It was the second loss in as many games for the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, falling 124–117 to the Chicago Bulls.
In reality, the wins and losses don’t matter right now. Case in point? The closing five for Phoenix consisted of Jamaree Bouyea, Pat Spencer, Koa Peat, Ryan Dunn, and Haywood Highsmith. If the Suns ever find themselves in a position where that’s their closing five during the regular season, we can go ahead and assume the title of the Eagles’ reunion album has come true and hell has frozen
over. So don’t get caught up in wins and losses at this time of year. This is an opportunity for experimentation, for progress, and for players to get their sea legs underneath them as they prepare for the gauntlet that is an 82-game season.
Even when I see Devin Booker go 0-of-8 from beyond the arc, I’m not overly concerned. Yet. But for somebody who shot 33% from three last season, with the hope that he can elevate his game this year, it certainly isn’t the greatest start. Again, temper expectations.
The highlight of the game was clearly the second unit. By the time all five starters had taken their seats on the bench, the Suns were trailing by three points. What followed was an impressive display of energy from Collin Gillespie, Luke Kennard, Ryan Dunn, Jordan Goodwin, and Khaman Maluach. They were more than a spark off the bench. They were a hurricane of activity.
For the second consecutive game, we’ve seen the collective energy rise when this group takes the floor. And that’s what makes it so encouraging. It isn’t one player creating disruption or providing a burst of energy. It’s the entire unit working together, applying pressure, and making life miserable for the opposition.
Knowing the Suns have that kind of production coming off the bench is exciting for the upcoming season. If the starting unit plays well, this group has the potential to extend leads. If the starters struggle, they possess the energy and defensive intensity to erase deficits and swing momentum back in Phoenix’s favor. And when you begin thinking about the different combinations Jordan Ott can experiment with, mixing and matching members of this second unit with the starters, the possibilities become even more intriguing. There’s plenty of reason for excitement in what we’ve seen from this group through two preseason games.
There were challenges along the way. The Suns also looked undersized compared to the Bulls and struggled to secure rebounds. Phoenix finished with 16 rebounds classified as “team rebounds” last night, a reflection of how hard they had to work collectively to secure possession rather than having a dominant presence inside who could simply take the ball away from the opposition. With Mark Williams out for the foreseeable future, and the Suns potentially undersized at the five if they elect to start Oso Ighodaro, rebounding could become a legitimate concern for this team.
We know Phoenix possesses tenacity and desire, two admirable attributes when it comes to chasing down rebounds. But that also requires expending additional energy and effort when the solution could be as simple as having more size on the floor. So as we anxiously await the third preseason game on Saturday, there are plenty more thoughts I have about what we’ve seen through these first two games. I’ll put those together in other articles as we continue working our way toward the regular season.
For now, I’ll close with a reminder to avoid getting caught up in the losses. Focus on the progress, the development, and occasionally recognize where that progress has yet to materialize. That’s what this time of year is for.
Bright Side Baller Standings
Goodie’s 7 points weren’t earth-shattering against the Pistons, but his effort was, garnering him the first Bright Side Baller of the season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Preseason Game 2 against the Bulls. Here are your nominees:
Dillon Brooks
24 points (7-of-9, 3-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, -7 +/-
Collin Gillespie
12 points (4-of-8, 3-of-6 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, +5 +/-
Jordan Goodwin
5 points (2-of-4, 1-of-2 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 steals, 2 turnovers, +1 +/-
Khaman Maluach
8 points (2-of-3, 0-of-0 3PT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, +1 +/-
Jalen Green
12 points (4-of-10, 1-of-4 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, -8 +/-
Luke Kennard
8 points (3-of-5, 0-of-1 3PT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, +4 +/-
Time once again to do your duty and cast your ballot.
