Well, that was a roller coaster of a week. The Phoenix Suns walk away 1-2. Both losses came in games shaped by NBA Cup group play. I have been clear about how I feel about the NBA Cup, especially the knockout
round games counting toward the regular season. I will spare you another rant. It is behind us, at least until April.
So what did we learn this week? Maybe not much that is new. This felt less like discovery and more like reinforcement. A reminder of things we already know about this team.
Phoenix went into Minnesota without Devin Booker and won anyway. Not on talent. On effort, connectivity, communication, and resiliency. Then came Oklahoma City, a Thunder team that seemed to remember some comments Booker made after an earlier four-point loss. Phoenix got the full force of that response and did not have the firepower to withstand it.
That game underscored one thing: the Suns missed Devin Booker. His efficiency numbers might not be where they have been in past seasons, but his presence matters. He steadies the floor, and he gives the team a place to land when things start to tilt. Even so, it is hard to imagine many teams surviving a Thunder group that angry on that night.
Then there was the Lakers game. Whistle heavy. Choppy. And still, down 20 in the fourth quarter, Phoenix rallied and took a late lead. It did not end the way they wanted, but the fight was real.
So again, this week felt like a confirmation of identity. The schedule tightens over the next three games, and it will test them. After that, the pressure eases, and that foundation they have built should start turning into a few more wins.
At 14-12, sitting in the seventh seed in the Western Conference through the first third of the season, the lesson is familiar: this team competes. Every night. And for that reason, we keep watching.
Week 8 Record: 1-2
@ Minnesota Timberwolves, W, 108-105
- Possession Differential: +0.7
- Turnover Differential: -4
- Offensive Rebounding Differential: +1
Down Booker and Jalen Green, on the road, in a loud Minnesota gym with the Peacock cameras rolling, the Suns pulled a logic-defying win. Phoenix trailed for only 1:21, then survived a white knuckle finish.
@ Oklahoma City Thunder, L, 135-89
- Possession Differential: +2.3
- Turnover Differential: +6
- Offensive Rebounding Differential: +1
The Suns’ NBA Cup adventure ended in a 49-point faceplant. Good group play earned Phoenix a quarterfinal date with an Oklahoma City buzzsaw that looks historically dangerous, and the result was over by halftime. You can sell it as iron sharpening iron, but this felt more like a scheduling tax.
@ Los Angeles Lakers, L, 116-114
- Possession Differential: -1.9
- Turnover Differential: -2
- Offensive Rebounding Differential: -14
Sunday night in Los Angeles was one of those games that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The Suns, a team built on rhythm and chaos, got mucky, slowed down by whistles that never let them breathe. Still, down 20 in the fourth, they clawed back, proving fight matters even when the deck is stacked.
Inside the Possession Game
- Weekly Possession Differential: +1.1
- Weekly Turnover Differential: 0
- Offensive Rebounding Differential: -12
- Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +2
It wasn’t Phoenix’s possession game that cost them this past week. It was their shooting. They were 25th in the league in shooting during Week 8, hitting 44.5% from the field and 34.7% from three. On top of that, they struggled to hold the ball, ranking 26th in the league with 16.7 turnovers. It is a reminder that winning possessions doesn’t automatically translate to winning games. They also ranked 28th in the league with a 45.5% rebounding percentage, which shows there is room for improvement when it comes to crashing the boards.
Week 9 Preview
It’s a short week for Phoenix while the rest of the league pauses to reset after the NBA Cup, with the final set for Tuesday. Everyone has to wait for that to finish.
For Phoenix, it’s just two games this week. Thursday at home against the Golden State Warriors, and Saturday on the road against the same team. These games carry extra weight. The Warriors sit just below the Suns in the standings at 13-14, 1.5 games back. How Phoenix handles this pair will matter for their position in the Western Conference.
We’ll see how it goes, shall we?
