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.
Phoenix Suns’ Christmas Day Win: Turning Point or Fluke?
Nov 12, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts to making.a three point shot against the Utah Jazz during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
The Phoenix Suns celebrated Christmas with a big win against the Denver Nuggets. Now, we’re exploring whether they can maintain this momentum and what it means for the team going forward.
• We saw a different Suns team on Christmas Day. They played with energy, intensity, and a clear identity that we haven’t seen in weeks.
• The big question is: Can they keep it up? It’s easy to get hyped for a Christmas game, but we need to see this effort consistently.
• Kevin Durant’s defensive engagement is a key indicator of the team’s overall performance. When KD is active on defense, it usually means good things for the Suns.
• Bradley Beal came out aggressive, hunting his shot from the start. This decisiveness is what we need to see more often from him.
• The Suns’ identity seemed clearer without Devin Booker. They pressed more on defense and had a more defined offensive approach.
• There’s an ongoing debate about whether the Suns are better with a “Big Two” rather than a “Big Three.” The offense seemed to flow better with just two primary scorers.
• We’re considering the idea of moving Beal to the bench. It’s a tough conversation, but it could potentially maximize his impact and simplify roles for everyone else.
• Coach Budenholzer’s post-game comments were telling. He emphasized the connection between defensive focus and offensive execution.
• We’re cautiously optimistic, but we’ve seen flashes like this before. The real test will be sustaining this level of play over multiple games.
• The Jimmy Butler situation is still developing, but it’s unclear if anything has really changed. We’re waiting for the next domino to fall in that saga.
• The Heat’s performance in the coming weeks could dictate their urgency in potentially moving Butler. We’ll be watching their upcoming road trip closely.
• For now, we’re enjoying the Christmas win but keeping our expectations in check. The Suns have shown us what they’re capable of – now they need to do it consistently.
Remember, Suns fans, it’s a long season. We’ve seen highs and lows already, but this Christmas Day performance gives us hope. Let’s see if they can build on this momentum in the coming games against the Mavericks and Warriors. Keep supporting the team, and we’ll be back to break down all the action for you next week!
Dec 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (right) talk before the game at Chase Center. | Darren Yamashita/Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The ‘Things NBA fans get themselves worked up about’ category got a new entry this month, and it reached a fever pitch over the Christmas Day slate of games —ratings. Specifically, broadcast ratings.
It’s a subject Commissioner Adam Silver is often asked about in his pressers, especially those that precede the NBA’s tent-pole events like the In-Season Tournament, All-Star Weekend, the Finals, and Summer League. It also comes up around the annual Board of Governors meeting in early September. It makes sense for Silver to talk about it, given that he’s the league Commissioner, and because he’s been at the helm for broadcast contract negotiations and renegotiations. If this is all making your eyes cross, good, that helps to prove my point.
Silver, team owners, and broadcast executives are the only people who should care about the NBA’s broadcast ratings. It’s their job. Whether numbers are up or down should be of no concern to fans, casual or die-hard, because they ultimately have no bearing on the viewing experience, nor is it up to fans to “fix” anything.
Traditionally, this would’ve been self-evident, but in the contemporary era of fandom — especially NBA fandom — there’s a desire to critique and cosplay as team or league executives. Everything from down to the decimal point salary analysis in trade machinations, on-court performance and ways to improve athlete “production”, concerns for whether front offices are over-spending (they’re billionaires, they can afford it), and now, worries over marketing of the league.
Broadcast ratings are just one metric. The decline in “traditional” television ratings has more to do with how younger fans find and interact with basketball than with some phantom threat of malaise or disinterest. Cable is expensive, and younger audiences almost exclusively stream their sports. Case in point ESPN’s announcement on Christmas Day of an 84% spike in viewership, a day when many, many people head to their family home and have cable television to watch and plenty of free time on their hands.
