Preview: Suns Need to Swing For Fences in Game 2 vs Thunder

The Phoenix Suns enter Wednesday night's Game 2 battle against the Oklahoma City Thunder not quite in must-win territory, though it sure might feel like it.

Going back home down 2-0 isn't always a recipe for disaster for teams, though specifically in this series, against Oklahoma City, that sure feels like the grim reaper making plans to visit Mortgage Matchup Center.

The Thunder thoroughly handled Game 1 and are very much set to do the same in Game 2, though Phoenix is getting a bit healthier.

All of Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin and Grayson Allen were listed as questionable on last night's injury report. While Williams feels like a stretch to play, Allen could potentially give the Suns a needed boost to the lineup while Goodwin very much feels 50/50.

Even one of those players taking the court for Phoenix would be a major win tonight, given how events in Game 1 transpired. Williams' absence down low saw OKC control the glass while the Suns obviously missed the shooting prowess of Allen. Goodwin departed in the second quarter and saw Phoenix lose their top on-ball defender.

Ball movement has been a major talking point for the Suns entering Game 2, as Sunday's loss saw OKC's defense clamp Phoenix down.

"It's important. Always is important, but especially versus this team. We know how they shift for each other," Devin Booker said ahead of Game 2.

"We know how they help each other on the defensive end. Iso ball will not get it done."

No team across the NBA has truly been able to crack OKC's defense, consistently, over the course of 48 minutes. Their lineup is far too long, too deep and too talented to expect success.

That's especially true for a Suns squad tasked with doing so over a playoff series, but in order for this series to extend past four games, Phoenix needs to gamble.

Putting up more three-point attempts is likely a good start with OKC's size advantage down low. The Suns were one of the league's top three-point shooting teams during the regular season before that seemingly dissapeared on Sunday.

The gambles may also come in terms of Suns coach Jordan Ott trusting younger guys this series, as rookies in Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming bring a bit more defensive upside than the counterparts starting ahead of them.

However Ott sees fit, something needs to change — perhaps drastically — entering tonight before the Suns get in a hole they probably can't dig themselves out of.

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