Phx-Suns.Net

#12 Phoenix Suns
Last Week:5↓
Record: 9-5

OffRtg: 112.3 (16) DefRtg: 113.4 (14) NetRtg: -1.1 (17) Pace: 98.5 (22)

The Suns are 1-4 without Kevin Durant, with the only win having come against the last-place Jazz.

Three takeaways

The Suns had 40 free throw attempts in Oklahoma City on Friday, but the loss was still their worst offensive performance (83 points on 96 possessions) in the last five seasons. Their effective field goal percentage of 35.3% was the lowest mark for any team in any game this season. Devin Booker was 2-for-10 (0-for-6 in the first half) and his season-long effective field goal percentage of 51.0% would be his lowest mark in the last seven seasons.

Overall, the bigger difference from their games with Durant in uniform has been on defense, where the Suns have allowed 117.9 points per 100 possessions over these last five games. Sandwiching the Oklahoma City loss were games in which the Kings and Wolves combined to shoot 66% inside the arc and 48% from deep.

Bradley Beal has also missed the last three games, and the Suns have now been outscored by 8.9 points per 100 possessions in 174 minutes with Booker on the floor without either Beal or Durant. They started both Mason Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkić on Sunday and were actually a plus-5 in less than 10 minutes with the two bigs on the floor together.

The Suns’ rest-disadvantage game against the Magic on Monday is the end of their first stretch of five games in seven days. But it’s also the start of their longest homestand of the season (six games over 16 days), with a five-day break after their game against the Knicks on Wednesday.

Week 5: vs. ORL, vs. NYK

12. Phoenix Suns (-7)

Record: 9-5 | Last Week's Schedule: at UTA (W8), at SAC (L23), at OKC (L16), at MIN (L3)

Upcoming schedule: vs. ORL (11/18), vs. NYK (11/20)

Not having Kevin Durant is beginning to take its toll on Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns. Without Durant, Booker has looked tired and out of sync offensively. A 31-point game against the Jazz and a 44-point game against the Timberwolves this past week is overshadowed by 18-point and 12-point games against the Kings and Thunder, respectively. Although rookie Ryan Dunn and veteran Royce O'Neale have played well on the wing, there is no replacing Durant and what he means to this team. Until the superstar returns from his calf injury, Phoenix will be a very beatable team in the West.

TOO wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 20, 2024 12:06 am

Teams drafting dudes because they are 19 with untapped "potential" and not 23 with an SEC POY award will never make sense to me. Most GMs won't see that 19yo flourish anyway. Just sucks balls he landed with LAL, him and Reaves cooking dudes while looking like they shop at Tractor Supply is hilarious.

Wally_West wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 20, 2024 9:46 am

No west contending teams. Please let his ass stay the East

Wally_West wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 20, 2024 11:00 am

► Show Spoiler

Call it in to the Commissioner


Lakers: Big Dick Nurk, Thybulle

Blazers: Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Gabe Vincent


Suns: Robert Williams, Cam Reddish

Wally_West wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 20, 2024 12:44 pm

I mean…he’s healthy and playing right now lol