Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia here, the hosts of the daily Locked On Suns podcast, with your daily Locked On Suns newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Suns and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
The Huge Move Hidden In Another Tough Suns Loss
Nov 17, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns center Mason Plumlee (22) leaves the game after fouling out against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images|Nick Wosika/Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
Mike Budenholzer surprised everyone when the Phoenix Suns released their starting lineup shortly before tipoff on Sunday evening in Minneapolis.
With Kevin Durant still nursing a calf injury and Jusuf Nurkic ailing, Budenholzer up-sized with a group that hadn’t played a minute together prior to this weekend. Out was Josh Okogie, who got the starting nod in an ugly loss in OKC on Friday night. In his place stepped backup 5-man Mason Plumlee, in this case starting at the 4.
From the jump, it became clear the insertion of Plumlee was just as much about Julius Randle as it was about Plumlee himself. The Suns vet played way off Randle on the defensive end, daring him to shoot jumpers while giving the Suns more rim protection and interior defense. When the Wolves pulled Plumlee into a pick-and-roll, he used his quick feet to execute an aggressive scheme, “blitzing” the ball-handler to force him to get rid of it and get the ball where the Suns wanted it — in Randle’s hands.
Offensively, Plumlee was more than just dead weight. Sure, he spaced out to the corner at times in hopes of forcing Randle into tough help decisions. But he also worked as a playmaker as usual, in dribble hand-offs and side pick-and-rolls that made use of his athletic finishing and high IQ.
The move helped the other centers as well. Nurkic was free to put up more 3s than usual to unclog the floor with the Suns’ bigger unit. Rookie Oso Ighodaro saw his role simplified, where he could focus on guarding Randle one on one or protecting the rim as a 4 rather than anchoring the defense as a 5.
Most importantly, the Suns executed the surprise gameplan with few mistakes. Intentionally leaving Randle open; running screen actions on offense and defense with two traditional big men; spacing the floor properly — these things take focus.
The Suns, led by Budenholzer, looked like they were in Year 4 together and as if this was a familiar trick. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, we saw a new head coach throw a wildcard at his opponent and at his players, and pull it off. The loss stings, but the value of the reps on Sunday will matter far more than an L in the standings.
After historic back-to-back nights over the weekend I hope the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox is on your radar. Fox delivered a 60 point game against the Timberwolves on Friday (the Kings, after all that, could not wrestle away the win) and then 49 points against the Jazz in a winning game on Saturday. While these scoring numbers are certainly a touch more astronomical than Fox’s norm, he’s still an athlete who’s averaged 25 points per game in the last three seasons.
Beyond pure shooting, Fox is a pleasure to watch. I mean that in an artful sense, like taking your time in a gallery or museum and letting your eyes rove over every flourish and detail. Fox has a knack for hang time, able to lightly adjust his body mid-air to tweak the angle of his jumper just so. It’s a bane to defenders because it’s nearly impossible to pre-calculate where Fox will wind up releasing the ball, but it’s startling, and fun, to see.
His passing follows the same rules. Namely: his own. One hand flings and scoops to teammates running down the lane, or flashing out to the wing, dependent on the sort of timing it takes trust and seasons of practice to nail. It speaks to the cohesiveness of the Kings, a team many are still quick to dismiss from contention but who will prove a difficult team to match up against once their roster returns to full strength.
Cade Cunningham
Admittedly, I hadn’t been paying that close of attention to Cade Cunningham, even with my well documented dedication to the Detroit Pistons. I changed that last Friday when the team was in Toronto to face the Raptors, and I spent a good chunk of pregame warmups watching Cunningham run through his drills.
There’s a new level of patience to Cade, who’s been — by circumstance — forced into holding pattern since he entered the NBA. This new level filters through his game. There’s still the juddery, at times mesmerizing, stop-start motion of his handle and with it the ability to force the pace he wants in a game, but now Cade’s letting the game come to him. Where there simply isn’t time to draw out a possession, or altering one might upend his team’s momentum (momentum has been something Detroit is relying on this season, to their benefit), Cade instead adopts the rhythm of the floor in motion. Now into his forth season, his maturation is evident, and it’s winning games.
