Suns News: Week 25 (4/8 - 4/14)

[ShelC]

Last Week's Games
Mon, April 1st @ New Orleans 124 -111 WIN!
Weds, April 3rd vs Cleveland 122 -101 WIN!
Fri, April 5th vs Minnesota 97 -87 WIN!
Sun, April 7th vs New Orleans 105-113 LOSS

This Week's Games
Tues, April 9th vs LA Clippers at 10:00PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
Weds, April 10th @ LA Clippers at 10:30PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
Fri, April 12th @ Sacramento at 10:30PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS / NBATV
Sun, April 15th @ Minnesota at 3:30PM EST SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS

Suns Stories
Viewer’s Guide to the final week of the Phoenix Suns regular season
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024 ... s-warriors

3 tweaks the Phoenix Suns will make for the playoffs
https://valleyofthesuns.com/posts/3-twe ... e-playoffs

Ranking Potential Suns Playoff Matchups
https://www.si.com/nba/phoenix-suns-ran ... f-matchups

NBA.com Power Rankings

#7 PHOENIX SUNS
Last Week:9↑
Record: 46-32

OffRtg: 117.0 (9) DefRtg: 114.0 (13) NetRtg: +3.0 (8) Pace: 99.0 (15)

The Suns are 4-2 on their gauntlet of 10 straight games against good/great teams to close the season, barely hanging onto the 6 seed in the West after a loss to the Pelicans on Sunday.

One takeaway

Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have all been available for the last 14 games and the Suns are now 23-14 (.622) with all three stars in the lineup, having outscored their opponents by 3.7 points per 100 possessions over those 37 games. That differential is good (it would rank seventh in the league overall), but not elite, and the Suns are supposed to be elite with that level of talent. Bench minutes haven’t been great (the Phoenix bench ranks 19th), the defense hasn’t been at a championship level, and the Suns have fumbled a lot of close games.

What to watch for this week

That 23-14 record with all three stars includes an 8-4 mark within the top 10 in the West. The Suns’ last four games are all against that group, and they probably need to win at least three of the four to remain in the top six in the West.

No team has been more efficient against a single opponent than the Clippers have been against the Suns, with LA having scored 140.1 points per 100 possessions as it won two meetings in early January. The final two meetings are a home-and-home set on Tuesday and Wednesday, a great opportunity for the Suns to prove that they’re a better defensive team than they were three months ago. They’ll still have two more tough games after that, especially if the Wolves are playing for seeding on Sunday.

Week 25: vs. LAC, @ LAC, @ SAC, @ MIN

[ShelC]

Good for some laughs

[Superbone]

Looks like Jake from State Farm.

[ShadowHawke]

"Mailman, You grew hair!"

[Kryptonic]

Jayson Tatum?

[TOO]

It's Cam Payne

[TOO]

So with IT being signed for the rest of the year is he gonna be on the PO roster? That seems insane to me.

[Split T]

Yes he is

[TOO]

Gross.

[Split T]

He’s only gonna play in blowouts…I’m not too concerned. Seems like a good guy in the locker room and I don’t think any of the 2-way guys were making a difference.

[AmareIsGod]

He’s only gonna play in blowouts…I’m not too concerned. Seems like a good guy in the locker room and I don’t think any of the 2-way guys were making a difference.

Agree. Not sure the GROSS takes and disappointment. The dude seems to really be a great hype guy and locker room presence. It's not like he's taking away from talented options instead.

[Mori Chu]

It's Cam Payne

Not nearly enough forehead slope.

[Mori Chu]

He’s only gonna play in blowouts…I’m not too concerned. Seems like a good guy in the locker room and I don’t think any of the 2-way guys were making a difference.

Agree. Not sure the GROSS takes and disappointment. The dude seems to really be a great hype guy and locker room presence. It's not like he's taking away from talented options instead.

I don't hate IT on the roster, but it does seem like a wasted asset. IT has not been impressive in any of his brief stints on the court. He seems timid, hesitant, and his shot has not looked good in the very few times it's gone up. And he's never been a plus defender. I would rather give those minutes to a guy like Saben Lee who can guard his man and mostly take care of the ball.

[AmareIsGod]

He’s only gonna play in blowouts…I’m not too concerned. Seems like a good guy in the locker room and I don’t think any of the 2-way guys were making a difference.

Agree. Not sure the GROSS takes and disappointment. The dude seems to really be a great hype guy and locker room presence. It's not like he's taking away from talented options instead.

I don't hate IT on the roster, but it does seem like a wasted asset. IT has not been impressive in any of his brief stints on the court. He seems timid, hesitant, and his shot has not looked good in the very few times it's gone up. And he's never been a plus defender. I would rather give those minutes to a guy like Saben Lee who can guard his man and mostly take care of the ball.

Is he taking minutes away from Saben, where we'd expect or hope to see Saben on the floor? I only recall seeing IT when it was a massive blowout late in games.

[Split T]

He’s not, but Saban won’t be playoff eligible on a 2-way.

[Superbone]

He’s only gonna play in blowouts…I’m not too concerned. Seems like a good guy in the locker room and I don’t think any of the 2-way guys were making a difference.

I assume he's doing a fantastic job on the bench.

[Carno]

Saben Lee has been awful and should not see an NBA basketball court now or in the playoffs. I'd much rather have IT, who I feel at least tries to run an offense and doesn't go full Josh Jackson barreling to the hoop, head down, into 3 defenders.

[Superbone]

Suns playoff status breakdown:

http://www.playoffstatus.com/nba/sunswhatif.html

[Shabazz]

I prefer Saben to IT, but it’s all “whatever.”

[Split T]

I think that’s fair…Saben does have one real nba skill and that’s getting to the rim/ft line…we’re not sure IT has one anymore. Truth is we are in trouble if either has to play