👋 GOOD MORNING

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 — Happy Tuesday! Welp, as expected, the Suns are back to their winning ways with Kevin Durant’s return from injury, despite the absence of Bradley Beal. Durant’s return is big, but there has also been a renewed sense of focus across the board: Defense.

Of course, with Beal still out, it begs the question of if we will ever see the team fully healthy at the same time, but that’s a conversation for another time. Positive vibes only today!

Speaking of positive vibes, kudos to a number of ASU and Arizona players who were named to the AP All-America Team:

Arizona: Tetairoa McMillan (First-team offense)

Arizona State: Cam Skattebo (First-team offense), Jordyn Tyson (Third-team offense)

Such a huge accomplishment, and it’s so great to see both Skattebo and T-Mac recognized with first-team honors following incredible seasons. I’m convinced you’ll see both of these players on Sunday in the not-too-distant future.

On to the show!

It’s Always Sunny With a Strong Defense

It’s a cliché for a reason: The best offense is a good defense.

The Suns have bought into coach Mike Budenholzer’s philosophy of putting together a strong defensive plan, and its success doesn’t just depend on role players showing tenacity. It starts at the top, and though everyone noticed Kevin Durant’s absence from an offensive standpoint, KD’s defense is also sneaky good, which was evident in Phoenix’s wins over both Utah and Portland.

Durant, Devin Booker and Tyus Jones all preached about how important the defense is following the Suns’ win over the Trail Blazers, which is just the team’s second two-game winning streak since Nov. 8. Whether or not they extend that streak against the Pacers on Thursday may just come down to how well they defend.

Budenholzer Preaches D, Suns Respond

It was like an echo chamber on Sunday after the Suns held off Portland to earn their second consecutive win:

You’ve got to play defense.

It seems obvious enough, but in today’s NBA attention to the defensive side of the ball can get lost in the shuffle. Remember, before the season started, the primary storyline wasn’t about how to play without the ball — the excitement revolved around shooting more 3-pointers, and whether or not the Big 3 could stay healthy for a prolonged amount of time (early returns on that are not good).

But, alas, playing a strong defensive game has quickly turned into one of the team’s mantras.

“When we defend at a higher level I think we get easier shots in transition, and easier shots for everybody,” Devin Booker said. “Everything starts on the defensive end. If we can be on a string, on that side of the ball, I think everything else will figure itself out.”

Booker has bounced back quite well following an early season slump: He has led the team in scoring over its past three games by putting up a combined 87 points over that span. Perhaps what wasn’t expected, though, was the rise of Tyus Jones, who continues to impress after signing a one-year deal in July (To be fair, Booker has been singing his praises since the summer).

He notched 19 points in Sunday’s win, but had the same remarks as Booker following the game, especially after Portland made a late run to try to get back into the game.

“We have to give it a little more resistance defensively down the stretch,” Jones said. “A couple of breakdowns, and I think offensively, just trying to get to exploiting some mismatches, trying to create some advantages, trying to manipulate the matchups, and guys made some shots.”

It’s About the Team, Not the Stats

That attention to detail brought another item of the Suns’ attack to light: sacrificing personal stats to enable the team to win more games. It may sound like a given, but that’s sometimes a tough assignment on a team with as much star power as the Suns have.

Center Jusuf Nurkić exemplified that since his return from an injury, and though 10 points are what showed in the box score, a whole lot more was said about him after the game.

“He was extremely active on the defensive end of the floor,” Jones said of Nurkić. “He also just continued to set good screens, freeing myself, Kev, and Book up.”

Sacrificing your own stat line for the sake of the team? That’s buying in, and Booker is here for it.

“[My teammates] understand teams are going to load up on me, Kev, and Brad, and they’re making them pay for it,” Booker said. “That’s what we work on every day in practice. We talk about that spacing. Sometimes someone has to make a sacrificial cut that draws the defense in, that opens up the back side.

“That’s something we’re trying to figure out, especially when we have four or five threats on the court.”

Defense Rises When the Games Really Matter

If the Suns are poised to make a playoff run in the spring, it’s going to come with strong defense and timely shooting in late-game scenarios. Phoenix’s fourth-quarter struggles were well documented last season, and Sunday’s win over Portland also highlighted it after the Trail Blazers cut a 13-point deficit to just five points in the final minute of the game.

That came from desperate play from an 8-18 team. Imagine what it looks like against a championship-caliber team.

It’s at that point that timely defense is most important.

“When teams are in desperation mode like that, you’re usually a stop or two from putting a dagger in and stomping them out,” Booker said.

That killer instinct (well, that, and health) is exactly what the Suns need as the season continues on and they continue to settle in under Budenholzer’s system.

It will be fun to watch that continue to develop throughout the rest of the season, and hopefully, hopefully, deep into the playoffs.

ICYMI:
Tyus Jones is table-setting, but his aggression as a scorer is what’s elevating Suns offense
A Jimmy Butler trade to the Suns is unlikely, for a number of reasons
Full PHNX Suns Coverage

🧢 TIP OF THE HAT BY BRANDED BILLS
Offering our condolences to the Suns and the friends and family of Dick Van Arsdale, who passed away. The three-time All-Star scored the first points in team history, and is a member of the Suns Ring of Honor.