In the NBA's playoff arena, the importance of defense cannot be overstated. The scoring feast of the regular season often turns into a defensive contest in the playoffs, and those teams who rely on offense in the regular season often find that scoring is no longer so easy in the playoffs, while the opponent's scoring is difficult to contain.
The Suns, the powerhouse that swept thousands of troops in the regular season, seem to be following in the footsteps of the Nets and becoming the "paper tigers" in the playoffs.
The defensive test of the playoffs, the weakness of the Suns
It's common sense in basketball that the playoffs are much more defensive than the regular season. However, the Suns don't seem ready for that. Faced with the Timberwolves' iron-blooded defense, the Suns' Big Three — Durant, Booker, and Beal — were collectively lost. In the regular season, they were known for their offensive firepower, but in the playoffs, their scoring efficiency dropped dramatically, and their shooting percentage and scoring were not as good as they could have been.
The Timberwolves' defensive barrier is difficult for the Suns to overcome
The Timberwolves, the league's most efficient team in the regular season, showed more defensive dominance in the playoffs. They have a number of defensive giants in their roster, such as Gobert, Reed, Mike Daniels, etc., and their defensive ability is among the best in the league. In the face of such a defensive barrier, the Suns seemed powerless, not only unable to break down the opponent's defense, but even their own scoring became a problem.
The Timberwolves' defensive stalwart, the nightmare of the Suns' Big Three
With the Timberwolves defending, the Suns' Big Three seemed to be in a nightmare. Although Durant is still able to score good statistics, his scoring efficiency has dropped significantly compared to the regular season. Booker and Beal are even more out of form, with their shooting percentage and scoring dropping sharply. In stark contrast is the Timberwolves' young player Mike Daniels, who has been a big surprise for the Timberwolves with an excellent performance on both offensive and defensive ends, averaging 17 points + 7 rebounds per game and shooting 54.2% from the field.
Towns' defensive awakening, the Timberwolves' interior security
The Timberwolves' interior big man Towns also shines on his defensive performance in the playoffs. During the regular season, he ranked 36th in the league in defensive efficiency, and in the playoffs, he improved to 24th in the league. This kind of defensive awakening provides a solid interior guarantee for the Timberwolves, and also makes it more difficult for the Suns to attack.
The Suns' predicament, the Nets' lessons from the past
The Suns' predicament is reminiscent of the Nets of yesteryear. In the regular season, relying on the strong single-handed ability of Irving, Harden, and Durant, the Nets' offensive firepower was unparalleled in the world, but in the playoffs, their defensive problems were infinitely magnified, which eventually led to the team's exit. Now, the Suns seem to be following in the footsteps of the Nets, whose offense can't break through the Timberwolves' defense, and their own defense can't stifle their opponents' scoring.
summary
In the NBA playoffs, the importance of defense is self-evident, after all, defense is what wins championships. The Suns, a team known for their offensive firepower during the regular season, struggled in the playoffs for their defense. In the face of the Timberwolves' iron-blooded defense, the Suns' Big Three were collectively lost, and the team's scoring efficiency dropped significantly. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, made it difficult for the Suns with their strong defense.
The Suns seem to be following in the footsteps of the Nets and becoming the "paper tigers" in the playoffs, and the first round will be a high probability event. On the NBA playoff stage, only teams that can play well on both ends of the floor can go far. If the Suns want to break through the predicament, they will have to make changes on the defensive end, otherwise they are really just following in the footsteps of that Nets team, and the luxury roster is likely to be broken up again.