Copyright Sports Illustrated
The Phoenix Suns won their fifth game in their last six tries with a 121-98 drubbing of the New Orleans Pelicans in front of 17,071 fans on Monday night. The Suns, who are on a three-game winning streak, are off to an impressive start considering a few key factors. Suns' Winning Streak Extended The Suns' 6-5 start won't be as aesthetically pleasing to the eye considering they no longer have the services of Kevin Durant. Last season, the Suns had their best nine-game start in franchise history (8-1). The Suns did not finish what they started. The Suns missed the play-in, finishing 10 games below .500 at 36-46. Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets, Bradley Beal was bought out and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Suns chose to build around Devin Booker, who is their franchise player. Booker signed a massive two-year, $145 million extension as the Suns will try and re-tool around him. Phoenix's new culture under first-year general manager Brian Gregory and coach Jordan Ott is what fans and media would come to embrace, according to majority owner Mat Ishbia. The Suns' emphases so far have been to build an offense around Devin Booker and a hodgepodge of shooters. The Suns also have been relying on role players without the services of Jalen Green, who is expected to be out four to six weeks with a right hamstring strain. Still, the Suns have won three straight and set the tone with their defense. Phoenix has won three straight, winning by an average of 15.7 points. The Suns' defensive rating (115.4) leaves plenty to be desired. However, Phoenix is forcing turnovers and currently ranks sixth in opponent turnovers per game (16.1). The Suns' defense is trying to make the most of its speed and athleticism considering it does not have high-level wing defense outside of forward Ryan Dunn. Grayson Allen set a Suns franchise record with 10 3-pointers made. Gregory seems to be right that Allen would be a breakout candidate. Phoenix's defense is also impressive. Ott's development of Cavaliers big Evan Mobley into a Defensive Player of the Year winner is one of the reasons why he was hired. On Monday, Pelicans managed to score 98 points, committing 19 turnovers in the game. Active hands and swipes of the basketball are hallmarks of the Suns' efforts on the defensive end. The Suns must stay hungry and continue to eat when it comes to turning turnovers into points. Suns Emphasizing 3-Point Shot Suns general manager Brian Gregory seems to be understanding the modern view of the 3-point shot. Before the season, Gregory predicted that wing Grayson Allen could have a breakout year. Allen was red-hot on Monday as he set a Suns franchise record (10) for 3-pointers made in a single game. "He just shoots it from so far away with ease. We're trying to get him to shoot more, his career numbers, always shoots at a high clip. We want him to take some ones where he doesn't feel quite as comfortable all the time, but we know what he shoots," Gregory said. "We need him to shoot more. We've tried to stress him to shoot tougher ones, more contested, off the dribble, as well as get downhill, get in the paint, make plays. It was awesome, awesome to see, awesome to see how his teammates pushed for him. Such an unassuming, quiet, well mannered, organized. He's always another adult in the room, it's great to see.” Phoenix is shooting 38.5% from three this season. The Suns have found a way to replace Green, who himself made a single-game franchise record six threes in his debut. Without a second star, the Suns must build some grit next to Devin Booker, who has incredibly high aspirations to stay in Phoenix and win a championship. Ott, who is impressively managing the Suns' rotations, has seemingly found a recipe for success. "I'm not going to take credit for putting the roster together, but the roster is filled with shooting, and again, we just have to create enough paint pressure and then move it," Ott said. "And when your best player moves it like he does, I know the assist numbers don't add up tonight, but a lot of times he hits the first trigger and then the next guy gets the shot. So 29 assists, 39 field goals, we're going to keep shooting. I thought our defensive intensity there in that second quarter really picked up. I thought even from the jump our defensive intensity was really good. We were really good with our ball pressure tonight. Now it's just about maintaining it for as long as we can."
