Phoenix Suns: 3 Ways to Shut Down Trae Young and Beat Atlanta Hawks

How the Phoenix Suns Slow Down Trae Young: No Laziness

Again due to Young’s long range shooting abilities, Paul and Payton cannot defend him like most other point guards. From start to finish tonight, they need to pick up Young at half court to stop him from spraying the team from deep.

Young only takes his “jimmer range” shots when left open, so if the Suns stay up in his grill, they avoid this backbreaking element of his game. Just running up to put constant pressure on him all boils down to hustle and effort.

However, the Suns have looked lazy from time to time so far this year. Rotating slowly or allowing easy fast breaks, Phoenix looked nothing like the astute defense team we saw last year during their first few games.

More recently though, especially against the Pelicans and Rockets, the Suns showed some serious grit at the floor’s opposite end. Against Young, the Suns need to continue that, rather than falling back on their old ways from this season.