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.
