After two logical defeats against the Clippers and the Nuggets, our Suns ended their little road trip with a more manageable opponent than the previous ones. Big plays, big performances, and overtime. Everything was there for a good basketball moment, but unfortunately, a third loss came to cool down Arizona. Let’s’s break it down!
Rebounding issue, again
A usual one, but so important. Let me give you the stats (sit down, please…). 48 rebounds for our Suns (30 defensive, 18 offensive) against 64 for the Jazz, including 28 offensive boards, just monstrous and rare in modern NBA.
Statistically, our team didn’t have a bad game in this area, but one, the Jazz were too dominant, too present, and two, the Suns lacked cohesion and aggression, which explains the opponent’s domination in this sector.
Honorable mention to our Richards-Williams duo, 21 boards between them, and Royce O’Neal with 13 rebounds.
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Winning the 2nd quarter
This has been our big weakness since the start of the season — a loss against the Kings, Clippers, and Nuggets in this quarter — almost 38 points allowed on average in these 12 minutes.
Against the Jazz, the Suns won it, allowing only 25 points. It’s not exceptional but an improvement. It allowed Phoenix not to head into the locker room with too big a deficit.
Beyond the score, the Suns really contained them defensively: they finished at only 31% shooting, with 3 steals and 4 blocks from us. On offense, our 9 assists show smooth ball movement and real efficiency in possession management.
Mark Williams finally stepping up
One of the night’s satisfactions, the Suns’ new center playing 30 minutes puts up 25 points, grabs 11 rebounds, and snags 2 steals — all with 65% shooting — a full, efficient, and satisfying stat line. Can’t wait to see him against the Grizzlies, maybe even as a starter?
Royce O’Neale and Isaiah Livers as disruptors
We were sold a strong defensive identity in the offseason, and in the first 3 games, it was very average. But here we start to see it, especially in how they disrupt passing lanes and help in the second line.
As seen in the clips above, they regularly disturb the play toward the rim or in the paint. Smart and clever, exactly what we’ll ask from our defense this season. Royce O’Neale finishes this game with 5 steals, Isaiah Livers with 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Devin Booker and Collin Gillespie to run the offense smoothly
With 45 baskets for 37 assists and only 14 turnovers, the offense was remarkably fluid and efficient. Every possession was well used, with little rush and very clean ball movement.
Devin Booker (10 assists) and Collin Gillespie (13) perfectly orchestrated the play, finding teammates at the right moment and involving the whole team. Their court vision turned the offense into a collective machine, a clear sign of offensive cleanliness.
On Booker, several times we saw him connect with Mark Williams — always the same pattern: pick-and-roll to force the hedge and help, so the center can just finish.
For Gillespie, he was interesting when finding the spot-up shooters, always there to fix the defense and swing the ball to a teammate in the corner or at 45°.
Nick Richards is very appealing
Finally, let’s talk about Nick Richards, whom I found good, very interesting. He played a complete game. He was quiet in scoring (6 points on 2-of-6) but very present on the boards and protecting the rim.
I find him increasingly surprising in his ability to protect the basket and cover his teammates. This second-line role suits him perfectly. There was not much scoring on him tonight.
Despite this third consecutive loss, there are encouraging signs: the defense is starting to show its true face, some players are stepping up, and the offense is finding its rhythm again. Now, it’s about building on these positives against the Grizzlies and turning progress into wins.