LOS ANGELES — “Irritating.”
It was the term multiple Suns used on Sunday afternoon to characterize their defeat against the Lakers. And their period.
“It’s exasperating.” “We demonstrate that we can act appropriately at times, but there are moments when we fail to do so,” Booker stated.
Inconsistency has characterized the Suns this season. Phoenix entered Sunday following a standout performance, having secured a victory against Sacramento on Friday night, which gave them the opportunity to close to half a game behind the Mavericks for the 10th seed and the last play-in position in the Western Conference. The Suns faced a depleted Lakers squad that had just returned home after a lengthy road trip on the East Coast. Everything was arranged perfectly for the Suns.
And they appeared flat. The fatigued Lakers launched a 23-2 run in the first quarter to gain a lead of up to 20. Although Phoenix narrowed the lead to single digits several times in the fourth quarter, the outcome never seemed uncertain (Los Angeles triumphed 107-96, a match Luka Doncic dominated on his way to 33 points).
Phoenix started the game ice cold, shooting just 6-of-21 overall (28.6%) in the first quarter and only 1-of-10 from beyond the arc, causing offensive frustrations to permeate all areas of play. It also affected Kevin Durant while he was on the bench.
“I believe we perform well when we’re hitting our shots,” Booker stated. “We need to discover a method to persevere when the offense struggles and continue to rely on the defense.”
Suns’ defensive struggles
Phoenix has struggled with its defense throughout the season — they rank 27th in the league for defensive rating, and in their last 10 games, that defense has allowed 3.5 more points.
“I believe defensively is one of the aspects that stands out,” Coach Mike Budenholzer stated while addressing why the Suns have been challenging throughout the season. “We simply lack defensive strength.” “We need to discover a method to improve in that area of the court.”
Although the defense is the most apparent source of issues, the Suns’ problems extend beyond just one half of the court. This team is not just one simple solution away.
“I believe it’s not just one thing; I believe it’s several things,” Booker stated. “And simply internally, at times, we demonstrate that we can achieve it.” That’s what adds to the frustration even more. After a game similar to [Friday’s victory over Sacramento], we start off by missing several shots, impacting our defense, which in turn impacts our offense immediately afterward, creating a domino effect.
“As long as you invest energy and effort into your activities, you can rest peacefully at night no matter what.” “I don’t believe that we’re currently doing that.”
Upcoming alterations this summer
The Suns assert that they are not surrendering in this season.
Phoenix trails the significantly undermanned and faltering Dallas squad by 1.5 games for the last play-in position, which the Suns should be capable of securing. Although Phoenix would need to secure victories in two away games to move from the No. 10 seed into the playoffs—where they would face Oklahoma City in the first round—the Suns are not intentionally losing games. (The Suns lack control over their own draft pick, which is a factor; unlike Philadelphia, they have no incentive to give up.)
“There’s still 18 games remaining…” Budenholzer remarked, unaware that the true count for Phoenix is 14. “We must make it to the play-in, we have to reach the playoffs and attempt to achieve something there.” Our locker room has a wealth of talent. There’s plenty of spirit in our locker room. We need to enter, then play quality basketball and secure victories, but first, we must begin winning to reach that point.
Regardless of the outcome in the pursuit of the No. 10 seed, significant roster changes are anticipated for the Suns this summer — an overpriced roster in league history failing to make the playoffs will prompt that.
Phoenix and Kevin Durant are anticipated to collaborate in securing him a new destination through a trade. The Suns are expected to receive valuable draft picks in that trade and might include one (or two) with Bradley Beal and his contract to explore the possibility of his trade (Beal maintains a no-trade clause but is willing to discuss a potential move this summer). It has only been one season, yet Mike Budenholzer’s position is not secure.
Things may appear changed, but don’t anticipate a renovation. The strategy, as stated by owner Mat Ishbia, is to “rebuild” the lineup around Booker and position him as the main attraction.
Suns supporters are optimistic that this strategy proves more effective than what caused this disappointing season.