Monty Williams’ frustration shows in presser after Suns’ loss to Grizzlies

PHOENIX — In a run of seven straight games against teams below .500, Phoenix Suns fans were hoping to see at least some version of their squad from the start of the season that has since dwindled away.

The Suns have become one of the worst defensive teams in the league all while losing fluidity and shooting worse offensively.

In the first seven minutes of Sunday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, we got that 7-4 team again. It was like seeing an old friend.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stick, and the Suns continued to look like a team more likely to finish with a win total in the 20s than the 40s during a 121-114 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Frustration seems to have reached a tipping point for the team. Head coach Monty Williams made a short statement after the game and did not take questions.

“Until we learn how to play the right way consistently, we’re just going to have a lot of nights like this. That’s the deal,” he said. “Until we learn how to play the right way consistently and follow a gameplan, we’re going to play well one night, then we’re gonna have nights like this.

“Gonna play well one night, have nights like this. Gonna play well one night, have nights like this. Until we learn how to play the right way and follow a gameplan consistently, we’re going to have these nights.”

Phoenix had no answer all night for Jonas Valanciunas, which is odd considering it started centers Aron Baynes and Deandre Ayton together for the second straight game.

That’s part of where you can guess there was an issue following instructions, as Valanciunas had 30 points on 16 shots.

Ditto for the Grizzlies’ first-half barrage from three-point range of 11-for-25.

That matched a strong offensive start for the Suns as well, who trailed by five.

Phoenix mostly played well in the first half and it seemed like a matter of who would make more shots in the second half, but the Suns started to crumble under the relentless pressure of buckets from the opposition.

More errant turnovers, uncreative offensive possessions and defensive gaffes came in the third quarter, and with it a lead as big as 21 for Memphis.

Things got weird in the fourth, where the Suns got it down to one possession with under a minute to go, but the Grizzlies held on.

Three-point shooting was an issue again, with the Suns shooting 6-for-26 (23.1%) while Memphis was 18-for-42 (42.9%).

Ayton did plenty well in his first stint on the floor but the story for him continues to be consistently doing it over a game, and then building off that into stretches of the season. His mid-range jumper wasn’t falling all night and he finished 7-for-14 shooting for 14 points with 12 rebounds and four assists.

Devin Booker was terrific again, extending his streak of scoring at least 30 points to six games, with 40 points on 20 shots with six assists.

There wasn’t much help for him, though. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 17 points but shot 6-for-18, Ayton couldn’t provide the secondary scoring punch either and Ricky Rubio’s impact wasn’t felt through nine points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals.

Dario Saric was once again inexplicably out of the rotation, playing only six minutes because of foul trouble for Ayton.

The energy in the third quarter was similar to what Phoenix played with in the last meeting between these two teams, a 115-108 loss on Dec. 11 in which the Suns admitted they didn’t show up.

To have that happen twice within a month against a team that is now 15-22 says a lot about where the Suns are and Williams’ anger.

They are not a good team in a funk, working its way back from injuries and missing players. They are a bad team still trying to find its identity, as evidenced by the drastic starting lineup switch.

There’s still plenty of time left in the season for that to change and for a young team to grow, but it’s unfortunately where they’re at as a mystifying Western Conference playoff picture continues to allow some hope within reach.

Ah, yes, and wasting the star performances from their 23-year-old franchise player as the rumblings of concern from the fanbase over his current happiness come back into the fold.

“It’s some figuring out that we have to do,” Booker said. “And hopefully we can do that sooner (rather) than later. I’ve been here 4 years and you want to get things going early to make the season a lot better and a lot more fun.”

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