3 most important Phoenix Suns players early in the season

The Phoenix Suns were victorious as they opened their 2023-24 campaign against the Golden State Warriors. Things are looking bright for the Suns early on as they look to set the pace for the entire 82-game season. While they missed Bradley Beal in their first game, the team still won against a resilient division rival.

Although it’s only the first game, Phoenix showed plenty of positive things fans can expect this season.

As a team, they showed how much their team defense improved, making their presence known on that end. The Suns held the Warriors to just 23 percent from beyond the arc. However, most of it had something to do with Klay Thompson’s off-night shooting from there. The team capitalized on that and made the most out of their chances on the offensive end.

Three players stood out after their game against the Warriors. These three players were crucial to their first win of the season, which could hint at plenty of opportunities for the Suns.

3. Josh Okogie

Josh Okogie had a great game against the Warriors on both ends. He made sure that the defense paid for leaving him open and unchecked from time to time.

He ended the game with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. It’s already known that he won’t get plentiful chances like the one he had this season. Still, Okogie knows how to make the most out of the future opportunities he’ll get.

The 6-foot-4 perimeter stopper even made a clutch three-pointer to seal the game.

"“It felt great to hit that one,” Okogie said. “I’ve been practicing my shot, working on it every day, consistently. Just to see the results in the game, it felt good.”"

Fans might expect Okogie to be the forgotten man on offense this season. Instances like these will give him chances to be a spot-up shooter for the Suns. The Nigerian two-way player could use this to his advantage and work on his long-range shooting. His inclusion in the starting lineup could help the All-Stars execute their offense better.