Suns now own record for youngest starting lineup in NBA history
Mar 23, 2017, 7:03 PM | Updated: 9:19 pm
Brooklyn Nets' Caris LeVert (22) drives past Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 23, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The NBA is no place for excuses, but the Suns’ 126-98 loss to the league-worst Brooklyn Nets (15-56) might have been more palatable with this fact: Phoenix rolled out the youngest starting lineup in the history of the NBA.
T.J. Warren was listed as out with a foot contusion before the Suns faced the Nets on Wednesday, and that left them with Tyler Ulis (21), Devin Booker (20), Derrick Jones Jr. (20), Marquese Chriss (19) and Alex Len (23) in the lineup.
That averaged out to 21 years and 14 days old.
And that was younger that all but one of the eight Sweet 16 teams playing in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
The Suns' starting 5 was the youngest in NBA history tonight — younger than all but ONE of the Sweet 16 teams playing.
(via @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/NWp7JUEyZu— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 24, 2017
It tops the previous record set by the Los Angeles Clippers’ lineup on Nov. 15, 2010, which averaged 21 years and 143 days old. Current Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe was a part of that lineup.
Booker scored 28 points in the loss — he went 9-for-26 from the field — while Chriss added 23 points to go with 11 rebounds and two steals. Ulis added 10 points, 12 assists and two steals for the Suns, who fell to 22-50 on the season.
Phoenix’s rotation reached nine players, including Jarell Eddie, who is on a 10-day contract.
Backup point guard Ronnie Price remained out with an injury, while Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Tyson Chandler have been shut down for the year as the team aims to give its young players more experience.
