There were no illusions of grandeur entering the Suns’ matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The game would serve as a litmus test, an opportunity to see where Phoenix stood against one of the best teams in the NBA, and it played out pretty much as you might have expected. The Spurs are one of those unique teams that have the advantage of youth on their side, and when you add the fact that they have an alien in Victor Wembanyama patrolling both ends of the floor, defeating them is
going to be a difficult task for every team across the Association throughout the season.
Victor Wembanyama is a demigod, an unstoppable force who, at this point, is toying with the sport of basketball. His impact on both ends of the floor is unlike anything we’ve seen. He possesses the size of Shawn Bradley, whom many of us grew up watching, but his game extends far beyond simply being big. The way he defends, the way he deters anyone who ventures inside the three-point arc, and the constant threat of his mere existence manipulate the game in a manner that leaves you shrugging your shoulders and sighing.
As for the Suns? They did a good job taking care of the basketball, committing only seven turnovers. But they were outscored 62-48 in the paint, 20-10 in second-chance points, and 19-10 in fast-break points. They were also outrebounded by 20, with San Antonio holding a commanding 55-35 advantage on the glass.
The Suns have made progress over the past week, but there’s still a considerable gap between where they are and where the Western Conference’s elite reside. San Antonio exposed the same deficiencies we’ve been discussing all season, particularly Phoenix’s inability to control the glass and protect the paint. There’s no shame in losing to a team featuring a generational talent like Wembanyama. But the manner in which you lose can tell you plenty about how far you still have to go.
Bright Side Baller Standings
It’s not often the guy who scores under 10 points gets the Bright Side Baller, but the community here knows ball. The impact Ryan Dunn had in the victory over the Rockets was stellar, as he was a disruptor in every sense of the word.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 9 against the Spurs. Here are your nominees:
Devin Booker
32 points (10-of-17, 3-of-5 3PT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 0 turnovers, -8 +/-
Khaman Maluach
11 points (4-of-6, 1-of-1 3PT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 0 turnovers, -6 +/-
Oso Ighodaro
7 points (2-of-5), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, -19 +/-
Miles Bridges
7 points (3-of-9, 0-of-4 3PT), 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers, -18 +/-
Jalen Green
6 points (2-of-8, 0-of-1 3PT), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, -21 +/-
Collin Gillespie
6 points (2-of-6, 2-of-4 3PT), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, -22 +/-
And the winner is…
