The Phoenix Suns are racking up assists
As a franchise, the Phoenix Suns have not been top-15 in the league in assists since the 2012-13 season in which they finished 14th.
They have not been top-10 since the season prior (Steve Nash‘s final in the Valley of the Suns), when they were 6th overall, wrapping up a seven-year stretch in which the franchise finished no worst than fourth until Nash’s last year.
In 2003-04 the Suns finished outside the top-20 for the first time in franchise history (the season prior to Nash’s return), a trend, however, that has been in place since 2013-14 – Phoenix has finished in the bottom-ten in assists for the last six seasons, finishing 29th overall three times.
Through four games in 2019-20, that trend appears to have completely flipped on it’s head, as the team is currently second in the league in assists with 27.8 per game, what would be the seventh best in franchise history (30.5 in 1978-79).
This is, in no small part, due to Ricky Rubio‘s 9.3 assists per game thus far in three games (11, 9, and 8), coupled with Devin Booker’s 6.3 (10, 7, 8, 0 in four games).
The irony is that the Suns’ Pace this season’s isn’t exorbitantly higher this season than last (103.5 vs 100.5), and their field goal percentage is actually a hair worse (45.4% from 45.9%).
The kicker is likely their 3-point shooting, which is not only significantly better than last year (35.5% from 32.9% – this season’s percentage is 14th best in the league), but they are attempting and thus making more per game than they did a year before, which is undoubtedly making a huge difference for their offense (9.6-29.3 in 2018-19 vs 12.3-34.5 this season, the 12th most makes and 15th most attempts in the league thus far).
If Phoenix’s outside shooting remains at this rate – or if it doesn’t improve – then those assists will continue to remain high, which combined will be indicative of a successful offense, and a winning ball club.
The Phoenix Suns are 2-2 but are four points away from being 4-0.
Not only does this team appear to be for real, but there are some very positive statistics to back that argument up.