The Suns were 10-9 in games coming down to the clutch, according to nba.com/stats.
That ranks them around the middle of the league, but that mark is actually much better than it was earlier in the season. These tight losses really impact the team momentum and could swing the Suns’ overall record for seeding later in the year. The team gets the benefit of the doubt, but this is one specific area to keep an eye on throughout the remainder of the regular season.
Chris Paul was one of the best clutch scorers in the league last year. Watching how the end of game possessions play out between Paul, Booker, and Ayton over the course of the season will surely set the stage for some high stakes games in the playoffs. Booker has been the default option for end of game situations through most of his NBA career almost by default. It is time to see what he is really capable of now that he has a stable team, coach, and massive contract.