Jabari Smith
It’s felt a touch disingenuous, how down on Jabari Smith those in the wider sphere of the Houston Rockets have been this season. Yes, he’s had some slow shooting nights, and made some frustrating decisions, but he’s also come back in the games that follow those less than stellar performances and done all the right things — leading to wins.
Smith’s a third year player in the league on a franchise that only really started to get the foundation of their rebuild right last season. He’s learning to adjust to quicker pace, tighter and more effortful defence (the Rockets are the league’s best rebounders), and what it means to actually compete versus playing at the whims of a single game, on a game-to-game basis. There’s continuity showing here, and it’s great.
Smith tends to have his best rebounding games when he’s also scoring, which just tells me that energy generated on one end of the floor is essential for him at the other. It’s also true of younger players — and teams, like the Rockets — learning what it is to stay consistent through a game’s many tide-turns.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Feel Good Bright Side Night continues to bring joy by sending underprivileged kids to Suns games, honoring Dave King’s legacy and his vision for community support. (Bright Side of the Sun)
Preview The Suns play the second game of a back-to-back, this time hosting the Magic. Read the preview. (NBA.com)
Biz Deep breaths. The NBA has settled its broadcast lawsuits, and “Inside the NBA” is here to stay. (Sportico)
Preview Major changes could soon be coming to the All-Star Game. (ESPN)
Analysis The “unicorn” era of Anthony Davis may be over, but could the “Lakers AD” era just be starting? (The Ringer)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Sunday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Roundup
Nov 17, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts after being called for a foul against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images|Nick Wosika/Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
As we dive into the latest NBA action, it’s clear that Sunday was packed with intriguing performances and unexpected developments. With 10 games on the schedule, there was no shortage of excitement and fantasy implications to unpack.
Injury Updates and Opportunities
The Sacramento Kings are dealing with some significant injury news. Domantas Sabonis, usually a reliable presence, is doubtful with a back issue, potentially missing his second consecutive game. This opens up opportunities for players like Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles to step up. Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan is officially out for his third consecutive game.
Key Performances and Fantasy Implications
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ victory over the Phoenix Suns highlighted some strategic missteps by the Suns. Starting Mason Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkic together against Minnesota’s big lineup didn’t pay off, with Nurkic playing only 14 minutes. His inconsistent performances make him a risky fantasy option, as his playing time and production fluctuate wildly.
On the Timberwolves’ side, Mike Conley’s increased minutes are worth noting. While his scoring was minimal, his contributions in other areas helped secure the win. Naz Reid, despite his scoring potential, continues to struggle defensively, which could limit his fantasy upside.
Click the button below to see why one of KD’s newest running mates could be worth a look, and how Charlotte’s injury concerns will affect your lineup.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Suns podcasts.
Phoenix Suns No-Show 5th Straight Loss To Knicks, Is the Issue Bigger Than Injuries?
The Phoenix Suns gave up a season-worst 138 points and looked lifeless for much of their fifth straight loss to the New York Knicks. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia break down the loss, including how much blame Devin Booker deserves and why the defense was so ugly just days after several solid performances.
The Kevin Durant Balancing Act Plus Are the Phoenix Suns Any Closer To An Answer At Center?
As the Phoenix Suns await the return of Kevin Durant, are there ways to balance his workload while still winning and building chemistry? Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia debate KD’s minutes and role before diving into three-headed monster at center and whether the Suns are any closer to addressing that weakness. To close, a preview of Suns-Knicks on Wednesday night.
Phoenix Suns Outmatched By Orlando Magic As Devin Booker Gets Bottled Up Again
The Phoenix Suns lost a third straight game to a tough defensive Orlando Magic team as Devin Booker went quiet once again. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia react to another Suns L, including why Booker struggled, why they lost, and how they could have overcome Orlando.
