To start the season, the Phoenix Suns have struggled to defend their opponents; they’ve allowed the 8th most points per game and the third-most points total. With their most experienced and decorated defender
Dillon Brooks out of the lineup for the past three games and inconsistent rotations due to other injuries, the Valley has continued to struggle on the defensive end and Valley fans think it’s what they need to work on most.
I’m not surprised that nearly 50% of fans think defense is the teams’ biggest problem. The team is not playing wholem but even when they get healthy, that may not help them fortify their defense.
Brooks looks to help the Suns on that end when he returns, but in his three games this season, the team still struggled on defense, and while Jalen Green may provide an offensive spark when he returns and make Devin Booker’s life easier, he’s on the shorter end for starting guards, and isn’t known for his strong defensive prowess.
Their effort has been applauded by pundits so far, but it’s more through the lens of their resilience, and how despite getting down big in a few contests, they’ve remained competitive. Add on the fact that the Suns are led by a rookie coach in Jordan Ott, it may just take some time for them to be more consistent and stronger on defense, if it ever happens.
I’m not surprised that fans voted playing the rookies more second. With the team lacking control of their draft pick for the foreseeable future, the best way the Suns can develop talent to compliment Devin Booker is to do it with the players on their roster. The team used the lottery pick they got in their return for Kevin Durant on Duke center Khaman Maluach and so far this season, he’s played limited minutes outside of one game.
This team is not projected to be competing for a title this year, and their front office talked about the importance of building a culture and being aligned through the entirety of the offseason. Playing Maluach, Rasheer Fleming more in meaningful situations may not be the best thing for the Suns chances of winning this season, but it could help them develop faster and be ready to contribute in more meaningful situations earlier in their career than anticipated.
The team’s second quarter collapses getting the least amount of votes does not surprise me. While it was an issue to start the year, the team has improved their play in the frame, and has won two of their three second quarters since losing their first three by a combined 33 points.
What do you think the team needs to work on most? Let us know below.
