The Suns Are Doing Everything We Wanted To See (So Far)

Breaking down the biggest surprises from the Suns season so far.

NBA: Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings

Apr 12, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) and guard Devin Booker (1) and guard Bradley Beal (3) and forward Royce O’Neale (00) and forward Kevin Durant (35) huddle up before the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Ed Szczepanski/Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

It’s impossible not to feel good about the Phoenix Suns’ 3-1 start.

When Mike Budenholzer took over as Suns head coach in May, his task was clear: maximize the Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. Beneath the surface, there was a much easier job for him as well.

Under Frank Vogel, the Suns left so much low-hanging fruit on the tree. Whether because of injuries or simply a bad fit between coach and personnel, they just never picked that fruit.

In just a week under Coach Bud, that’s changing.

Durant just finished off maybe his most complete week as a Suns player, averaging 29 points per game on 53 percent shooting and showing up as a defensive weapon when needed. Fellow forwards Royce O’Neale and Ryan Dunn have been among the most impactful players on the team. Those three playing great opens up small-ball looks for the Suns that Budenholzer has willingly embraced.

At the same time, the Suns are cleaning up the small stuff.

They are 10th in 3-point frequency after losing that battle on a near-nightly basis last season. They are also top-10 in transition efficiency, though they are still playing pretty slow and missing out on some fast-break opportunities.

And late in games, the Suns have gotten the job done. They are 2-0 in clutch games (score within five points in the final 5 minutes), and plus-10 overall in fourth quarters so far. Their offense is clicking, they are limiting turnovers, and they are executing with purpose.

It’s early, obviously.

But after a week, so much of what drove us crazy about the Suns before is already fading into a distant memory.

On today’s show, a closer look at these trends and why they matter for the rest of the season.