On April 29, 2024, in the first round of the NBA playoffs G4, the Suns lost to the Timberwolves 122-116, thus being eliminated with a total score of 0-4. After the game, the internal contradictions of the Suns gradually surfaced. Among them, Durant expressed dissatisfaction with his personal role in the team, often being placed in the bottom corner, and the team's offensive tactics did not play to his strengths well. When it comes to the leadership of the team, Durant and head coach Vogel have different opinions. At the same time, Durant offered some opinions about Booker's performance in a post-game interview, which caused Booker's displeasure. Booker believes Durant has no right to question his role on the court and the way he plays. These issues show the tension between players within the Suns, as well as their differences in the execution of their tactics.
Durant's dissatisfaction with the tactical role
In the NBA, every player wants to play to their strengths on the offensive end, and Durant is no exception. However, Durant is reportedly unhappy with his offensive role with the Suns, especially when he is often placed in the bottom corner. As a player with great scoring ability, Durant can't make the most of his offensive prowess in the bottom corner, which makes him look a little struggling on the court.
For Durant, he's eager to play a more important role on the offensive end than just as a corner shooter. He wants the team to adjust their tactics so that he can make the most of his area of expertise. Only in this way can he better help the team to win, while also satisfying his passion for the game and desire to win.
Controversy over the leadership of the team
In basketball, leadership is a factor that cannot be ignored and can help teams find the direction of victory in key moments. However, the Suns seem to have some disagreements over leadership. According to reports, Durant believes that the current leader of the team should be the coach, while head coach Vogel believes that Booker, Beal and Durant are all leaders of the team. This differing perception of the team's leadership may be one of the reasons for the internal conflicts.
For a team, a clear leadership structure is very important. If players and coaches have different understandings of leadership, it can lead to poor tactical execution and affect the overall performance of the team. Therefore, for the Suns, solving the problem of leadership and finding a leadership structure that can be accepted by everyone is the top priority at the moment. Only in this way will they be able to work better together in future matches and work together for the team's victory.
Durant's friction with Booker
In team sports, tacit understanding and mutual understanding between players is crucial. However, there seems to be some friction between Durant and Booker according to reports. In a post-game interview, Durant offered some opinions about Booker's performance, which caused Booker's displeasure. Booker believes Durant has no right to question his role on the court and the way he plays.
This friction may be due to the two stars' different understandings and expectations of the game. As key players for the team, both Durant and Booker need to find a common rhythm on the court in order to better lead the team to victory. To solve this problem, they need to communicate more deeply to understand each other's perspectives and needs in order to find the best way to coexist. Only in this way will the Suns be able to play their best in future games and achieve their common goals.
Problems with the execution of the team's tactics
In basketball, in addition to the individual abilities of the players, the tactical execution of the team is equally crucial. Speaking about the Big Three's teamwork, Booker said that while the team has plenty of firepower, details and run-ins are crucial to the victory. He emphasised that the team cannot rely solely on talent, but needs to improve the overall performance through more coordination and detailing.
For the Suns, if they want to stand out in the heat of the game, they need to strengthen their tactical execution and improve the team's overall understanding. This not only requires the players to maintain a high degree of consistency in the game, but also requires them to constantly run in and familiarize themselves with each other's playing styles and habits. Only then will they be able to perform at their best in key moments and bring more wins to the team.
Editor's spicy comment: The Suns' loss in the playoffs this time has exposed the team's internal problems. Durant is unhappy with his role in the team's playbook, and this kind of conflict between the individual and the team, if not properly resolved, will affect the performance of the entire team. At the same time, the leadership controversy and the friction between the players also showed the team's shortcomings in team building. Basketball is a team sport and players can only reach their highest potential if they can understand, support and cooperate with each other. Hopefully, the Suns can learn from this failure and strengthen internal communication and team building to better meet the challenges ahead.