Thanks to Monday night’s 113-112 defeat, the Phoenix Suns have now lost three of their last four games and four of their last six. Technically speaking, they’re currently in a skid. Injuries (and one non-injury absence) have undoubtedly played a role in the Suns struggling to establish their identity, but their most recent loss painted a pretty clear picture — for better and for worse — of where they are right now. Following a game that came down to the final possession, and really shouldn’t have, let’s take a look at a few tough love lessons for the Suns, as well as a few undeniable positives. Tough Love Lesson No. 1: The free-throw disparity continues In a one-point game that…

The last few years have provided endless discussion about which player should be the first, second and third options on the Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker put the debate over first option to bed last year, establishing himself as the alpha. CP3 settled comfortably into the second spot, leaving the fanbase to argue over Deandre Ayton or Mikal Bridges for the designation of third fiddle. These conversations may seem pointless, but heading into the season, with Paul being 37 and taking an intentional step backward, there were legitimate questions about whether Ayton or Bridges should step up as the second option. Games like Wednesday serve as a reminder that an aggressive Mikal Bridges can end that debate rather quickly. Facing the…

Week by week, the Phoenix Suns have suffered blow after blow to their depth. What was once a strongest suit thanks to general manager James Jones’ 3×5 “index card” approach to team-building has become a glaring weakness, due to calculated mistakes over the summer as well as circumstances beyond the Suns’ control. Starting Cam Johnson over Jae Crowder would’ve zapped...

It was never going to happen overnight, but even before Jae Crowder’s trade request, Cam Johnson was meant for the starting job. He was always poised to thrive in that role on the offensive end, and although it’s taken him a few games to find his footing, the early returns look promising. Tuesday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves put all of that leaping potential on full display, calling back to something coach Monty Williams predicted a few weeks back. “Starting games every night, that’s going to be something that is different, but I think he welcomes that,” Williams said. “I think he’s wanted this for a long time. I’m sure there’s going to be an adjustment, but it’s not like…

Wednesday marked JaVale McGee’s sixth annual Water For Life Charity Softball Game, but it also gave several Phoenix Suns the opportunity to be out in public together for the first time since their season ended. The night before the 2022 NBA Draft, with free agency set to follow in about a week, there were a few lingering, unpleasant questions to...

There are many hallmarks by which to judge an NBA head coach. Championships are the most basic, followed by the win-loss column. But one thing typically holds true: Great coaches are known for having an effective system, while elite coaches are able to adapt their preferred playing style to fit personnel. Consider Year 4 of Monty Williams’ tenure with the...

When the Phoenix Suns play like they did Tuesday night, they reach a peak that no other team in the NBA can match. They just haven’t done it consistently enough during these 2022 NBA Playoffs. For the second straight series, the Suns found themselves deadlocked at 2-2 through the four games. For the second straight series, they were met with...

DALLAS — For the second time in these 2022 NBA Playoffs, the Phoenix Suns find themselves in a 2-2 dogfight. But after a second straight underwhelming performance on the road, they need to rediscover their identity on both ends of the floor. Game 3’s 103-94 loss to the Dallas Mavericks was easy to chalk up as an aberration. The Suns...

Despite being the NBA’s top seed and winning a league-leading 64 games, the Phoenix Suns looked less like themselves during their first-round playoff matchup. Devin Booker’s absence for three games had a lot to do with it, but the New Orleans Pelicans tested them in that six-game series. Heading into the Western Conference semifinals, the Dallas Mavericks may be a...