Phoenix Suns word game: The four-game winning streak is (fill in the blank)

Dario Saric coming in off the bench has been ______

PIVOTAL

Cam Payne has been easy to praise because he is the new face that Phoenix Suns fans have been clamoring for. Someone who can come in off the bench, score, and provide dependable point guard play.

However, not enough has been said about how well Dario Saric has played. Part of it, likely, is because there is nothing dynamic about his game, he’s been around all year, and coming off the bench feels like a demotion.

In actuality, Dario has thrived with the second unit more than he would have if he were still starting. Suns fans have been pleading for bench scoring all year, and now they have it. With Dario leading the way each game, the Suns have averaged 37.8 points off the bench, which compared to their pre-hiatus average of 30.1 (27th in the NBA), that is a significant improvement.

And just think if Jevon Carter and Frank Kaminsky’s minutes were substituted with Kelly Oubre and Aron Baynes. It is an absolute shame this team never had their full complement of players this season.

Saric is a restricted free agent this year, but if he continues to play like this, it will be hard for the Suns not to re-sign him.

Of course, the player who took Saric’s place in the starting lineup has not gone unnoticed either, so speaking of him…