Vinny’s View: Suns get right behind spark from bench

When you’re a struggling NBA offense, what’s the best remedy?

Of course, it’s a visit from the media darling Los Angeles Lakers. It certainly worked for the Phoenix Suns, who knocked down 22 three-pointers, including one from Royce O’Neale with 0.9 seconds left to lift his team to a 113-110 win at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Yes, O’Neale’s shot — and his putback bucket with 35 seconds left — loomed large in this win. But the origins of victory came in the third quarter. The Suns came out flat as a board and head coach Jordan Ott used his second timeout of the half less than four minutes into the quarter after an 11-0 Lakers’ run. He went to the bench and the unit of Grayson Allen, Oso Ighodaro, Jamaree Bouyea, Amir Coffey and rookie Rasheer Fleming turned the game around. They’d play the remainder of the quarter and melted away a deficit that was as big as 13 points.

And man, was that a needed win. The Suns still don’t have Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks and Jordan Goodwin remained sidelined. Phoenix has floundered since the All-Star break, mostly on the offensive end, so to see 113 points on the board Thursday night was a pleasant surprise.

Not everything is great. Jalen Green continues to struggle. He shot 27% from the floor and had as many turnovers as baskets. He made one three out of his seven attempts — and that was an end-of-the-shot-clock banked-in prayer in the second quarter. He continues to look out of sorts as he works his way back from a long battle with a pesky hamstring injury. Mark Williams didn’t play a second once he was lifted in Ott’s line change in the third quarter and his struggles continue.

With four days off, the hope is that Booker can return in time for Tuesday night’s game in Sacramento and if that happens, the darkest days of the Suns’ season may be behind them.

Vince Marotta has been the Phoenix Suns’ PA announcer since 2016 in addition to his duties as co-host of Bickley & Marotta. On weekdays after Suns home games, you can listen to Vinny’s View on Arizona Sports 98.7 at 7 a.m. or read what he saw from the front row at Mortgage Matchup Center here.

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