The One Adjustment Suns Coach Monty Williams Needs to Make
The Phoenix Suns are just a few hours away from Game 2, which presents an opportunity to level the series 1-1 as the Los Angeles Clippers prepare to host Games 3/4 back on their homecourt.
The series is far from over, even if Phoenix manages to go down 0-2 to a Clippers team without Paul George in the lineup. However, history isn't exactly on their side if that happens: According to Oddsshark, only 20 teams in 282 seven-game playoff series have ever come back to win. The last team to do so in the first round were the Portland Trail Blazers back in 2016.
Oddsmakers are confident in the Suns' ability to bounce back, as Phoenix rests as -8..5 point favorites on the spread ahead of Game 2.
With some time between now and Sunday to adjust, we'll see what coach Monty Williams has up his sleeves to reverse course.
Here's one adjustment Williams should consider as time begins to tick before opening tip:
Torrey Craig by no means was a disappointment in Game 1, pouring in 22 points and hitting some key shots in the third quarter to help build an eventual six-point lead for the Suns.
However, scoring isn't necessarily something the Suns should rely on from Craig, as a roster that includes Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton should be seen as better options.
Craig's defense though left some things to be desired on Kawhi Leonard, who led all players with 38 points while also adding five points and five rebounds.
Phoenix should find their own rhythm with two of the best scorers in the NBA (Durant/Booker) ready to go for 30 on any respective night, yet the Suns will ultimately win this series by limiting Leonard as much as possible and forcing other members of the Clippers to step up, such as Eric Gordon and Russell Westbrook.
Stopping Leonard is far easier to type and theorize than actually doing so on the court, but plugging in arguably Phoenix's best defender in Josh Okogie could make things tougher on Leonard.
Sure, Okogie may not go for 22 like Craig did on Sunday (though he did score 13 and 16 points in the final two games of the regular season) but his defensive prowess and potential to make things much more difficult on Leonard would offset his limited scoring. The Suns should be able to win a track meet with the rest of their starting lineup.
Okogie was mostly a strongpoint in Phoenix's starting lineup down the stretch of the season, so it was a bit of surprise to see him omitted as a starter while only playing seven minutes in Game 1.
Others in the rotation will surely need to step up for Phoenix to get back on track, but subbing Okogie for Craig in the starting lineup should - at minimum - make life tougher for Leonard, something the Suns clearly weren't capable of doing two days ago.
