Free throws
against a Suns defense that has tailed off from carrying the team through early-season, half-court offense issues.
“That just shows that they (the Suns) just wanted to come out and thought they’d outscore them,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said.
“… We just didn’t have the effort.”
The Suns’ roster severely lacked experience, but effort was never a department that seemed to come up short throughout most of the first month.
Their confidence was bolstered by a surprising start, but they are about to be tested more as opponents have more of a book on what they do — and they face a tougher schedule.
Three of the Suns’ next four games will be on the road against teams that are .500 or better — Memphis, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers — with a home game against Toronto in between. In December, 10 of the Suns’13 opponents have records that are .500 or better.
“Even when we are playing the teams that aren’t playing so good, we got to come out with the same effort because we’re not that good,” Suns small forward P.J. Tucker said. “We could be a heck of a team, but we’ve got to tie up our loose ends.
“Effort, energy, focus, so many words that you could go throw out there. I can’t explain how frustrating it is.”
Point guard Eric Bledsoe, who missed six games with a bruised shin, said there were no excuses for his lack of aggression in Saturday night’s loss, when he had13 points, four turn- overs and two assists in 28 minutes off the bench. “I wasn’t creating shots for my team and myself or having an impact on the game,” he said.
» Frye has made 25 of 51 3point attempts over the past nine games.
DAVID KADLUBOWSKI/AZCENTRAL SPORTS
» Point guard Goran Dragic is averaging 22.3 points, 9.0 assists and 2.3 turnovers over the past seven games while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 40 percent on 3-pointers and 80.8 percent on free throws.