Most people did not expect the Phoenix Suns to be good this year. Once suspension and injury sidelined two of their starters, NO ONE expected them to be good. Don’t jinx this, but they might actually be kind of good.
Don’t say this out loud, but [look around suspiciously] the Phoenix Suns might be good.
I know. I know. It has been three games. It is early. Not all these other teams with new additions have figured out how to play together. Insert all your caveats here.
But the Phoenix Suns have not only looked good these first three games, they have looked better than their opposition.
Last night, the Valley Boyz took down the mighty LA Clippers minus two of their best players and it did not look like a fluke.
The Suns controlled much of the game and even when the score was close, it always looked like Phoenix was in command.
Having said that, considering the low expectations for this team, “The Phoenix Suns are good” is still such a fragile statement, merely uttering it too often might make it disintegrate into dust.
In the spirit of Halloween, this reminds me of the childhood folklore of looking in the mirror and saying “Bloody Mary” three times. If people say that saying out loud in the mirror over and over, it will turn into a ghost and disappear.
However, it is hard not to at least think it on occasion while watching this team play.
The ball movement, cuts, and scoring balance make this team offensively look like they have been playing together for years.
And the defense? That has been exciting as a house giving out full-size candy bars during trick-or-treat.
Sure, players like Kawhi Leonard are going to get theirs. He nearly put up a triple-double against the Suns. But the tenacity, the on-ball harassment, and physical presence down low make me think this level of defense is sustainable.
Fate has given this team every chance to make excuses and lose games. After enthusiasm piqued following the blowout win over the Sacramento Kings, the basketball gods intervened and put the Suns back in their place with the news of Deandre Ayton‘s 25-game suspension.
But then, without their prized center, they narrowly lost to the Denver Nuggets in a game that showed many encouraging signs this team is actually legit.
Enter the spiteful basketball gods once again.
They inflicted an injury on team’s newfound point guard, then scheduled them against the best team in the league as if to say, “There. Now go back to being the Phoenix Suns everyone thinks you should be.”
But Monty Williams and company grimaced and said, “Nah.”
They beat said best team convincingly, then presumably climbed atop a boat mast a la Lieutenant Dan and screamed into the night sky sky, “What else you got?! We are right here! You will never sink this boat!”
Your move, basketball gods.
The Suns play the Utah Jazz Monday night. Don’t go around saying the phrase-we-shall-not-speak-of until after that. And even then, maybe wait a few more games.