to make the Suns look different, but nobody knew in which direction that would be.
"I think everyone in this city feels what's going on!" -Devin Booker on the win. pic.twitter.com/l0LD7jtxoI
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) October 27, 2019
Across three early games in 2019-20, the 2-1 record is encouraging, but it does little to highlight the superb level of basketball the team is currently playing at.
An opening-night battle against the Sacramento Kings resulted in a 124-95 victory. Next was a back-to-back set against two of the best in the west in the Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers, where the Suns lost by one in overtime to the former and claimed victory by eight against the latter.
Their offensive rating ranks fourth and the defense a promising 13th, but now is not the proper time for a coronation.
Optimism and energy are plentiful in the early stages of the season, but the same can’t be said in the draining months of January, February and March. Until Phoenix can maintain this level of play over a prolonged stretch, it’s best to temper any wild expectations about what the Suns could accomplish this year.