A ‘healthier’ Tyler Ulis playing better ball for Phoenix Suns

PHOENIX – Finish strong.

It’s an often-repeated phrase by both coaches and players alike, regardless of their current standing late in a season.

For the Phoenix Suns, whose standing is at the very, very bottom of the NBA, finish strong applies more to the individual player than the collective group; the latter of which is expected to undergo a major overhaul in the offseason.

One such player is point guard Tyler Ulis.

“Very important, especially going into the summer,” he said, referring to the final seven-game stretch. “Last year going into the summer I had (ankle) surgery so this year I want to finish off strong and then be able to work the entire summer, come back ready and whatever happens next year.”

Ulis’ contract says he’s signed for 2018-19 and 2019-20 though neither year is guaranteed. In other words, like so many of his teammates, Ulis is auditioning, whether for the Suns or one of the other 29 teams in the league.

Talk about timing.

Ulis is playing some of his best basketball of the season. His 19 points in Monday’s game against Boston was a season-high. In addition, he had eight assists (versus four turnovers), five rebounds, one steal and one block shot in 30 minutes.

Ulis played so well that interim head coach Jay Triano stayed with Ulis rather than turn to starter Elfrid Payton in the fourth quarter. After the game, Triano called Ulis “our best point guard tonight.”

The effort Ulis put forth continued his solid run of good play, pushing his streak of scoring in double figures to a season-long three straight games. Over this stretch, he’s averaging 14.7 points on 51.4 percent shooting and 6.3 assists.

“First of all, he’s healthy, healthier,” Triano said of the difference in Ulis recently. “He can move better than when he had that back issue. Ability to get in the lane, make two guys play, distribute if they don’t, score, using screens very well.”

Around the All-Star break, Ulis was hit with a low back spasm. It lingered, forcing Triano to look elsewhere for point guard-help. Over an 11-game stretch from Feb. 10-March 8, Ulis missed 10 games, including three in which he was inactive.

Ulis could no longer be counted on, which had already slowly begun due in part to ineffective play. It was a far cry from what the Suns saw a year ago, when following the All-Star break Ulis ranked third among rookies in scoring average, first in assists per game and fourth in steals per game.

That Ulis, whom the Suns drafted 34th overall and signed to a four-year contract, may be reappearing.

“I feel like now I’m back to…being a lot more healthy and I can tell by my movement. I’m able to do a lot better,” he said.

It’s been most evident with how Ulis is shooting the ball. Against the Celtics, he went 7-of-12 from the field, with all but one good shot attempt made outside the paint. His mid-range game was on target, hitting from 10, 16, 19-and 21 feet out plus a pair of 3-pointers.

Additional performances like that and Ulis might find himself more a part of the Suns’ future.

“I feel like I’m being more patient, allowing my bigs to step up and get a hit on guys (set a screen) and….being more aggressive,” he said. “Just playing free. Playing with confidence.”

A lot of losing

As the season nears its end, the Suns are closing in on some rather dubious marks.

Their current 12-game losing streak is one short of tying the single-season franchise high, while two more losses with match the club’s longest losing streak overall.

Then there’s their inability to win at home. They’ve done so just nine times. In the inaugural season of 1968-69 the Suns won 11 games, setting the low-water mark. This season’s Suns have four home games remaining.

The Suns, though, are building. They knew there would be growing pains.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with outcome. I really believe that,” Triano said, when asked if he’s concerned about the losing permanently affecting a young team.

“We’re focused on the process and be very good with the process, more times than not the outcomes take care of themselves. I think when you starting thinking outcome you lose focus on the process. That’s the challenge and that’s the mental toughness part of it. Stay locked in to what we’re supposed to do.”

Triano pointed to three fourth-quarter possessions late in Monday’s game in which the Celtics capitalized on Suns mistakes, helping Boston secure the win.

“Not that we were going to come back from down 10 but that made it 15, 16 and that’s too big hill to climb. And that’s the part that we focused on today: Be solid with what we’re supposed to do throughout the course of a game,” he said.

Alex Len now hurt

The number of Suns injured players grew by one on Tuesday, when the team listed center Alex Len questionable to play Wednesday against the L.A. Clippers because of a left ankle sprain.

Guard Devin Booker (right hand sprain) and forward T.J. Warren (left knee inflammation) are also considered questionable, though Triano cast doubt to their availability.

“I don’t know, but I would say probably not,” he said.

Booker has missed the last five games and Warren the last four.

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