3 adjustments the Suns have to make for Game 2

The Phoenix Suns were outplayed by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their playoff series, but there's still plenty of time to fix that.

Phoenix Suns v Minnesota Timberwolves - Game One
Phoenix Suns v Minnesota Timberwolves - Game One | Patrick McDermott/GettyImages
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1. Start Royce O'Neale

Following on from the struggles of the Suns' role players, and coach Vogel needs to think long and hard about starting O'Neale in Game 2. While everybody was happy to see Allen sign a four-year, $70 million deal shortly before the postseason started, the opening game of this series was perhaps his worst of the entire season. Granted he rolled an ankle during the game.

It wasn't just that he finished with four points - all of which came from the free-throw - but he looked terrified to take the 3-point shots that he was knocking down with regularity during the regular season. Allen had an 0-for-3 performance from deep on the night - and it is unclear what it worse - that he didn't make one or that he only attempted three.

Which is where O'Neale enters the equation. He chipped in with an impressive 14 points and more than that, he did not look afraid of the moment. Coach Vogel could see it as well, as O'Neale's 26 minutes of action out on the court was actually one minute more than Allen managed.

This isn't about the optics of starting O'Neale for his own confidence. The Suns need to start Game 2 with a bang - and while Allen was undoubtedly the best role player they had to help them achieve this during the regular season - all of that vanished over the course of 20 minutes in Minneapolis. There's time to get it back but until then, O'Neale should be given a bigger role to try and win this series.

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