Suns continue to progress in preseason play despite another loss
Dec 19, 2020, 12:12 AM
Phoenix Suns forward Jalen Smith (10), center Deandre Ayton (22) and forward Mikal Bridges (25) helps guard Devin Booker (1) up during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns will finish the preseason 0-4 after a 114-113 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, but for the most part, they got what they were looking for in the last two games.
After the starters found some flow Wednesday that was missing in the pair of Utah games, the core players hit another gear on Friday, at least in the first half.
The Lakers mounted a comeback through best player in the world-level play out of Anthony Davis in the third quarter of a game the Suns led by over 15 points for in most of the first half.
“The offense is starting to find a pace and a rhythm,” head coach Monty Williams said after the game. The coach noted he felt the team got better as the preseason went on.
Chris Paul was a late scratch from the starting lineup and was replaced by Jevon Carter, where Williams continued the successful stint from Wednesday of Devin Booker running the offense. Booker said after the game he thinks it’s a good look in spurts, one in which he is just hoping to have the offense gelling as much as it does when Paul is on the floor.
He accomplished that again on Friday. Booker had 15 points in the first quarter and finished with 27 in 28 minutes.
Devin was NICE in that half! pic.twitter.com/ZDVBRZsbgE
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 19, 2020
Carter played off-ball, continuing his success from the bubble of being a much better 0.5 player in the offense by making quick decisions with the ball. When he does that while hitting 3s and being the usual nuisance defensively, that’s a valuable piece off the bench. We sure saw that full package on Friday. Carter had 12 points, four rebounds and a team-high of six assists and four steals.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 19, 2020
Williams has seen that 0.5 progression in Carter.
RELATED STORIES
“He’s learning to make the right pass quickly,” Williams said. “For him to have those kinds of assist numbers was huge for us, especially on a night when you’re missing Chris.”
Because of Paul’s absence and Dario Saric missing the entire preseason, there were no real clues to be found when it comes to how Williams’ rotations are going to look. E’Twaun Moore didn’t play, with Cam Payne taking the on-ball duties for the second unit and Langston Galloway playing off him. Williams said that was about getting Galloway a longer look after Moore got a healthy 16.9 minutes per game over the first three.
In the frontcourt without Saric, it continues to be Damian Jones at the 5 and rookie Jalen Smith playing power forward.
There was a bit more emphasis in the second unit having motions run for second-year wing Cam Johnson, including some moments where it looked like the design wanted him to even create off the dribble.
Outside of that, however, we’ll learn a whole lot more on that front in the team’s season opener on Wednesday at home against the Dallas Mavericks.
BRIDGES’ “BUTT BONE”
That’s what Williams called what Mikal Bridges landed on in the first quarter.
Mikal fell down awkwardly and was slow to get up. pic.twitter.com/MUdgbFeXfV
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 19, 2020
It was a scary fall that had Bridges stay put for a good minute before he walked with trainers to the locker room. Bridges came back in the game in the second quarter and finished with 10 points, two rebounds, five assists and three steals in 27 minutes.
Williams said they’ll know more tomorrow while Bridges said with some rest in these few days off that he’ll be ready for opening night.
Bridges would say that for almost any type of injury like Friday’s, though, as he hasn’t missed a game in his NBA or college career. That takes a certain type of mentality, one he credited to his alma mater Villanova. Updates will come in the following days but the safe bet is Bridges starting Wednesday.
