Wednesday night in Phoenix felt like the Suns walked into the game with a fourth-and-13 mindset. No debate about going for it. No drawing anything crazy up on the board. Special teams trots out, hike the ball, punt, move on.
And honestly, I cannot say I blame them.
As I wrote yesterday, this team has reached the part of the season where the priority is getting to the All-Star break. Is that the correct mentality? That is debatable. When you are hovering on the fringe between the Play-in and the postseason,
every game carries weight, especially when you have dropped a few recently. This felt like a chance, at least in theory, to make something up in the standings.
But theory runs into reality pretty fast.
You were still playing the best team in the Western Conference. Even without their (and the league’s) MVP, Oklahoma City showed exactly why they are one of the toughest outs in the league. They are deep. They do a lot of what the Suns want to do, but they do it better. They are more aggressive. More disruptive. More relentless.
I have used this analogy before, and it still works. If the Suns are Mario, Oklahoma City is Mario after he gets the mushroom.
Now layer that on top of another reality. Your two highest-paid players are coming off lower-body injuries. Why risk it here? If there is a team that can absolutely put you back in harm’s way, it is OKC. The pressure they apply. The constant movement. The physical strain they force on every possession. And yes, Lu Dort is part of that equation, and yes, I still cannot stand him. Former Sun Devil or not, I want to root for those guys, and somehow I never do. Harden included.
So let them sit in street clothes. Let them bank another day of rest. You do not play again until next Thursday. I am not upset about the result at all.
There are still things to take from the game and some coachable moments. Oklahoma City’s back cutting was an issue. That shows up on film. But that film is also for the guys who do not usually get heavy minutes. You use it to reinforce habits. You use it to clarify roles. You use it to fortify who you are.
Then you get to the break. You focus on health. And you lock in on the final 26 games. That is where the season actually gets decided.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Booker and Oso led the way relative to voting, but ultimately, it was the calming effect Booker had in Q4 against the Mavs that garnered him his 13th Bright Side Baller of the season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 55 against the Thunder. Here are your nominees:
Dillon Brooks
23 points (9-of-19, 1-of-5 3PT), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, -27 +/-
Jordan Goodwin
12 points (5-of-10, 2-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -32 +/-
Royce O’Neale
12 points (4-of-11, 4-of-11 3PT), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, -24 +/-
Jamaree Bouyea
11 points (4-of-12, 1-of-2 3PT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, -12 +/-
Rasheer Fleming
8 points (3-of-7, 2-of-5 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, +12 +/-
Oso Ighodaro
8 points (4-of-4), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, -14 +/-
…and the vote goes to…
