Phoenix Suns’ loss to LA Clippers not so bad

The Phoenix Suns began a 6-game homestand with a loss to the LA Clippers Wednesday night, who struggle on the road. But it wasn’t all bad.

First of all, let’s talk about the end of the game, not that it ended spectacularly or anything. There was no last-second fadeaway baseline jumper that bounced high off the rim and fell through as Kawhi watched squatting on his haunches from behind the basket and sent them to the finals. Nothing like that here. No, this game just petered out. A lot of Phoenix Suns’ losses end this way—a kind of silent falling behind until they’re opponent is out of sight. To be fair, they kept sight of the leader up until the final minute, but in the end, it wasn’t really close.

This all sounds bad but it’s not as bad as it sounds.

Simply put, the Suns aren’t in the Clippers’ league. It’s not just that they have Kawhi Leonard, who on any given day is the best player in the league. He’s like a Bizzaro LeBron James, conserving himself on offense—almost like he moves in slow motion—then going all Doberman D on the defensive end.

And it’s not that they have Paul George, who’s struggling this year but still better than most number twos. It’s not even that the Clippers have a better starting five, in fact, they might not.

The reason the Suns aren’t in the Clippers’ league is because of their bench, and the Suns’ lack thereof.

Cam Johnson is a nice rookie and will be a solid vet someday, but he can’t be relied upon to score or defend consistently. Not yet. Baynes is nice, but he’s been held back by injuries the last month or so and he was never as good as the first part of the season led us to believe. He is good for a solid 10-to-15 minutes per game backup center and a great beard but that’s all.

Kelly Oubre was out injured with a mysterious knee injury—never a good sign—so Dario Saric got the start but he’s better off the bench and he, too, is just nice.

Now we get into the real problem: the point guard position. Carter is easily the Suns’ best backup at point guard, and by easy I mean easy in the way that Sudoko is easy or finding a four-letter word for “slender woodwind” is easy. It’s a puzzle as to why they thought this would work; it’s not easy at all except if you are the opposing team. Okobo looks like a really good G-League player and Ty Jerome just isn’t ready.

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Looking at the other bench you’ve got Lue Williams, Montrezl Harrell and Landry Shamet as well as newcomers Marcus Morris Sr. and Reggie Jackson. Every single one of those players would play over anyone from the Suns’ bench, no questions asked.

Still, there was some good that came out of the game. Even down Oubre, the Phoenix Suns’ starters built an 8-point lead going into the second period, even on a night when Booker struggled from the field, shooting 5-19 and scoring just 14 points overall.

Rubio continued his strong play, finishing with 18 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and three steals. He did turn the ball over seven times, some not his fault, like when he dumped it off to Ayton around two defenders for what should have been an easy lay-in, but Ayton let the ball go by him into the hands of a Clippers defender. The resulting play was two free-throws for Morris Sr.

Speaking of Ayton, he had another solid outing—27 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocked shots. His best play came midway through the first quarter when Morris Sr. drove from the top of the arc with four seconds left on the shot clock. Ayton, knowing there was no time for a pass, came to help on the drive and blocked the shot, but instead of sending it into the eighth row, something he is prone to do, something he did do later in the game, he tapped it to himself, he secured the possession. The more plays like this Ayton can make on the defensive end the more I’m convinced he can become an elite defender in this league.

He’s going to make me eat my, “Worst draft pick ever,” take, and I’d be happy to do it.

So the Phoenix Suns lost. It could have been worse, and maybe it should have been worse, but there were some things to like. And in another season where they will again lose more games than they win, you’ve got to find these small moral victories. Otherwise, you’re just left with another losing season.