Phoenix Suns: 3 best things from season so far
By Jono Perilli
Aron Baynes’ hot start
Before Aron Baynes‘ fantastic season, he was known for the guy who was always getting posterized. Whether it was getting dunked on by Ben Simmons, Ja Morant or James Harden, Baynes wasn’t given good attention by casual fans, but some people applauded him because he’s attempting to at least block the dunk.
In some eyes, this period of dominance was initially a blessing in disguise. With the Suns aiming to make a playoff spot, Suns fans were completely heartbroken to find out that Deandre Ayton had been suspended for 25 games for testing positive for a banned substance. This whole situation was a mess for Suns fans, it’s never great to lose one of your best players. Yet, Suns fans would be gaining a new star in the absence of Ayton.
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In a period of eight games, when Baynes was given the majority of Ayton’s starting minutes. Baynes took those minutes and shined like a superstar, playing like a dominant big-man. Whether it was on the defensive end or on the offensive end, Ayton made a fortunate and fantastic relationship with the Suns’ backcourt, showcasing an impressive pick-and-roll strategy that was successful.
Whatever he was doing, it was leading the Suns to a brilliant start.
Over the dominant period of Baynes’ start, fans were speculating whether Ayton should be the starting big over Baynes, which sounds a bit ludicrous now, but could’ve been debated over back in December. Baynes’ impact was phenomenal, to say the least, he was taking the league by storm.
But unfortunately, injuries would play a serious part for the rest of the season, and Baynes would be sidelined for most of the season due to lingering left hip soreness. This would lead to him losing his starting minutes to the returning Ayton, thus ending the miracle story of Baynes, for now.
It was an exciting start for the Suns, who had hope. In fact, we all had hope in Baynes to finally have a breakout year, especially after playing for three other teams prior to this season. Though it was a fantastic period of time for the big-man, it’ll most likely be one of the final times we’ll see Baynes in such a dominant form.