Phoenix Suns’ offense emerges following difficult road trip

Jan 17, 2014, 12:03 AM | Updated: Jan 18, 2014, 12:25 am

PHOENIX — The offense had been MIA.

Their shooting touch deserted.

Fastbreak points? Non-existent.

Then the Los Angeles Lakers arrived and all became well once again in Suns land.

OK, maybe it wasn’t that simple.

The Suns, though, took advantage of two things Wednesday when they dropped 121 points — their second-highest total of the season — on their L.A. rivals to end a three-game losing streak: The home court advantage (the Suns are 13-5 at US Airways Center) and the opponent (the Lakers, on their sixth different point guard, have now lost 12 of 13).

“Offensively we scored points, but then again, the Lakers aren’t the greatest defensive team out there,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said.

“They don’t play good defense,” Goran Dragic added. “We can get everything we wished for in that game.”

He’s right.

The Suns broke out of an offensive funk, shooting 49 percent, their best effort in 12 games and light years ahead of how well, or rather, how poorly they shot (a combined 39.5 percent) on the just completed road trip.

“It’s basketball. The ball is round, so sometimes we’re going to have a good shooting night and sometimes no,” Dragic explained.

In addition, the Suns tied a season-high with 37 fast break points (the league’s No. 1 fast break team averaged 12.2 points while traveling through the polar vortex last week) and set a season-high with 64 points in the paint against the Lakers.

“I thought we did a better job of pushing the ball and getting it inside to our bigs early. That’s what we want to try to do,” Hornacek said following a brief practice Thursday in which Leandro Barbosa did not participate as he continues to recover from a sprained right shoulder.

Unfortunately, the Suns don’t play the Lakers, whom they’ve beaten four straight times dating back to last season, every night.

No, a much tougher challenge awaits Friday when the Dallas Mavericks visit.

Dallas (23-17, percentage points behind the Suns) is coming off a 129-127 road loss in L.A. in which the Clippers overcame a 17-point deficit in the final five minutes. Before then, Dallas had won four of five.

The Suns are 1-0 against the Mavericks this season, winning in Phoenix last month, 123-108. It was a season-high in points thanks to their fourth-best shooting performance (51.2 percent) that included a season-high tying 15 three-pointers. Eric Bledsoe accounted for three threes, scoring a game-high 25 points.

He remains out indefinitely after right knee surgery. The Suns are 6-8 without him.

“I think for us, we’re constantly learning and adapting,” Channing Frye said. “It was a tough trip, but we’re home now and I think it’s a time for us to really get our grit back in our game.”

 Los Angeles Lakers' Jodie Meeks (20) dunks as he gets past Phoenix Suns' Gerald Green, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Los Angeles Lakers' Jordan Hill, middle, loses the ball as Phoenix Suns' P.J. Tucker, left, tips it away while Suns' Channing Frye (8) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Phoenix Suns' Alex Len, left, of Ukraine, knocks Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young (0) to the ground for a flagrant foul as Young attempted a layup during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. Both players were ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young, second from right, gets into a scuffle with Phoenix Suns' Marcus Morris, left, and other Suns players, as Suns' Markieff Morris (11) and Lakers' Ryan Kelly, second from left, arrive for the fracas during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. Young and Suns' Alex Len were both ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young, right, has words with Phoenix Suns' Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris, rear, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. Young was ejected from the game along with Suns' Alex Len. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Phoenix Suns coach Jeff Hornacek, left, gets an explanation from referee Tom Washington after a scuffle resulted in the ejections of Suns' Alex Len and Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young picks up a towel on the team bench after getting into a scuffle with Phoenix Suns players during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. Young was ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young, left, is escorted from the court by security after being ejected following a scuffle with the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. Suns' Alex Len was ejected from the game for a flagrant foul. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Phoenix Suns' Miles Plumlee (22) hangs from the rim after dunking as Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol (16), of Spain, watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)  Phoenix Suns' Miles Plumlee (22) hangs from the rim after dunking as Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol (16), of Spain, watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns

Chris Paul #3 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns celebrate after defeating the Minnesota Timb...
Kellan Olson

Phoenix Suns claw to scrappy win in Kevin Durant’s home debut

Kevin Durant's home debut did not go the way anyone expected but the Phoenix Suns were still able to get an important win.
1 day ago
Devin Booker #1 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns stand on the court during a timeout form t...
Dan Bickley

Suns victory over Timberwolves outweighs celebration of Durant’s home opener

The Suns forged a collective triumph on a night that began as a celebration of one, beating the Timberwolves 107-100.
8 hours ago
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards ...
Arizona Sports

Kevin Durant drops 1st bucket at home for Suns in win vs. Timberwolves

Kevin Durant started and dropped a turnaround jumper over Minnesota Timberwolves F Jaden McDaniels from the left shoulder.
1 day ago
Incoming Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia claps during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Foo...
Character Counts

Suns owner Mat Ishbia, fan team up to give away suite tickets

New Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia is finding a new ways to ingratiate himself with the community by teaming up with fan, Andrew Leezus.
1 day ago
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after scoring in the second half against the Chicago Bu...
Arizona Sports

Suns’ Kevin Durant will return Wednesday vs. Timberwolves

Phoenix Suns GM and president of basketball operations James Jones said he expected Kevin Durant to play Wednesday against the Timberwolves.
1 day ago
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on...
Kellan Olson

Devin Booker’s lifelong dream of Nike signature shoe reportedly on horizon

Devin Booker's completion rate on his bucket list puts just about all of us to shame. A signature shoe with Nike is the next box to check.
1 day ago
Phoenix Suns’ offense emerges following difficult road trip