Trends to the Suns’ 3-2 stretch: Alex Len, defense and stability

For the first time in a long time, the Phoenix Suns haven’t fought with change.

There have been no distractions, no trade deadline, no rotation changes. Over the past five games, there’s finally been stability.

Interim coach Earl Watson has stuck with a starting lineup of Alex Len, Tyson Chandler, P.J. Tucker, Devin Booker and Ronnie Price. The bench has used given steady minutes to Mirza Teletovic, Jon Leuer and Archie Goodwin, with spot minutes being handed out to John Jenkins and Phil Pressey.

All that stability has helped the Suns go 3-2 over their last five games — this followed a 3-30 stretch — after Phoenix’s 109-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, their second victory against the Grizz in two tries.

It’s the Suns’ first winning streak since early December.

Phoenix has gotten over an uncomfortable and ugly four-game stretch following the Markieff Morris trade, and Alex Len is chief among the positive trends for the Suns during this recent span.

Alex Len shotchart (last 5 games)

Len, who is averaging 20.4 points and 14.4 rebounds over his last five, has taken to his role as the first offensive option. Though his shooting percentage, 42 percent, doesn’t sizzle with efficiency, those attempts have given opponents worry and given rise to a competent Suns offense.

The positives from Len have led to brighter days for rookie guard Devin Booker.

Booker struggled out of the gates following the team’s trade of Morris, shooting 26 percent overall and 33 percent from three in the first four games following the All-Star break. As Len has gotten revved up, Booker’s opportunities to free himself from opponents’ attention have grown.

Opposing defenses have collapsed and Len’s interior touches have reinvigorated his younger teammate.

. @DevinBook from somewhere near the concession stands. Catch the 2nd half of #SunsAtGrizz on @FOXSPORTSAZ! pic.twitter.com/E2eJHAW6kk

— #WeArePHX (@Suns) March 6, 2016

The starting lineup has even surprised as a positive on the plus-minus scale and a plus-7.9 net rating.

Defensive production has been the first reason for that.

The lineup is holding opponents to 91.6 points per 100 possessions in 17 minutes per game over the last five games. Overall, the Suns have held opponents to 42 percent shooting and are allowing opponents to score at a rate of 104.6 points per 100 possessions, an improvement on the 107.3 defensive rating that ranks second-to-last in the league for the entire year. In the last three wins, Phoenix twice held the Grizzlies to 40 percent shooting and once held the Magic to 35 percent a game ago.

In their three wins, Phoenix has also gained a clear advantage on the glass, and Len’s five straight double-doubles is partially responsible. It’s helped that P.J. Tucker has increased his rebounding rate, too, and perhaps that the Len-Chandler twin towers lineup has provided length, even at the sacrifice of offensive spacing.

Phoenix is bringing reinforcements.

Brandon Knight is expected to return soon, and the expected signing of swingman Chase Budinger will give the Suns another mid-range threat coming off screens to draw attention away from Len and Booker.

That will shake up the status quo, challenge Watson to integrate them and give opponents more to think about.

As is, the Suns still enter most every night with a razor thin margin for error, and games like one within this five-game stretch that hasn’t been mentioned, a 34-point loss to Charlotte, may pop up again.

But for the first time this season, it feels like the Suns aren’t in a full-out backpedal.

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