The Phoenix Suns’ strong week ended with major disappointment, blowing a 22-point fourth quarter lead to the Atlanta Hawks. The team went 3-1 this past week, climbing up the Western Conference standings
as the team gets more acclimated to each other and Jordan Ott continues to evolve as a first-year head coach.
Here are the main questions for Week 4 that we want your thoughts on:
Does the Suns’ record say more about them or their opponents?
Phoenix has beat just one team over .500 this season, and with an opportunity to beat another this week, they blew a massive lead toAtlanta Hawks when they were missing Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis. Credit, Phoenix was without Grayson Allen and Jalen Green, but blowing a 20+ point fourth quarter lead is never good no matter the circumstances. The Suns have handled their business against inferior competition, their three wins this week they won by a combined 65 points, a 21.6 point average.
For the Suns to prove that their record is a true reflection of who they are and deserve to be in the playoff mix, do they need to play better against tougher competition? Good thing for them? With two games against two Western Conference playoff teams this week, Phoenix will get a chance to show how they fare against some of the West’s best.
How do the Suns not let their blown lead to the Hawks impact them long term?
Phoenix’s lost last night was their most surprising of the season. Up 21 with 8:22 left, the Hawks closed out the game on a 38 to 15 run, and ended the team’s winning streak at five. The Suns have rallied back from down 20 this season and won, they did so in their first game of the season against the Sacramento Kings. We have not seen how the team responds to self-inflicted adversity.
He’s day-to-day, but Grayson Allen’s status for Tuesday’s national showdown against the Portland Trailblazers is still unknown, after he suffered a right quad contusion against the Indiana Pacers last Thursday. Phoenix may be once again without one of their leading scorers when the team looks to redeem themselves.
What can the rookies do to prove themselves?
With a few blowout victories last week, Suns rookies Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming got opportunities to play more than just a minute or two, and both were relatively ineffective in their time. To give them more reps and experience, Maluach and Fleming played in the Valley Suns’ G-League game on Friday, Fleming especially had a strong outing.
When both have played extended minutes this season, they’ve struggled. It didn’t matter towards the result of the game, but Maluach and Fleming were some of the main culprits for why Phoenix’s win against the San Antonio Spurs on November 2nd looks much closer than the score indicates. What do the rooks need to do, and how can the Suns put them in spots to be contributors in meaningful minutes?
For questions to answer after every game, follow @HoldenSherman1 on X for content like this:
