Suns: Defense Will Make-or-Break Game 6 vs. Mavericks
For a Phoenix Suns team that features prominent scorers such as Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton on the offensive side of the ball, it will be their defensive efforts that decide whether or not they advance to the next round.
A Game 6 showdown with the Dallas Mavericks awaits Phoenix, as the Suns are just 48 minutes away from going to their second-straight Western Conference Finals.
Dallas, who covets the three-point ball almost more than anybody in the league, shot a mere 25% (8-of-32) in Game 5, and will be looking to bounce back in a major way.
Mavericks 3PT% vs. Phoenix
Game 1: 41%
Game 2: 41.5%
Game 3: 33.3%
Game 4: 45.5%
Game 5: 25%
Dallas' season average of 35% gives reason to believe Game 6 will be somewhat of a bounce back opportunity for the Mavericks. Their last game shooting below 25% (10-43) came on Mar. 25 against Minnesota, and they followed that up with shooting 50% (17-34) from beyond the arc the following game.
Needless to say, Dallas coach Jason Kidd makes adjustments, and the Suns must be ready for them.
“We study film. Coach (Monty Williams) is coming in with the adjustments and we make ’em and we follow ’em,” Booker said to reporters following Game 5.
“We pride ourselves on the defensive end all year. I think that’s when we’re at our best. When we’re not taking the ball out of the hoop and playing a slower-paced game, we like getting stops, getting out in transition because we have a lot of athletes, a lot of people that can make plays for each other.”
A small reason for Dallas' high marks throughout the series in terms of shooting is Phoenix's defensive gameplan to limit Luka Doncic's scoring inside, which gambles on outside shooters hitting their shots when the ball is kicked out.
“The defense tonight, that’s the backbone of our program, it’s one of our pillars. Being able to defend and the one (area) that was at a really high level tonight was being able to guard the ball in one-on-one situations," said Williams on Tuesday.
A key piece to stopping Doncic has been the defensive prowess of Mikal Bridges, who often has drew the assignment of handling duties on that side of the floor.
Williams was complimentary of the job he's done on Doncic, saying, “Just from the eye test and what I felt in the game, I thought he (Bridges) did a really good job of pressuring a bit more tonight. We were much more physical against him (Doncic).”
Stopping Doncic is almost impossible, but limiting him is the goal for the Suns. Doncic is averaging 32 points per game this series, but Phoenix has been able to live with his scoring so long as the rest of the lineup is stagnant.
The Suns have even relied on players off the bench to step up when their number is called. Bismack Biyombo offers versatility to guard big men down low while also defending Doncic when he drives to the rim, and even Landry Shamet received praise from Williams for his defensive efforts.
“Landry, in his minutes, he’s shown that he can guard and stay in front of the ball a lot better than most people think, so that helped him. His ability to handle the ball and initiate with Book allows him to be on the floor with Book.”
When Cam Johnson appeared on Arizona Sports' 98.7 FM, he praised Doncic on his ability to score from anywhere on the floor.
"Anytime you have a guy like that, he's trying to manipulate (the floor) and get what he wants. So that's the kind of challenge that he presents," said Johnson. "But you know, it's part of the game, being able to guard somebody that's very talented and one of the one of the best players in this league.
Every single player that played for the Suns on Tuesday finished in the positive in the plus-minus stat while on the court while Dallas had just one player (Bertans) in the positive.
Paul looks to return to his typical, floor general self in Game 6 while Booker will undoubtedly put up his usual numbers. Ayton will look to make his presence felt in the paint while Bridges and Jae Crowder hope to knock down a few three's in the process, too.
Yet it will be their work on the defensive side of the ball that will make the difference come tip-off, especially in the rowdy environment that awaits them.
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