Stepping In For Len
When he first came to Phoenix, Wright looked timid and what had seemed like a perfect fit on paper felt like jamming a round cog in a square peg. One good game doesn’t mean a player has worked out all the kinks, but given Alex Len‘s availability over the last few weeks, it’s no wonder Wright is starting to look more comfortable.
Over the last few weeks, Wright’s teammates have started to grow accustomed to their backup center. His numbers are up across the board and as a result, so are his minutes. Just take a look at his production from February vs. his first eight games in March:
- February: 16.9 MPG, 5.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 4.1 FGA, 55.6 FG%
- March: 23.3 MPG, 8.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 5.8 FGA, 58.7 FG%
With Len missing two of his last five games due to ankle injuries, Wright has taken on an expanded role and is averaging 9.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game during that span. It’s a small sample size, and it’s worth mentioning that Len and Brandon Knight have missed time as well.
But even if Wright’s production is a direct result of more minutes being freed up by Len’s injury, at least he’s gotten more comfortable (and more responsibility) as a byproduct of those injuries. After all, it wasn’t long ago that Earl Barron was getting the start over Wright when Len missed the Cleveland Cavaliers game.
Next: In Transition