The Suns have had a rough start to the season, with frequent injuries to their Big Three of Durant, Booker and Beal, problems both defensively and offense, and dismal performances from their bench players that have left fans disappointed.
Durant's mood has also taken a hit, and he is frustrated with the current state of the team. Woj broke the news that Durant's frustration could be felt within the Suns. The superstar was unhappy with the team's line-up mix and lack of help.
The big trade between Durant and Beal didn't have the desired effect, but instead made the team's bench depth weaker. The Suns had to sign some base-salary players to fill the void, but the performances of those players were unsatisfactory.
What's wrong with the Suns? Do they have a chance to get back into contention, and how should they solve their dilemma?
Injuries and illnesses are plagued
The Suns' Big Three of Durant, Booker and Beal are the core of the team, and their form directly determines the success or failure of the team. However, they have rarely been able to play at the same time this season, which has had a huge impact on the team's attack and defence.
Beal has played in just seven games for the Suns this season. He was plagued by a back injury at the start of the season, making just three appearances in the Suns' first 22 games. However, after recovering from a back injury, Beal suffered an ankle injury in the third game of his comeback and was sidelined for another two weeks.
Durant and Booker are also not fully healthy, both have a history of injuries and have been sidelined this season. Durant ripped his Achilles tendon in 2019 and played an average of 45 games in the seasons since his return, and he also missed four games. Booker played in just 53 games last season and missed several games earlier this season with an ankle injury.
Injuries to the Big Three have affected both the team's offense and defence. According to Cleaning The Glass, the Suns are scoring 138.8 points per 100 offenses when all three are on the floor at the same time, compared to 30.8 points when they're not on the floor. However, it is important to note that due to injuries to the Big Three, this statistic is based on a sample of 49 attacks only.
Even with Durant and Booker on the floor, the Suns' offense is still sharp, scoring 124.1 points per 100 attempts, showing elite offensive prowess. Obviously, when the Suns' Big Three stay healthy, they are able to win games with a powerful offense.
However, the team's problem is on the defensive end, which ranks 19th in the league in defensive efficiency (115.4) and ranks 16th in the league in points conceded at 114.5 points per game. Even if Beal is healthy, he may not be able to solve the team's defensive woes, as he was not known for his defensive skills during his time with the Washington Wizards.
The offensive stalled
The Suns' offense, while supported by the Big Three, has some problems. Their attacking style is too one-dimensional, lacking teamwork, and their offensive efficiency is low.
Especially this season, Durant and Booker are both at the top of the list frequency. Durant played 18.2 percent of the Suns' offense single-handedly, while Booker played 14.5 percent of his offensive rounds with singles. Still, they shot 41.5 percent and 40.0 percent from the field.
While both Durant and Booker have the ability to beat any opponent in the league, relying solely on singles is not the way to victory in the playoffs. Past NBA champions have proven that a balanced use of individual and team passing strategies is the key to maintaining constant pressure on the defensive end.
Given the Suns' current roster of players, their strategy of relying heavily on one-on-one offense may be unavoidable, but that doesn't mean it's the best option. To achieve better results, the Suns need to find a more balanced point between singles and teamwork.
The Suns' offense has stagnated not just because of their over-reliance on singles, but also because of their lack of teamwork. They rank low in the league in both passes and assists, which speaks to a lack of fluidity and creativity in their offense. Their offense tends to have only two modes: either Durant or Booker single-handedly, or they attract packs and pass to open teammates. This kind of attack is easy to be broken by the opponent's defense, and it is not possible to give full play to the abilities of other players.
The Suns' offense needs more variety and flexibility, and they need more pick-and-rolls, runs, passes, and space development to allow everyone to participate in the offense, rather than just standing in the corner waiting for a shot. They need more trust and sacrifice to let the ball flow more in their hands and not stay in someone's hands. They need more patience and intelligence to look for the best attacking opportunities instead of rushing. Only then will they be able to improve their attacking efficiency and play more graceful and threatening attacks.
Insufficient bench depth
Another problem for the Suns is that they don't have enough bench depth and their bench players are sluggish and unable to provide effective support to the team. With the exception of the Big Three, the support of the other players was clearly lacking. With the exception of Gordon, the bench players averaged extremely low points on the court, with no one averaging more than seven points per game. This situation led to a serious problem, and when Durant and Booker were off the court, it was difficult for the Suns to maintain the score or extend the lead.
| Players | score | backboard | Assisting | 投篮ヒット点 | Three-point shooting percentage |
| Eric Gordon | 13.2 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 45.7% | 38.5% |
| Josh Okogie | 6.3 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 39.8% | 25.9% |
| Drew Eubanks | 6.2 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 59.3% | 100% (2 shots) |
| Jordan Goodwin | 6.0 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 36.8% | 29.9% |
| Diop | 5.2 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 39.8% | 25.0% |
Obviously, these benches are nowhere near enough in terms of scoring, rebounding, and assists. In particular, their shooting and three-point shooting percentages were generally low, which seriously affected the Suns' overall performance. To solve this problem, the Suns must find new ways to improve bench depth to ensure the team remains competitive at all times.
Possibility of change: With the trade deadline approaching, will the Suns make a big move?
The Suns are currently facing a dilemma: their bench players are miserable on the court, their Big Three can't stay healthy, their record has slipped to 10th place in the West, and their playoff hopes are slim. In such a situation, will they make some big moves before the trade deadline to change the status quo of the team?
Beal's return will undoubtedly give the Suns a significant boost to their offense, but that alone won't be enough to solve the core problem of their lack of roster depth. The Suns are now on the brink of a precarious situation, and they must carefully consider the impact of Beal's return on the overall strength of the team and avoid making hasty decisions in a hurry.
While Beal's return won't guarantee a solution to all problems, it will at least help the team better understand their shortcomings and look for targeted strategies for improvement. At the same time, they also need to be cautious so as not to waste their precious draft picks.
As the trade deadline approaches, every move by the Phoenix Suns is in the spotlight. In the highly competitive Western Conference, other teams are actively looking for trade reinforcements, and the Suns naturally can't sit idly by. Change is a matter of time.
However, the biggest suspense is how the Suns will respond to this challenge and what strategy they will adopt to turn things around.
#2023年度创作挑战#