1. Suns executed their offense and it paid off
The lack of offensive firepower outside Booker was on display early in the game. Booker was having no problem getting to his spots and finding his shots, but the rest of the team was not nearly as hot.
Bridges and Johnson missed a few shots they should have made, but rather than hanging their heads, both wings stayed aggressive and found their offensive flow. This has to be a consistent theme for the Suns moving forward — both of these young, explosive wings must be key aspects of the Suns offense in the postseason.
By half time the Suns were down 17, but it was clear the momentum had shifted. The Mavericks were not able to stop the Suns in the half court as Booker picked them apart with his mid-range and short jumpers.
Chris Paul’s shot wasn’t falling at all and he understood that getting the young core going would be the only way for his team to comeback. Even though Paul notched 30 minutes, he only took six shots and hit one.
The second half heroics of Bridges, Johnson and Lee were just what the doctor ordered. The push from their shot-making provided the Suns and the home crowd with the energy necessary to put together the first epic comeback of the NBA season.
Lee in particular has to be recognized as the knife that plunged itself into the hearts of the visiting Mavericks. I must admit I was a bit skeptical of what Lee had to offer based on his benching by the championship-winning Golden State Warriors, but what we saw in this game was a player that is ready to contribute and isn’t scared of big moments.
2. The early exit last season has not shaken the trust in the coaching staff
For most locker rooms in the league, the embarrassment of the blow-out loss in Game 7 would have shattered the trust players have in the organization. However, the Suns have made it through on the other side with their identity and spirit intact.
In an unlikely turn of events, the Suns were given their first test as a team of the 2022-23 season. The Suns passed this test, even if just barely.
When asked about the importance of securing a victory over the Mavericks, Monty Williams told ESPN reporters that obviously this game meant something special to the team. Rather than hide behind the old age adage of ‘every game is just another game on the schedule’, the Suns went into their season opener with a clear goal in mind of erasing the awful taste Dallas left in their mouths this past spring.
I especially have to appreciate the adjustments made by Williams and his coaching staff. Following the disastrous first half against the Mavericks, the Suns committed to blitzing the pick and roll and forcing the ball out of Luka’s hands. This change in tactics meant that Luka had to contend with Bridges a lot more in the second half instead of killing the Suns big men in switch situations.
This display of knowledge and leadership will surely inspire the Suns to play as a collective unit amidst the distracting trade rumors surrounding Jae Crowder. It will not be easy to block out that noise, but if the Suns can replicate what they did in the second half of the season opener for the rest of the season, I can see them going further in the postseason this time around.
3. The outdated construction will be one of the achilles heels of this team
One of the brightest spots in this comeback was a player I have yet to mention, Jock Landale. This Australian born second-year player went undrafted but worked his way onto the Spurs roster and this summer found a home with the Suns.
After getting a gimpose of this young man in the preseason, I was intrigued by his willingness to spread the floor and his very impressive motor and physicality. After just one regular season game, I am left wondering if Landale will end the season as the first big off the bench.
Going into this season I was most excited to see if Dario Saric would return to his pre-injury form and lock up the position of backup center. However, with Landale the Suns have much less defensive weaknesses and a player that adds value without needing the ball or plays called for him.
Even though the Suns bench desperately needs more scoring and playmaking capabilities, there is a lot to be gained by deploying Landale as Ayton’s backup. Not only will the team retain most of its size and toughness inside, but Landale might end up lighting a fire under Ayton. I can see Williams using the threat of the emerging Landale as motivation for Ayton to play with the same sense of urgency.
Ultimately, the appeal of Landale is a center that would allow the Suns to play at a faster pace. Even with the success of the past two seasons, the Suns have struggled to rack up many fast break points. I can see Landale being the anchor of scrappy lineups that can climb back into games using tough defense and moxxy.
The Suns found themselves in trouble Wednesday night , largely in part, because of their inability to slow down Christian Wood. His lanky frame and athletic ability gave him a clear advantage over the burly bigs of the Suns. Since Ayton’s skill is best felt on the inside, on both ends of the floor, it is imperative for the Suns to have an alternate option for bigs that try to drag Ayton away from the rim.
4. We need a backup point-guard worse than first-thought
I have written at length about the need of another point-guard on the Suns roster. The first game of the regular season taught me that a point-guard needs to be on the way soon if the Suns want to realistically compete for a championship.
Cameron Payne is just flat out not good enough at running an offense to be the first guard off the bench on a championship level squad. Last season Golden State won it all and their first guard off the bench was Jordan Poole. The year before that the Milwaukee Bucks won with George Hill as their backup point. Cam Payne lacks the basketball IQ or talent to punish playoff defenses. By using him as our backup we are limiting ourselves as a team.
Why do I feel so strongly after just one game of action? Because this problem has reared its head since the 2020-21 regular season. Ever since the bubble, Cam Payne has reminded Suns fans why he was out of the NBA before Williams gave him a chance on the Suns.
Honestly, I don’t think Payne is above average in any aspect of basketball. His vision is poor, his shot selection too. His defense is okay, but for such a quick guard you would expect him to perform a lot better on that end of the floor.
Payne has had two offseasons to improve his game and learn from a legendary point-guard in Paul, yet he’s only gotten worse. There is zero reason to believe that Payne is anything more than just a fringe NBA player — and fringe NBA players do not lead championship level benches. This isn’t a feel-good sports movie.