👋 GOOD MORNING 🇺🇸

Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 — Happy Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Inauguration Day! I hope you had a great weekend; there were no shortage of headlines to follow. For starters, both the AFC and NFC championship games are set, and just one Cinderella story remains: Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, who stunned the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions on Saturday night. The gridiron wars are hardly over, though, as Ohio State and Notre Dame face off tonight in a game that I have to think is going to be an instant classic.

Tonight’s game will feature a ton of draft prospects as well, so make sure to catch Fran Duffy’s NFL Guide to the National Championship, highlighting all of the prospects who are playing for it all tonight (spoiler alert, there’s a lot of them!).

Enjoy the game. On to the show!

Nick Richards Helps Suns Rise in Team Debut

The Suns were on fire in MoTown, aided by their newest arrival.

That added up to a second straight win, and a rejuvinated team heading into its biggest test of the season.

Center Nick Richards appeared in his very first game on Saturday after being acquired for Josh Okogie and three second-rounders earlier in the week, and he finished with a double-double off the bench. The towering 7-foot Richards notched 21 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes of work, going 7-for-9 from the free throw line in the process.

The returns are early, but the Suns may have gotten their answer in the middle.

No Practice? No Problem for the Big Man

Richards ​said following Saturday’s win​ that coach Mike Budenholzer took him to the gym right off the plane when he arrived in Detroit, where he spent the better part of an hour running “every single play” while trying to familiarize himself as much as possible with the Suns’ offense.

He sure looked like he felt right at home with his new teammates at Little Caesar’s Arena, helping Phoenix climb to above .500 for the first time since a 15-14 mark on Dec. 25. Richards’ impact off the bench helped cushion the absence of Bradley Beal, who missed his second straight game with an injury.

“He was great on both ends of the court,” Budenholzer said. “I thought he gave us a defensive presence. You felt his length, you can see him. I think it changes the visual for our opponent.”

That jolt of confidence added up to the team’s fifth win in six games, and Richards said he was not only happy with how his first game as a Sun went, but also impressed with how his teammates performed around him.

“Second half, a lot of guys turned it up,” Richards said. “I think everybody just played their role, stuck to the game plan that coach planned out for us, and we came out with a win.”

Big Test Awaits in Cleveland on Monday

Saturday’s win was impressive over a much-improved Pistons team, but a true test awaits this afternoon against the Cavs, who are a league-best 35-6 heading into the matchup. Cleveland started the season 15-0, and though they are 2-2 over their last four games, they have had an impressive first half of the season.

The Suns, meanwhile, continue to search for consistency on both ends of the court, hoping to rekindle the type of chemistry that helped them jump out to a 9-2 start earlier this year. Budenholzer’s assessment of his defense early on, though, suggests Richards has already started to earn the coach’s trust.

“His ability to put pressure on the rim, I thought he caught it and attacked the basket,” Budenholzer said. “As we learn him, and he learns us, hopefully he’s going to open up and unlock some things.”

For his part, Richards said he relished the 29 minutes played on Saturday, dwarfing starting center Mason Plumlee’s 13 minutes of action.

“I don’t think he planned on playing me this much, but he had some faith in me tonight,” Richards said. “I appreciate it. It was a great win for the team, a great debut for me, and I was having fun out there, and everyone was having fun.”

Was Richards the Missing Piece of the Puzzle?

It’s a bit of a loaded question, because that answer will play out in the weeks, and months, to follow.

But it sure was nice to see his immediate impact in the middle, and though it felt like the Suns may have another trade in the works prior to the upcoming Feb. 6 deadline, it’s looking less-and-less likely that a blockbuster trade will materialize. Financial limitations, no-trade clauses, and a lack of moveable draft capital are all pretty big roadblocks (though not insurmountable), but would it really be that bad if Phoenix stands pat?

Richards already showed his potential — an impressive debut considering he entered Saturday’s game averaging 8.9 points and 7.5 rebounds this season. Budenholzer sure seemed happy with both him and the team on Saturday, as well as the potential that the future holds for the current group.

“For [Richards] to basically arrive yesterday afternoon, jump in and play 29 minutes, score 21 [points] and 11 [rebounds], it’s just super impressive,” Budenholzer said. “We’re excited about having him, and working with him, helping him grow, and I think he’s going to help our team grow.”

We hope so too, coach. So far, so good.

Full PHNX Suns Coverage

🧢 TIP OF THE HAT BY BRANDED BILLS

Saquon Barkley is flat out unbelievable. The game got a little too close for comfort in the end, but may very well have ended up as a loss if not for his heroics.