More than in any other sport in this country, conventional wisdom suggests the way to win an NBA championship is to load a roster with as many big-name superstars as possible. Without a “big three,” it’s nearly impossible to take home the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. That said, not all super teams are created equally.
Phoenix Suns owner hoped to make a splash by building a roster around Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. On paper, that talented trio checks a lot of boxes. On the court though, they failed to come anywhere close to expectations and were the league’s most expensive non-playoff team one year ago. Durant was shipped to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the No. 10 pick and five second-round picks. The franchise also agreed to a contract buyout with Beal, allowing them to move on from the injury prone guard.
This season, few pundits gave the Suns much of a chance in the stacked Western Conference. After subtracting Durant and Beal, it seemed to be conventional wisdom that the rest of the roster lacked the firepower to be an actual contender, as presently constructed. This, as they say, is why they play the games.
Phoenix continues to be one of the biggest surprises of the season, looking much more formidable as everything revolves around Booker. The Washington Wizards, on the other hand, continue to be exactly what everyone expected — a young and inexperienced bunch who are still learning what it takes to win consistently.
Brooks scored 26 points and Booker added 22 as the Suns earned their fourth win in a row by defeating the Wizards, 115-101. For Washington, rookie Tre Johnson scored a career-high 24 points, while converting all five three-point attempts. CJ McCollum chipped in 17 points in the loss.