Suns head to East Coast after NBA All-Star break
Following NBA All-Star Weekend, the Suns will resume play tonight in Cleveland. They hope the break — which coach Igor Kokoskov called both physical and mental — can help them reset ahead of the last stretch of the season.
Igor Kokoskov welcomed the break. One of his past coaches and mentors taught him that breaks are healthy. Otherwise, basketball seeps in everywhere: when you’re driving, when you’re in the grocery story, when you’re trying to sleep. “It’s (an) addiction,” Kokoskov said. The Suns coach spent the last few days with his kids, but said he’s happy to be back with what he calls his other family.
After the All-Star Weekend, the Suns will resume play Thursday in Cleveland. They hope the break — which Kokoskov called both physical and mental — can help them reset ahead of the last stretch of the season.
“Fresh start,” guard Devin Booker said. “We have a stretch of games, very winnable games for us: Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami. So, about to go out east for the last time, and hopefully we’ll come out with some big wins.”
None of those three opponents boast a winning record: They are a combined 57115.
But the 11-48 Suns are on a 15-game losing streak, and they’ll take any win they can get.
When looking to the later half of the season, Booker and Kokoskov had similar viewpoints.
They hope to start small: win each possession, then each quarter, then each game. They’re building blocks for a team that has struggled to play a full four quarters.
This season may not be salvageable, but Kokoskov said there is an increased sense of urgency.
And while Booker says they’re still trying to finish this season strong, he alluded to the future as well.
“We’re trying to get something out of it. We’re trying to build for next year, trying to build for five years to come, so just it starts now,” Booker said.
“We’re back to work. This is our job, and you know, we don’t have a lot left, so just get the most out of it.”
Melton to meet team in Cleveland
The break was also good for rookie De’Anthony Melton, as it gave him some extra time to rehab.
Melton (right ankle sprain) has not played since January 24 against Portland, but he’s finally getting closer. He’ll play with the Suns’ G-League team Wednesday night before flying to Cleveland Thursday to meet up with the Suns. Kokoskov said they’ll see how Wednesday’s game goes, but indicated Melton should be able to play Thursday.
While missing games has been agonizing for Melton, the rookie guard said he’s used the time to learn more by observation.
“In the moment, you don’t realize some stuff, but watching the games on TV, on the bench, you notice a lot more of where we can improve and what we need to work on,” Melton said.
With Northern Arizona, he has averaged 17.0 points, 7 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 35.5 minutes in five games. His numbers with the Suns — 5.5 points, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals — are naturally lower, but his main goal for Wednesday was just to get a feel for being back on the court again.
T.J. Warren (right ankle soreness) has been ruled out for the game against the Cavaliers. Kokoskov said he does not have a timetable for Warren’s return, and he did not practice Wednesday.