Emotionally-invested fans fire off overreactions during the NBA’s first week like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Bad starts lead to discussions involving tanks for the draft or coach firings, and good ones lead to hollow championship expectations. The Phoenix Suns stand as no strangers to this phenomenon, and after dropping two of their first three contests, some less-patient fans already want to see abrupt changes.
Between their two losses, the Suns indeed blew out the Los Angeles Lakers—the team picked by many to not only dethrone them out West, but also re-claim the Larry O’Brien trophy. With this commanding win over LeBron James and company considered, Phoenix’s overall 1-2 start to the season in no way makes smashing the panic button a wise option.
However, one cannot fully ignore the issues still at hand. The Suns looked sluggish during their opening night hiccup against the Denver Nuggets, and the Portland Trail Blazers embarrassed them only a few days later.
Not even Monty Williams can sweep those debacles under the rug. For now, at least acknowledging a few alterations to Phoenix’s setup as a team feels like a worthy pursuit. Falling back on the “but this worked for us last year” excuse feels ignorant, and might even prove fatal under certain circumstances.
Noticing the curveballs already thrown at the Suns, and acknowledging the fact that some more will likely come their way down the road, Phoenix might make these two changes to turn the tide after a rocky start.