The reappearance of Tom Leander along with Tom Chambers and his mullet confirm that Phoenix Suns basketball is BACK!
The feel-good story of the Phoenix Suns taking the league by surprise in the 2020 NBA restart begins now. The first scrimmage game against the Utah Jazz may just be a scrimmage to many but to quote Lebron James, “Champion mindset at all times.” The Suns need to lock in now.
From afar, Kevin Ray and Eddie Johnson grabbed their mics and began to guide us along as fans took our first real journey inside the bubble.
Players and coaches were mounted on three rows of bleachers individually sitting six feet apart from each other. A mile-high Plexiglas, covering the media, separated the two teams who sat under a jumbotron stretching the size of the court, screaming with Utah Jazz emblems and devices. Impressive, as it actually made me feel like the Suns were away giving the Jazz team a home-court feel. From tip-off to the final whistle, this felt like NBA basketball.
Who played for the Phoenix Suns
One of the questions going into this game was, who was going to be who would play?
Rookie point guard Ty Jerome, first-time All-Star Devin Booker, second-year wing Mikal Bridges, hustle-man Dario Saric, and 25-game suspended but improved center Deandre Ayton, made up the starting lineup for the Suns who were without floor general Ricky Rubio and small forward Kelly Oubre.
Oubre continues his rehab as he hopes to make an appearance if things get interesting as the seeding games go along. Rubio, who revealed this week that he had COVID-19, is healthy now but needs more time to pick up the pieces and gain stamina to make his first appearance on the court. Aron Baynes is at home recovering COVID-19. Elie Okobo and Jalen Laque have yet to make an appearance in Orlando for personal reasons.
On to the actual game: