No matter where you are in the process, losing hurts. When you drop one by a single point, like the Suns did to the Grizzlies on Wednesday night, your brain starts spiraling into the Disease of What If.
What if Royce O’Neale didn’t foul Ja Morant in transition? What if Nick Richards hadn’t launched that outlet pass to empty space? What if Booker kicked out one of those final threes? What if Khaman Malauch got a shot over Oso? What if those seven fourth-quarter turnovers didn’t turn into fifteen points the other way? You can see how it spreads, how it eats at you, until all that’s left is that sick feeling that you were right there.
That being said, there’s still perspective when you zoom out a little.
The Suns were missing two starters, and they’re still in the middle of building their base. You can see the framework starting to form. Jordan Ott is testing what works, then rolling with it. Case in point? The closing five of Colin Gillespie, Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and Mark Williams.
That group clawed back from ten down in the fourth and even took the lead for a moment. Losing still stings, but this team isn’t miles away. The execution needs tightening, and these are the aches that come with learning how to win again.
It’s tough to find moral victories in Game 5 when you’re sitting at 1–4, but I’ll say it anyway. I was entertained. Disappointed, sure. The ending wasn’t what anyone wanted. But maybe this year isn’t about wins and losses. Maybe it’s about how they respond to nights like this.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Man, we really do love ourselves some Mark Williams, don’t we?
It’s wild how much of a difference a big can make, and in limited minutes, he’s been a force. He didn’t start against the Jazz, but when he checked in, he took over. The fans saw it too. Williams ran away with 43% of the Bright Side Baller vote, while Collin Gillespie came in second at 29%.
That makes it two wins in three games for Williams, who’s quickly becoming the early-season fan favorite.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Who is nominated for Game 4 of the season against the Grizzlies?
Devin Booker
32 points (10-of-26, 4-of-11 3PT, 8-of-9 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 1 block, +4 +/-
Mark Williams
20 points (9-of-12 FG, 2-of-2 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +6 +/-
Royce O’Neale
18 points (6-of-12, 6-of-11 3PT), 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers, +7 +/-
Collin Gillespie
14 points (5-of-10, 3-of-7 3PT, 1-of-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 1 block, +1 +/-
Grayson Allen
14 points (4-of-10, 2-of-6 3PT, 4-of-4 FT), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 turnovers, -2 +/-
Ryan Dunn
9 points (4-of-9, 1-of-4 3PT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 1 block, +4 +/-
Votin’ time!
