Suns have new and worrying problem after Opening Night

The NBA finally got back underway on Tuesday night, with a pair of Opening Night games that revealed a lot about how this season is likely to unfold. The Phoenix Suns themselves weren't in action - although they'll feature twice across the opening few days - but that didn't mean there weren't lessons to learn from the action on display.

The Los Angeles Lakers eked out a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, on a night when LeBron James suited up with his son Bronny for the first time in a competitive fixture. Something we've already seen in a preseason matchup against the Suns.

The Suns were dealt a tough dose of reality in the early game though.

The Boston Celtics pummelled the New York Knicks 132-109 on a night when they received their oversized championship rings from their victorious 2023-24 campaign. The manner of that defeat saying more about the state of the Knicks than anything else.

Despite adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this summer - with the latter remaking his jump shot again with so far worrying results - the Knicks have a ways to go to make all of their pieces fit. Jalen Brunson looked as good as ever, although Josh Hart continues to look as lost as he claims to be out there.

From the perspective of the Suns however, it is the dominant display of the Celtics that should be setting alarm bells ringing in The Valley. There's no question they got better themselves this offseason - although our regular season predictions remain conservative - but even making it out of the Western Conference looks a massive challenge.

They failed to win a single postseason game last time out, so expecting them to win three series is asking a lot. If they could somehow make it out of the West though, the reality is that they are not on the level of a Celtics roster that looks like it could end up being a dynasty. There was a fluidity in how they dismantled the Knicks that no other team in the league can currently come close to.

Suns' head coach Mike Budenholzer is attempting to turn his group into an elite 3-point shooting team - with early returns in preseason encouraging - but they can't compete with the Celtics in this key area. Everybody from Al Horford to Payton Pritchard capable of knocking down these shots when left open. Which at least one of their players are on seemingly every possession.

It's a worrying development that - for all of owner Mat Ishbia's money and ambition - even getting out of the tougher Western Conference is currently not enough to win it all. Superstar Jayson Tatum may also have had a forgettable experience with Team USA this summer - which is in complete contrast to Devin Booker - but he is unquestionably a top 10 player comfortable and in his prime.

Much was made about how the Knicks are the most serious threat to the Celtics in the East this season - and it is fair to point out this is only one game - but the championship still looks like it runs through Boston.

Perhaps most depressingly of all, the Suns don't have either the players to outscore the Celtics in a series, or the defensive identity to shut down Tatum, Jaylen Brown and company. There's nothing they can realistically do about this fact either, other than to put together the kind of season that still looks beyond their updated and improved roster. A depressing thought indeed.