Suns Rest Booker, Get Blown Out by Pistons (Reverse Win)

“I am too young to be shut down,” said Devin Booker prior to this afternoon’s matinee matchup in the Suns’ last ever appearance at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn, Michigan.

Already short-handed, Devin Booker had been suffering from some ankle issues, a topic that was mentioned following the Suns’ loss to the Magic two nights ago. Not much was said or thought of from a public standpoint since, but prior to today’s tip-off the Suns announced that they would be sitting Booker to rest his ankle, further depleting their roster.

Yesterday evening, presumably with the knowledge that they would be sitting Booker, the Suns signed Jarell Eddie to a 10-day contract bringing their available to play roster to eight, enough to safety run out a lineup with three reserves.

Early on both he and the Suns impressed. After falling behind by nine late in the first quarter, the Suns fought back to take an eight-point lead in the second, led by ten points from Eddie who helped guide Phoenix to a halftime lead (he finished with 13). The Suns then rushed out of the gates in the third and appeared to be on the verge of blowing the Pistons out of the game in Phoenix’s final ever appearance in The Palace.

#Suns had their biggest lead in exactly 2 wks in the 3rd when up 12. Last lead of that size: 3/5 v Celts Up 13 with under 3min left in 3rd.
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) March 19, 2017

Then for some reason the wheels fell off. From the 6:01 mark in the third quarter to the 1:46 mark in the fourth, the Pistons out-shot, out-hustled, and out-performed the Suns to the tune of a 40-23 scoring reversal, including at one point a 39-15 run taking what once looked like a sure Suns victory, and turned into a Pistons blowout. The Suns could not buy a basket in the fourth quarter finishing 8-25 from the field and 1-7 from beyond the arc.

For the game the Suns finished with a 35.4% field goal percentage, their second worst shooting

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game of the season behind only a 33.3% night against Memphis on February 8. Their 6-22 from three was the second time in eight days that they have had that poor shooting line from outside.

While the Suns shooting was suspect, their ball-handling was superior, led by Tyler Ulis, even in the face of such a depleted backcourt. The Suns finished with only 4 turnovers, their lowest single-game total on the season, and the second lowest in the league behind Boston who only had 3 against the Knicks on January 18.

Short-handed and playing against a desperate Pistons team, several Suns still managed to produce very solid afternoons on the offensive end. Tyler Ulis recorded his second 10+ assists game in his first ever three starts, finishing with 11 to go along with 17 points. His shooting overall, however, was terrible as he finished 7-24 from the field including 0-5 from beyond the arc. In his three starts his is shooting 35.6% overall and is 1-12 from three. However on the plus side he only has six turnovers in that stretch as well.

Eric Bledsoe had six 10+ assist games in 66 starts. Tyler Ulis now has two in three starts. #WeArePHX #Suns
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) March 19, 2017

Alan Williams finished 4-11 for 11 points, but with his team-leading 12 rebounds recorded his 9th double-double since the All-Star break, all off of the bench. Williams also recorded 2 steals. Since the break he is averaging 13.5 points and 9.8 boards.

T.J. Warren, the Suns’ hottest scorer over the past month with a 61.7% field goal percentage, finished with 15 points on only 6-16 from the field and 6 rebounds in 44:57. Marquese Chriss had 6 points on 5-13 shooting and 7 rebounds in 26:14.

The Pistons out-rebounded Phoenix by 16 with totals of 63-47. The Suns were unable to keep starter Andre Drummond (who finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds) and reserve Aron Baynes (who finished with 13 points and 17 caroms in only 17:53) off the boards as the Pistons finished with the most team rebounds against the Suns all season breaking the previous high by six set by Oklahoma City on October 28.

"Reverse Standings30. Brooklyn Nets (13-56) –29. Los Angeles Lakers (20-49) 728. Phoenix Suns (22-48) 8.527. Orlando Magic (25-45) 11.526. Philadelphia 76ers (26-43) 13"

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with a game-high 23 points to go along with 8 assists, and Marcus Morris recorded 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 fouls, and a technical.

The Pistons are now only one half of a game out of the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.