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.
How the Suns Can Use Win Over Warriors As Inflection Point
Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) guards Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale/Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
If you’ve paid any attention to the Phoenix Suns over the past three seasons, you’ve heard this too many times to count: It’s hard to get a read on this team.
The numbers will tell you that right now, the Suns are a below-average team. They are getting outscored by 1 point per 100 possessions on the season, with the NBA’s 20th-ranked defense and 14th-ranked offense. In a league of 30 teams, that’s not anywhere near good enough.
Even if you try to filter out the injury bug, it’s not a pretty picture. With all three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the court together this season, the Suns are only outscoring teams by 2 points per 100 possessions. Their offense is even worse so far with their Big 3 playing off one another than it was last season when that side of the ball was a big factor in the organization’s decision to fire Frank Vogel.
Add in continued problems at the center position highlighted by Jusuf Nurkic shooting 42 percent from the field, and there’s plenty of negative.
However! The Suns are still 11-8, with multiple statement wins throughout the young season. Add two wins over Dallas and the Lakers each to this weekend’s W over the Dubs, and the resume is looking pretty good for Phoenix.
So where does that leave this team?
That’s the topic of today’s episode. It’s time for a closer look at the defense, lineups and rookies — aka the three areas where I think the Suns can take what worked against Golden State and continue building an identity. Do that, and they can take advantage of a softer mid-December schedule to prove they are a force in the West and maybe even a title contender after all.
December 1, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada/Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
You’d be forgiven if, a quarter of the way through the season (yes), you haven’t given the following teams that much attention. Maybe your main rooting interest has been struggling, and it’s taken all your psychic energy to will them through the slump. Better yet, maybe your team is thriving and you’ve been enjoying the ride. Maybe you’re still looking for a team to get behind, in which case, the following three franchises would make great options.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks being on this list has not alleviated my general wariness of the Hawks as a whole, but they’ve been playing through some of the things that make me doubt them. First, the Hawks love to play up. That is, they tend to excel against technically better and markedly more skilled teams; teams farther along the competitive timeline that I always get they feeling Atlanta would rather emulate than put the work in to be at the same level with.
This season, the Hawks are still playing up — they’ve beat the best in conference Cavaliers twice — but they’re recognizing what should be easy wins, like against the Charlotte Hornets. With Trae Young injured and in and out of the lineup, Atlanta’s bench has provided some of the most needed and entertaining offensive bursts in the league, with De’Andre Hunter back with a vengeance after being out for 10 games with a knee injury. Hunter’s regularly putting up 20-plus points per night, and hounding the glass.
Atlanta has a string of high-low games this week, facing the Pelicans, Bucks, Lakers and Nuggets, which should be an ample test to whether they can play and stay consistent.
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
Analysis Bradley Beal’s potential as the sixth man for the Suns is analyzed, weighing the strategic advantages and challenges of this bold move. (Bright Side of the Sun)
Analysis The Suns’ November performance was a rollercoaster, marked by wonderful moments, wild plays, and worrisome trends. This in-depth review captures the essence of their month. (Bright Side of the Sun)
Stat Kevin Durant continues to be a pivotal anchor for the Suns, as evidenced by his impressive tracking stats through week 6. (Bright Side of the Sun)
Milestone Jimmy Butler misses shot so Bam Adebayo can record a triple-double in Heat win (Bleacher Report)
NBA Cup: Spurs @ Suns Tuesday, Dec. 03 | 7:00 PM | Footprint Center (Phoenix, AZ) | Get Tickets
Suns @ Pelicans
Thursday, Dec. 05 | 7:00 PM | Smoothie King Center (New Orleans, LA) | Get Tickets
Suns @ Heat
Saturday, Dec. 07 | 8:00 PM | Kaseya Center (Miami, FL) | Get Tickets
3peat (ICYMI)
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Are the Trade Rumors Dragging the Phoenix Suns Down, Or Is It Something Else?
The Phoenix Suns dropped two terrible losses right as Bradley Beal for Jimmy Butler trade rumors started flying. Coincidence? Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia debate how much the trade whispers are to blame for the Suns’ poor play as well as what the actual biggest issue is for the Suns right now. Then, one big Christmas wish for the Phoenix Suns to close out the show.
Phoenix Suns Lose Another Game and Another Star As Devin Booker Injures Groin Vs. Pacers
As soon as Bradley Beal is back for the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker goes out and the Suns drop another bad home L to the Indiana Pacers. Is it too soon to call this rock bottom? Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia bring a dispatch from inside Footprint Center after another disheartening Suns loss. Does the team’s spirit need an adjustment in addition to getting healthy? And why did they lose even with Booker’s injury?
Should the Phoenix Suns Big 3 Look More Like a Big 2? Plus Favorite Non-Jimmy Butler Targets
The Phoenix Suns have been elite this season with just Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the court, begging the question of what they really need from Bradley Beal. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia break down whether the Big 3 should play more like a Big 2, and what the best role for Beal might be if he stays on the team. To close, we each pick our favorite non-Jimmy Butler trade target this season.