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 The Phoenix Suns’ win over the Denver Nuggets brought joy and excitement back to the fans, with Bradley Beal’s performance shining brightly. (Bright Side of the Sun)
Injury The Phoenix Suns have ruled Devin Booker out for their upcoming game against the Dallas Mavericks, marking a significant blow to their lineup. (Sports Illustrated)
Milestone The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets set a new NBA Christmas record for the highest-scoring game, showcasing an exhilarating performance from both teams. (Sports Illustrated)
Ranking Kevin Durant’s declaration of Nikola Jokic as a top-10 player in NBA history after their Christmas game highlights the elite competition faced by the Phoenix Suns. (Bleacher Report)
Preview The Mavericks will face off against the Suns at the Footprint Center at 10:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Friday, Dec. 27 | 7:00PM | Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ | Get Tickets
Suns @ Warriors
Saturday, Dec. 28 | 5:30PM | Chase Center, San Francisco, CA | Get Tickets
Grizzlies @ Suns
Tuesday, Dec. 31 | 7:00PM | Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ | Get Tickets
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Christmas Day Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Spectacular: Must-Adds and Droppable Players
Dec 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (right) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita/Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
As we celebrate Christmas Day, it’s time for a fantasy basketball waiver wire spectacular. Let’s dive into the most added players, must-roster options, and those you can consider dropping.
The most added player over the last 48 hours is Trayce Jackson-Davis. With two solid games in a row and increased minutes, he’s a no-brainer add for now. Keep an eye on his playing time, as anything over 22 minutes makes him worth rostering.
Noah Clowney is another intriguing addition. His shooting has improved from his college days, and he’s getting significant minutes due to injuries. While I’m not sure he’ll provide top-70 value, he’s worth a look in most leagues.
When it comes to must-roster players (under 50% rostered on Yahoo), consider these options:
1. Goga Bitadze: Despite a recent ankle sprain and ejection, his floor has risen significantly.
2. Ben Simmons: Roster him now and worry about potential issues later.
3. Yves Missi: While I’m skeptical about his role when the Pelicans are fully healthy, he should be rostered for now.
4. Bilal Coulibaly: After a cold streak, he’s regained his form and confidence.
5. Ayo Dosunmu: Although I have limited faith in his long-term upside, he’s a must-roster player for the time being.
On the flip side, there are some players you can consider dropping. Remember, “droppable” doesn’t mean you must drop them, but rather that it’s acceptable to do so if needed. These include Gradey Dick, Dennis Schröder, Onyeka Okongwu, Rui Hachimura, Jaden McDaniels, and Jaden Ivey.
Looking at hot players, Larry Nance Jr. has been impressive lately, ranking 40th over the last week. While I don’t expect this to hold long-term, he’s worth rostering for now. Other notable hot players include Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jake LaRavia, and Dean Wade.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Suns podcasts.
Phoenix Suns Eek Out Victory Over Washington As Ryan Dunn Posts Career Night
The Phoenix Suns escaped Washington with a win over the Wizards despite an ugly fourth quarter from Devin Booker and Co. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia recap the 130-123 win, including how the fourth quarter slipped away, continued questions around Tyus Jones, the solid flow between Booker and Kevin Durant, and Ryan Dunn’s career night.
Phoenix Suns Acquire Nick Richards: How Much Of a Boost Will He Bring?
The Phoenix Suns upgraded their center rotation on Wednesday by trading for Nick Richards, who is expected to start right away. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia break down the deal, including the price of the deal sending Josh Okogie out, how much better Richards makes the Suns, and what comes next ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Phoenix Suns Lose Tight Game In Atlanta Despite Kevin Durant & Devin Booker Combining For 66
The Phoenix Suns dropped a tight game in Atlanta despite Kevin Durant and Devin Booker combining for 66 points on the road. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia break down the loss, including how Bradley Beal came up short late, how familiar issues plagued the Suns again, and the night of growing pains for the Suns’ rookies.
