Phoenix Suns: 3 keys to staying alive this postseason

How the Phoenix Suns can survive in the NBA playoffs: Role players must step up

The wing shooters that Phoenix would like to rely on when its stars are absorbed in double coverage have been missing in action through three games. Even in the team’s Game 1 win, the trio of wing contributors — Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Johnson — for just 28 points on 10-of-29 shooting. Crowder alone, in total, is 2-of-20 from deep in this series. They’ve been rendered all but useless thus far; Phoenix has next to no hope if that continues.

There’s almost no “key” here, other than… well, don’t miss open shots. At least not at the rate they’ve done so far. And though the Lakers have done themselves a big favor by taking away most, if not all of Phoenix’s space on jumpers that otherwise might be perceived as “open,” plenty of their opportunities have come while the shooter had space. 10 of their misses could be considered “open,” if not “wide open,” and for three regular offensive stalwarts, not to mention pure shooters throughout the season, to disappear when they’re likely to be relied on most is a death sentence.

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“I mean, it’s a bunch of our guys who aren’t shooting well,” Monty Williams said after Game 3. “Cam Johnson was 1-for-6, and we’re not getting Mikal [Bridges] enough shots. It’s important to space the floor for Book, Chris, and [Deandre Ayton] to have those guys making shots, so we’re due. That’s the part I’m looking forward to is we’re due to have a breakout game shooting the ball.”

Bridges and Johnson have yet to have a game where they received the shots they’ll need in order to create, let alone a breakout one. But Crowder may very well be the biggest disappointment. A consistent vet and relatively consistent marksman, his last foray into the NBA playoffs was with the Miami Heat in last year’s bubble. You may recall his performance in the Eastern Conference Semifinals — he shot 43.1 percent from beyond the arc, a blistering 22-for-51, absolutely walloping an otherwise intimidating defensive team. But against the Lakers in the Finals last year, he faltered. This is his opportunity to rebound. If he doesn’t wake up soon, he’ll have slept right through another humiliation.

Pick your cliche: couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat? Couldn’t hit air if they jumped? Wouldn’t know… uh, something if it hit you in the face? They all fit here. The Crowder-Bridges-Johnson trio is running out of time to rewrite them.