Phoenix Suns in Desperate Need of Offensive Threats
A bitter taste was left in the mouths of Phoenix Suns players after the abysmal performance in Wednesday night's game against the Boston Celtics.
Following a loss to the Luka Doncic led Dallas Mavericks, the Phoenix Suns looked to hit the reset button on their own floor.
On paper, this was going to be a dream NBA matchup, the top team in the Eastern Conference squaring up against the top team in the Western Conference; it quickly turned into a nightmare for the Suns.
The return of G Chris Paul saw a familiar starting five and hoped to cure any chemistry issues the Suns had the past few games. It seemed as though the shooting woes would continue as the Suns struggled to hit mid-range shots early. The Celtics were running and gunning from the tip, taking advantage of a frustrated Suns team that lacked intention on defense.
Sloppy play from the Suns would continue as the Celtics' lead grew to 27 at halftime. Misses on the offensive end led to long rebounds for a push-the-pace Celtics team with proven three-point shooters.
A glaring issue was obvious from the Suns offensively as scoring options were limited: The Suns offense has become stale.
A frustrating night Wednesday was accompanied by a 1-16 from 3 PT and 35% FG at one point in the game.
Phoenix, a well shooting 3-point team at 37%, which ranks 4th in the league, missed their first seven three-pointers. The first three to finally fall was none other than Josh Okogie's heave at the end of the shot clock in the second quarter.
A waning Paul has battled a heel injury this season, resulting in a definite shooting funk. With that threat being limited offensively, the pick-and-roll game has become one dimensional from Paul. This led to instances where passes were intercepted by Celtics defenders as Paul tried to feed Ayton cutting toward the basket.
SF Mikal Bridges had another off night going 2-12 from the field and 0-5 from the 3-point line. Even G Devin Booker, who was coming off Western Conference Player of the Month, was a cold 6-17 on field goals and 1-6 from behind the arc.
When Booker was on the floor, the defense took a hit as well due to early foul trouble. Booker exited the game midway through the 3rd quarter after a record-setting +/- of -40 rating while on the floor.
Not all offense needs to run through Booker, and as Wednesdays night's game showcased, the Suns need talented scoring options.
Rumors have floated around about Washington Wizards F Kyle Kuzma and New York Knicks G Cam Reddish as being two points of interest by the Suns. Both players are offensive-minded that can bring life to teams in to different ways.
F Kyle Kuzma has flourished this season and is at the center of trade talk around the NBA.
Kuzma adds size athleticism with an above average shooting ability for his height. The 27 year-old still has his best basketball ahead of him as an emerging star in the league. He is also playing the best basketball of his career this season averaging 20.6 PPG and shooting an impressive 45% from the field.
Reddish on the other hand is an oversized SF who works a nice mid range jumpshot that pairs well with his quickness on the ball. A young player that hasn't quite found a home in the NBA, Reddish has injury concerns but potential nonetheless after being drafted 10th overall in 2019 and flourishes of greatness.
PF Jae Crowder is a prime trade piece for the Suns to land an offensive weapon and could be done sooner rather than later after the stretch of games the Suns have been through.
However, it is only December, and if any team knows about the importance of getting hot at the right time and not peaking too early, it's the Phoenix Suns.
