The Phoenix Suns returned to action following the All-Star break Thursday, and what was supposed to be a sprint to the postseason ended with the team faltering out of the gates.
The San Antonio Spurs getting the better of the Suns for only the first time this season at the third time of asking, but this was a proper hammering as it finished 121-94.
Suns' elite role players finally let them down
One of this team's biggest X-factors this season, outside of head coach Jordan Ott, has been the ability of their fringe players and role guys to exceed expectations regularly.
A rotation that relies heavily on Jordan Goodwin, Jamaree Bouyea, Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen and Isaiah Livers should not be pushing for the playoffs, yet that's exactly what they're doing.
How many times this season have we seen Gillespie hit big shots or be the best player on the court for a quarter? Or else Goodwin be a two-way menace during key stretches of an eventual win.
None of that was on display against San Antonio, as the combination of Gillespie, Livers and Amir Coffey finished with a combined eight points.
It is not all about scoring, and it is also fair to point out that Allen exited the game with a worrying ankle sprain that looks like it could take some time to recover from.
It was just a shame that the role players on this roster failed to show up with the Suns getting Jalen Green back from injury for only the eighth time this season.
He paced the team with 26 points, although Devin Booker also had to exit after nine minutes played with hip soreness of his own.
The Suns have surpassed every expectation this season, and there is no shame in being 32-24 at this point in the Western Conference.
To still own the season series over the second best team in the conference is impressive, although Allen wasn't available to defend Victor Wembanyama as he did so brilliantly in a win earlier this season.
This is a timely reminder that the Suns will struggle against the better opponents they face each night if the group of players that come after Booker, Green and Dillon Brooks fail to show up.
Thankfully it has not happened much this season, but this was the worst possible time for them to go cold. A problem they need to find a solution to quickly.