The Phoenix Suns will have all eyes on Footprint Center on Monday night.
And if they pull out a win, that attention could follow them throughout a tough week as they seek to separate themselves as one of the best teams in the West.
Eyes will be on the Valley because Phoenix will be the site of Paul George’s debut for the Philadelphia 76ers. The veteran forward signed in Philly over the summer, but bruised his left knee during the preseason. George will join a team that badly needs him to try and upset the Suns.
That means two things for the Suns.
One, George gives the Sixers another pull-up shooting threat. Between George, Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry, the Suns’ pick and roll defense will be tested. They will need to communicate switches versus straight-up coverages, overs versus unders on screens, and be steady with their back line.
Two, George gives the Sixers another long wing defender to muck up the Suns’ offense. Without Joel Embiid, Philly is too thin to be favored against the Suns in Phoenix. But throw George on the court with Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin and others and the defense can still be strong.
If the Suns can take care of business and ruin George’s debut, heads will turn.
The Suns would move to 6-1 with a win and extend their streak to five games. That’s bona fide contender stuff.
On today’s episode, we preview Suns-Sixers, but not before we react to the KD-Stephen A. feud and some new info about the Suns courting Tyus Jones over the summer.
