Vinny’s View: Clippers game spotlighted Suns’ lack of size
Should the Phoenix Suns find some bulk and size before the NBA trade deadline? A loss to the Clippers hinted that might be needed.
Watch: Vinny's View: The weirdest stat line posed in Phoenix Suns history | 7 mins
Cue up the Twilight Zone theme song, because the Phoenix Suns’ 117-93 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers was weird.
It’s not a new development that the Suns are undersized on most nights, and that was certainly the case Sunday against the Clippers, who had Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez on the floor together for large stretches.
The way the Suns have combatted their lack of bulk is with hustle, relentlessness and shooting.
The effort was there, but the shooting wasn’t. Actually, that’s not even totally accurate.
They shot the three just fine, hitting 19 of 46 attempts. Inside the arc was nightmare territory. The Suns hit only 12 of 47 shots from two-point range.
That’s the fewest twos they’ve hit in a game EVER. And it’s not like the Clippers have tremendous shot blockers — they rank 19th in the NBA in blocked shots and had just three blocks in the game. The attempts just weren’t going in.
You want more weirdness? The Suns had the second-lowest point total in NBA history for any team that has made 19 or more threes. They became only the second team in league annals to hit 19 or more threes and commit five or fewer turnovers and lose a game. They were outrebounded by 28 — only the 11th time since 1968 that’s happened to a Suns team.
Ok, weirdness aside — the Suns didn’t play well on Sunday, but a 3-2 homestand with consecutive wins over Detroit and Cleveland is a huge plus.
Devin Booker should be back very soon — maybe Tuesday night — from his ankle sprain. Jalen Green? Who knows? But his run of rotten injury luck has to be running out, right?
Sunday’s loss did remind all of us that this team, as lovable as it may be, is incredibly small even in today’s positionless basketball era.
It’ll be interesting to see what GM Brian Gregory can pull off in trade discussions to try to give the Suns some bulk, because they need it if they truly want to make noise in the postseason.
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Comments
11 Comments
They need to make any move(s) focused on two years from now. They aren't winning a ring this year or next. Royce may make sense this year to try to stay 6th to 8th in the race and for Ott to prove he can coach. I wouldn't move Dunn or Fleming, in two years Royce will 34/35 and a bench guy (either he or Grayson). Assess those guys then and react accordingly. High side for either is a solid starter, rotation guy, low side? dump them. Royce won't be starting in 2 years, at least he shouldn't be. He can be the 3 and D dude off the bench, Make moves looking at the roster of 27/28 or 28/29.
I think they have a lot riding on Fleming developing.
"Or Jordan could have matched size by playing Mark and Oso while Lopez and Zubac were on the floor together?"
Playing Ighodaro and Williams together possibly would’ve helped on the defensive end. It would’ve only created more problems for the Suns offensively, though.