The Phoenix Suns, who have the three superstars of Booker, Beal and Durant, although they passed the playoffs in a thrilling way, faced the strong third-place Timberwolves in the West, but suffered an embarrassing two-game losing streak in the first round of the playoffs. I thought that the Suns would be able to cope with it with their rich experience in the competition, but they didn't expect to make mistakes at critical moments. If the first-round defeat can be attributed to Edwards' extraordinary performance, the second-round fiasco is entirely the Suns' own problem.
Former Suns star Ross Barkley was unrelenting in his point of view about the team's problem: management has been unable to effectively address the shortcomings of the point guard position. The ripple effect of this problem has resulted in the lack of a consistent playmaker on the offensive end, and head coach Vogel has had to rely too heavily on the Big Three to act as both initiator and finisher. The excessive consumption made the Big Three look tired during the game, with inaccurate shooting and injury problems one after another. In such a state, how can the Suns talk about competing for the O'Brien Trophy?
Despite the difficult situation, Barkley's heart still hangs on his old club. In front of the screen, he cheered on the Suns, who had lost two games in a row, and wisely pointed out that Vogel should abandon the positional warfare dominated by the Big Three and embrace a fast-paced offensive tactic. After all, against the tall Timberwolves, sticking to half-court positional battles will only highlight the Suns' shortcomings. In the absence of a blue-collar center that stands out, the Suns are struggling to protect their rebounds. In order to escape the shadow of that embarrassing history, Suns management must make decisive decisions, speed up at the right time, and reverse the passive situation on the court by increasing the number of quick counterattacks. However, although this can solve the temporary difficulties, it is not the key to the transformation of the team. What the Suns need is not only tactical adjustments, but also spiritual awakening of the players.
Durant, the 35-year-old superstar on the court, shone in the regular season, averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5 assists per game, enough to make any opponent fearful. However, basketball is a five-a-side sport, and it is difficult for one person to turn things around. His teammates didn't seem to be able to play alongside him, and Beal's injury was a haze that affected the team's tempo, and he only played 53 games for the team, which was undoubtedly a major weakening of the team.
And point guard Booker, as Kobe's protégé, should have shown an extraordinary demeanor on the court. His performance was decent, and even caused a lot of controversy off the field. On the eve of the playoffs, he was still paying attention to the beautiful anchors and talking about some unsightly topics. Such behavior not only damaged his personal image, but also brought unnecessary negative impact to the team. In this dilemma, Booker's functionality becomes particularly important. He needs to juggle his playmaking duties as a defender while remaining aggressive. Luckily, he lived up to expectations, averaging a career-high 6.9 assists per game.
However, despite the increase in personal data, the situation for the team has become increasingly difficult, and the two point guards, both of whom are highly skilled but do not seem to have a deep understanding of the core of the point guard role. Under their guidance, the team's performance at both ends of the pitch became more and more stretched, like a ship lost in rough seas. This tense atmosphere permeates the team, as if it is a time bomb that could detonate at any time. Durant, the future Basketball Hall of Famer, has not expressed his desire to stay with the Suns management. Once the team loses in the first round of the playoffs, who can guarantee that he will not choose to leave this rough sea and find a new shore?