Suns Emphasize This Key Stat After Poor Start

The Suns want to figure out how to correct their sloppy play.

Oct 29, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the second half at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns put together arguably their best complete performance of the season Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, but still ended up losing 114-113 to extend their losing streak to four games.

Phoenix (1-4) made a big starting lineup change by moving Mark Williams into the starting group and that seemed to help fix the Suns' issues of starting games slow, as they led at halftime for the first time all season.

Even with starting better, the Suns were still plagued by sloppy play against Memphis as they have been all season without a key ball handler in Jalen Green, who has missed the first five games with a right hamstring strain.

This culminated into 21 turnovers leading to 37 Grizzlies points.

"It's pretty easy to see on the box score, (21 turnovers) for 37 points. It was a live ball, they had 13 steals," Suns coach Jordan Ott said. "We might have given up 26 points in those 13 possessions of what we had there in our live ball turnovers. So got to look at it, look at it, see it's probably all of it.

"Like I think I said it a couple games ago. It's a bad pass, bad catch, bad spacing, give them credit. They were pretty good defensively. Obviously, (Jaren) Jackson's (Jr.) a good defender, (Jaylen) Wells a good defender. Give them a little credit but we got to be better than that.”

The Suns' transition defense has not been good because of the live ball turnovers, which Ott addressed further.

"I think tonight overall, we were pretty good again (on defense), just judging by how fast they play, how fast we play, I would imagine it comes out as a pretty solid defensive night if we can just stop turning the ball over," Ott said.

He added semi-jokingly: "Kick it out of bounds. How about we kick it out of bounds instead of give it to the other team? But we'll figure it out, it's a new process for everyone. Everyone's kind of in a slightly different role. The spacing is different, but we got to figure it out."

Grayson Allen led Phoenix with five turnovers, and the Suns' starting lineup was responsible for 15 of the 21 turnovers as they learn Ott's new system centered around Devin Booker without a key component in Green in the mix.

"A lot of live-ball turnovers," Williams said postgame. "Our transition defense led to about 30-something points for them. You cut that in half the game looks totally different. I think just transition defense, cutting down on live-ball turnovers and the result is probably a little different.”

The Suns are currently averaging the fifth-most turnovers in the NBA at 17.8 per game.

Collin Gillespie, who has been the Suns' best ball handler when he enters the game off the bench, detailed what is the leading to some of the turnovers.

“It’s a little bit of everything. We have to be better taking care of the ball and the decision making," Gillespie said. "Probably play off of two feet a little bit more and we’re getting caught in the air trying to make some passes. Just being smarter that way and obviously, spacing helps too.

"Trying to get flat when Booker has the ball and let him create a little bit more. Because when you have guys that are up the line and guarding you, they’re crowding up space. We had too many live ball turnovers and they got 37 points off of it.”

Phoenix is back in action Friday night at home against the Utah Jazz for its first NBA Cup group matchup.