Ranking every Phoenix Suns player from shock Adelaide 36ers loss
Every player ranked from Phoenix Suns’ preseason loss to the Adelaide 36ers
5. Cameron Payne
Payne’s role has been the subject of much speculation during the offseason, and the jury is still out after this performance. He was certainly productive, but was slightly inefficient and the Suns offense was uninspiring with him as lead ball-handler and playmaker.
He played the equal most minutes along with Craig, finishing with a team-high 23 points on 8-for-19 shooting to go with four assists and two steals. Despite the decent numbers, would still like to see him be more assertive when he’s afforded that level of responsibility.
4. Chris Paul
Nothing overly flashy but provided what you’d expect from a 37-year-old in their first preseason game. The pick-and-roll game with Ayton still looks as deadly as ever, with Paul dishing out 12 assists despite reduced usage. Knocked down a catch-and-shoot three early in the third, an aspect that will hopefully continue as the season progresses.
3. Devin Booker
A quiet but efficient performance for the Suns star. Like Paul, Booker’s got himself to a stage where he’s simply not going to overexert himself in a game of this nature. He began to stamp his impact during the third when Phoenix looked like they’d get back on top, knocking down a number of his signature pure jumpshots.
The 25-year-old finished with 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, also adding four assists, two rebounds and two steals.
2. Deandre Ayton
The big man took advantage of his dominant physical presence and the 36ers poor pick-and-roll defense. His 22 points came on an efficient 11-for-14 shooting, though we saw just one free-throw attempt and none from three-point range.
It looked like peak Ayton from last season, a positive sign given the relationship speculation between him and the franchise. The Suns defensive woes couldn’t be placed on him given the volume of shots taken from beyond the perimeter.
1. Mikal Bridges
Noted during the game that he was the only player to bring an NBA level intensity on both sides of the floor. Of the three Suns players destined for more expansive offensive roles (he, Ayton and Johnson), Bridges was the only one who flashed new aspects on that end.
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There was an exciting passage early in the game where he blocked a jumpshot, knocked down his own three in transition, then snatched a rebound and went end-to-end to draw a foul and go to the line. There wasn’t a huge uptick in ball-handling and playmaking, but there was enough signs to prove the undoubted positive in an otherwise forgettable game for the team.