The great thing about the NBA is that there is always another game. Well, until there isn’t. Early in the season, you crave that next one, especially after coughing up a 22-point lead to the Hawks on Sunday.
You need something to wipe the taste away.
So the Suns packed their bags and headed to Rip City, a place where half the roster is held together with tape. The Blazers are banged up, but they are like the Suns in one important way. They are trying to build habits that last. They have young legs, they have size, and in this league, that means no game is safe. Anyone can drop a hammer on you if you give them a window.
From the start, the Suns leaned into their brand of pesky basketball. Hands flying everywhere like someone kicked a hornet nest. Attacking the ball, attacking the rim, attacking any space that looked vulnerable. 19 steals. 29 fast break points. Chaos, but organized enough to call it a plan.
They were relentless, and when the fourth quarter showed up with an 18-point lead hanging in the air, the question started creeping in. Could they finish it? 48 hours earlier, they could not.
But as Tuesday night pushed toward Wednesday morning, the Suns held their ground. They finished it. They took another step forward. Another brick in the long climb to whatever this season wants to become, and whatever this team thinks it can turn into.
With the win, they now match last season’s record through 15 games. They do not have the same level of talent that group carried on paper, but this version feels different. They have connectivity, they have this disruptive rhythm that makes you forget the names and salaries and expectations of last year. And it starts to make you wonder where this team might end up on the long list of your favorite Suns squads. Maybe not the most talented. Maybe not the flashiest.
But maybe the one that fights the hardest, night after night, no matter how late the tip.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Dillan the Villain gets the nod following the Hawks game, adding to his total, bringing him to 2 on the season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 15 against the Blazers. Here are your nominees:
Devin Booker
19 points (6-of-13, 1-of-2 3PT, 6-of-6 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 fouls, 3 steals, 1 turnover, +17 +/-
Collin Gillespie
19 points (6-of-11, 4-of-9 3PT, 3-of-3 FT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 fouls, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, +1 +/-
Mark Williams
15 points (7-of-9, 0-of-0 3PT, 1-of-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +15 +/-
Oso Ighodaro
14 points (6-of-7, 0-of-0 3PT, 2-of-2 FT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, +7 +/-
Dillon Brooks
12 points (5-of-11, 1-of-6 3PT, 1-of-2 FT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 fouls, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, +16 +/-
Ryan Dunn
9 points (4-of-8, 1-of-1 3PT), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 fouls, 5 steals, 1 turnover, +23 +/-
So, who are you casting your vote for?
