Vinny’s View: The Suns look how pundits expected them to look last year

It is not hard to diagnose why the Phoenix Suns are not winning basketball games. That doesn’t mean there’s only one reason for the losing either.

All of the Suns’ warts were on display Wednesday night in a 132-119 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, so I guess we’ll break it down in terms of size of wart. We’ll go biggest to smallest.

Where is the defense?

The Suns, who have been dreadful on that end of the floor early in the season, give up a season-high 132 points. You’re not going to win many games in the NBA routinely allowing that many points.

Deni Avdija had 21 on the night, which is below his season average, but he dished out 12 assists. Half of those started with dribble penetration and a simple kick-out pass to the wing or the corner to an open 3-point shooter.

Nobody the Suns tried could slow him down on the perimeter, and once he collapsed the defense, nobody in a Phoenix uniform could close out effectively on the shooter. Portland’s shooters were prepared to launch when the ball got to them, most notably Jrue Holiday, who hit five from deep.

Based on the room the Blazers had on 3s, it appears the Suns’ strategy right now is to hope for a miss.

Where is the desire?

Outside of a competitive first quarter that saw the Suns build a five-point lead, it was not present.

The home team allowed 43 points in the second, 75 over the second and third. That second quarter started with a 24-9 Portland run that seized control of the game.

Once the Suns fall behind, climbing back isn’t likely because they aren’t getting stops often enough.

It wasn’t a great game for Jalen Green, but at least he showed some late-game offensive aggressiveness with a series of drives in the fourth quarter. It was almost like somebody reminded him he’s the best candidate to do that.

And I know the fan base is clamoring for Green to head to the bench, but Collin Gillespie has done nothing so far this season to show that he should be in the starting five.

Luke Kennard played 14:09 of basketball and did not attempt a shot. That’s not good, that can’t happen.

Right now, the Suns don’t look anything like the team that found its footing and won a surprising 45 games last season. They look like the team all the pundits expected them to be a year ago, and that’s a little bit concerning at this point.

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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