What's that line from Fight Club? Losing All-Stars was freedom? I don't think that's exactly it, but that's sort of been the case for the Phoenix Suns backcourt. After parting with Kevin Durant (15x All-Star) and Bradley Beal (3x All-Star) in the offseason, there were plenty of real questions about how the Suns backcourt would look with Devin Booker running the show more than he already did, Grayson Allen taking on a bigger role, and Jalen Green being inserted into the mix.
So far, so... Good? Yes! It's going pretty well, somehow! Of course, Green has missed most of the season with injury, so that aspect has yet to be answered, but right now, Booker and Allen have a plus-4.7 net rating in the 297 minutes they've been on the court together this season. That's not Oklahoma City Thunder-level dominance, but it's a pretty solid sample size for this point of the season, and it's considerably better than most fans expected from any Suns backcourt this season.
Greatness is always expected from Booker, and Allen has been a good NBA player for a while; but his scoring was down to 10.6 points per game last year, and it was clear he'd have to get used to a much bigger role this year — and he has done just that. He's averaging 20.3 points per game in November, hitting over half of his 3-point attempts, and the Suns are 6-1 after a 2-4 October.
It's a bit of an odd backcourt — neither Booker or Allen embodies a "pure point guard" archetype, but Booker's all-around offensive game with Allen's outrageous shooting has equaled some pretty productive minutes.
Devin Booker and Grayson Allen are clicking in Suns backcourt
There was a pretty clear adjustment period to life without Kevin Durant for the Suns. In their first few games, this team looked as disjointed as possible, struggling to score whenever Devin Booker wasn't performing miracles.
But since passing Halloween, the scary start has subsided, and made way for a pretty impressive looking basketball team (No. 6 net rating) and it starts with the backcourt.
Putting a productive big in the mix makes the Booker and Allen duo even more effective. When Booker, Allen, and Mark Williams are on the court together (203 minutes) they have a plus-13.9 net rating. Sustainable? Maybe not. Promising regardless? Definitely.
Having a positive connection between the backcourt and the center is hugely important, and the Suns seem to be developing that with two long-time Suns and one new guy in Williams.
Is Grayson Allen the Suns No. 2 option?
Right now, it sure looks that way, especially with Jalen Green sidelined for an extended period. Whether Allen can be consistently effective as the second star, though, remains to be seen. We know he's an elite 3-point shooter and reliable role player. If he can be the guy we've watched him be over the past two weeks, then the complexion of the Suns backcourt will change for the better.
Allen left Thursday's game against Indiana with a quad injury, but it doesn't seem like that will keep him off the court too long. That's great news, because with each passing game it becomes more apparent that Allen is integral to this team's success.
Maybe the Devin Booker and Grayson Allen pairing just feels more productive than the Durant and Beal combo because the expectations for each were drastically different. A pleasant surprise is a nice change of pace after some disappointments.