Wins won’t be easy for the Suns to find in the near future.
Road trip, winning teams fill upcoming schedule
The Suns have shown flashes of what they can be in what has been a disastrous 2-11 start.
Phoenix played its most complete game in a season-opening win over Dallas.
The Suns gutted out a two-point victory over Memphis capped by Devin Booker’s game-winner with 1.7 seconds left.
They should’ve beaten Boston in regulation before falling in overtime and showed fight in the second half of Monday’s loss at Oklahoma City in cutting a 28-point Thunder lead down to seven in the fourth quarter.
“I think what you saw in the third (quarter), the energy and effort, the connectiveness we played with, and it’s got to be that way from the jump,” Suns reserve big Richaun Holmes said. “We have to stop digging these holes early and fighting out of them. I feel like if we bring that same energy and effort from the jump, we’ll put ourselves in a better position (to win).”
Looking at the schedule going into Tuesday’s games, Phoenix could have a hard time finding a win through the remainder of this month.
❚ Wednesday – San Antonio (7-5)
❚ Saturday – Oklahoma City (8-5)
❚ Nov. 19 – at Philadelphia (9-6)
❚ Nov. 21 – at Chicago (4-10)
❚ Nov. 23 – at Milwaukee (10-3)
❚ Nov. 25 – at Detroit (6-6)
❚ Nov. 27 – Indiana (8-6)
❚ Nov. 28 – at Los Angeles Clippers (8-5)
❚ Nov. 30 – Orlando (6-8)
The Suns lost by 30 at home to the Spurs on Halloween and are now 0-2 against the Thunder, who beat them Monday night without the injured Russell Westbrook (ankle).
Three teams on that four-game road trip are .500 or better with Milwaukee being the surprise team in the Eastern Conference with early MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Joel Embiid said too much about Deandre Ayton to come weak Nov. 19 in Philadelphia. The 76ers are even more formidable with the addition of Jimmy Butler.
Chicago is the only sub .500 team on the trip. That represents a winnable game, but Phoenix is 0-6 on the road.
The Pacers are a playoff team. The Clippers handed Milwaukee one of its three losses.
Maybe the Suns get one against Orlando, but the way they’re playing now, that’s not a sure win unless they change their early approach to games.
Phoenix fell behind by 19 points at Oklahoma City and was down by as many as 28 in the first half.
“We maybe got to play a little harder in the beginning,” Suns rookie Mikal Bridges said.
“Set the tone defensively. Make the team feel uncomfortable. Teams are being really comfortable when they come in. Just playing like they’re in practice. Pass it and then run the plays. Try to make them feel uncomfortable and start off strong.”
Never was that more apparent in allowing Oklahoma City to shoot 13-of-27 (48 percent) from 3. Oklahoma City came into the game shooting 28.8 percent from distance.
“We allowed them to shoot uncontested 3s when we had a guy in front of the ball,” Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said.
“And then when you give them that confidence, the rim is wider. The ball goes in and everybody feels more comfortable and then they’re playing with more aggressiveness.”
Six of Phoenix’s 11 losses have been by at least 20 points with Wednesday’s opponent, San Antonio, handing the Suns their worst loss of the season – 120-90 – on Halloween at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Booker didn’t play as he was out with
“We have to stop digging these holes early and fighting out of them.” Richaun Holmes Suns reserve big man
the strained left hamstring, but looking back at that 30-point romp, Phoenix shot 38.9 percent from the field, allowed 66 points in the paint and committed 26 fouls.
Ayton drew four fouls as he repeatedly gave up the middle of the lane to LaMarcus Aldridge, who missed just three shots in scoring 24 points. DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 25 as he went 10-of-12.
That’s the overall numbers, but that all began with an all-too-familiar rough first quarter and half.
Phoenix actually led 8-4 before Gregg Popovich called a timeout. The Spurs responded with a 24-7 run to take a 28-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
San Antonio went up by as many as 31 in the first half before going into halftime with a 60-39 lead.
Look familiar?