Three Adjustments Suns Must Make for Game 2

The Suns have imminent pressure to even the series - here's how they can do it.

The Phoenix Suns are in a precarious position.

The Suns dropped Game 1 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves by a score of 120-95.

It was a game in which Minnesota controlled - not necessarily dominated - for majority of the 48 minutes of action.

Nonetheless, there were several adjustments that Minnesota head coach Chris Finch made that likely correlated with the final outcome of the opening game.

While Phoenix isn't in a "must-win" scenario on Tuesday for Game 2, it's certainly better to be playing on level terms heading back to Phoenix compared to being down 2-0 in the series.

What are three adjustments coach Vogel and the team at-large can make to right the ship heading back to Phoenix?

Start Royce O'Neale

We previously believed that this change should only be made if/when Phoenix fell behind by two games in this series, but a potentially hobbled Grayson Allen makes this a more realistic move to usher in now.

O'Neale is simply more versatile defensively - and has always felt like a more natural offensive fit next to Kevin Durant than Allen.

This obviously isn't a knock on Allen - O'Neale just feels like a better matchup in this particular series - and his 4-for-8 mark from deep could've very well evidenced this assertion.

Uptick Three-Point Volume

The Suns only took 28 attempts from behind the arc in game 1.

That is simply unacceptable in a series where they need to find ways to generate points through any means possible.

Rudy Gobert makes scoring at the rim an extremely strenuous endeavor, the mid-range game got neutralized for the most part behind some shifty adjustments from the Minnesota coaching staff.

Simply put, the Suns absolutely cannot allow the Wolves to attempt more three-pointers on top of already built in advantages - namely offensive rebounding.

Play Thad Young

Yes, Thaddeus Young might be undersized.

Yes, Drew Eubanks has been entrenched in the rotation for the vast majority of this season.

Neither of these should matter in this moment.

Young has yet to get much run in Phoenix outside of a game against the Denver Nuggets in late March, where he changed the matchup in a multitude of ways - and that could certainly extend in a playoff setting.

Young possesses quality court vision, is a solid play finisher, and - most importantly - takes care of the ball for the most part.

Eubanks has the athleticism advantage, but that is where the list ends - and Vogel has to acknowledge that playing Young might be the ultimate key to cracking non-Nurkic minutes in this series.