The first half against the best team in the Eastern Conference was impressive. Flat out. The Suns shot 47.4% from three, and they were the aggressor. They pushed around a team that usually does the pushing,
and they walked into halftime with a 16-point lead.
Then Detroit responded.
The Pistons opened the third quarter on an 18–5 run, and suddenly that cushion was gone. What had been comfortable turned tight fast. Detroit flipped the script, imposed their will, and dragged the Suns into the mud with their defense. Physical. Smothering. Relentless.
That is who they are. The second-best defense in the NBA does not stay quiet for long.
But the Suns responded. They answered. They closed the third quarter on a 16-7 run, and that stretch mattered more than anything else that night. Without Devin Booker, their stabilizing force, they found stability anyway. That was the swing point. That was the moment the game tilted back in their direction, and it is what ultimately carried them to the win.
Watching this one, I kept coming back to expectations. Going in, knowing Booker was out, my bar was simple. Be competitive. That is what this team usually does. I did not expect a win. And if this season has taught us anything, it is that this group refuses to live inside clean expectations. Expect the unexpected. That effort was real. That win was earned. That outcome was not accidental.
I am not here to sway your vote for Bright Side Baller of the Game. You already know who it is. I know who it is. With no Devin Booker and no Jalen Green, he controlled the tempo, set the tone, and everyone else fell in line.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Williams saw that Brooks reached 6 BSB’s and was like, “Nah fam.” So he went out and scored 27 points on Tuesday against the Nets.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 48 against the Pistons. Here are your nominees:
Dillon Brooks
40 points (13-of-22, 4-of-7 3PT), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, +14 +/-
Grayson Allen
24 points (5-of-14, 4-of-12 3PT), 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, +18 +/-
Collin Gillespie
16 points (5-of-12, 5-of-11 3PT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, -1 +/-
Royce O’Neale
10 points (4-of-8, 2-of-5 3PT), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, +3 +/-
Oso Ighodaro
6 points (2-of-3), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, +19 +/-
Jordan Goodwin
2 points (1-of-4), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, +21 +/-
Fire up your votes!
