3 takeaways from Suns first win of 2023-24
By Justin Lee
3. Josh Okogie was the second-best player for the Suns
The Phoenix Suns have a dude on their team. Okay, they have a few dudes, like Devon Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. But they have a guy that the casual fan may not know.
They have a guy who will do all the dirty work and will just simply outwork his opponent. That guy is Josh Okogie, who was the Suns’ second-best player on Tuesday.
He was getting offensive rebounds, doing putback dunks, hitting corner threes, and finishing what felt like every layup at the basket. Oh, and he is the best defender on the team, as he had several great possessions on Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Okogie finished the season’s first game with 17 points, five rebounds, and a steal on 7-9 shooting, including 2-2 from three-point range. That is what the Suns needed from him, and some, especially with Bradley Beal not playing.
He definitely surprised a lot of people.