It is amazing what a single victory can do for an organization, and never was that more true than in the aftermath of the Phoenix Suns' 109-99 recent win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only did it snap a four-game losing streak, but it also quickly proved that the team could thrive while bringing Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic off the bench.
One game is far too small a sample size to be jumping for joy - and it came against an opponent missing their best player in Joel Embiid - but it was a welcome change from the doom and gloom that has engulfed The Valley in the last number of weeks. A trade for Jimmy Butler still seems unlikely - and is not even the right long-term move to make - but this group has some breathing space for now.
Using this lineup more would lead to even greater success.
The first-half of that win over the 76ers was scrappy from both teams, and it spoke volumes that despite many shots not falling for the Suns, they still found a way to win that game. There was a period in the second-quarter when head coach Mike Budenholzer tried a particular five-man group, and the balance on both ends of the court was evident immediately.
The group in question consisted of Beal, Devin Booker, Monte Morris, Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro. This obviously isn't the strongest possible lineup they could put out - there's no Kevin Durant - but the balance they displayed was excellent and made so much sense together. This group will never start or finish games - they've barely played together as is - but it has to be used more.
Morris is the backup point guard to Tyus Jones, and that shouldn't change. But as we've already examined, he is a much better defender than Jones both because he is taller and has a more stout frame. Whenever he is on the court, opponents are less likely to pick on him - although it does still happen - because he is more capable of holding his own.
There’s no denying it, Tyus Jones is hurting the #Suns in a big way defensively, and the solution might just be buried on the bench (✍🏻 @ValleyoftheSuns)https://t.co/SJMLY5FYl5
— Luke Duffy (@LucaLockheart) January 3, 2025
For Booker and Beal, the lineup makes even more sense. With no Durant on the court Booker takes over the primary scoring role again - which has led to an NBA Finals appearance in the past - while Beal looks a lot more comfortable as the two-man offensively. He led the team in scoring in his first game off the bench pouring in 25, and this lineup was part of the reason why.
With Morris handling the ball and those two star players operating without one of the best ever in Durant alongside them, they automatically assume more responsibility. Again this is not a criticism of Durant, if anything it may be a solution to playing him less during the regular season. He's still their closer, and he remains their best player on any given night.
The real secret sauce here though, is in playing a pair of rookies in Dunn and Ighodaro. Right away they make up for the average at best defensive abilities of the other three, with Dunn able to smother wing scorers and Ighodaro athletic enough to mask mistakes and miscommunications with coverages. This is something neither Nurkic or Mason Plumlee are quick enough to do.
Oso Ighodaro is the best center on the floor for the Phoenix Suns tonight by a wide margin.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 7, 2025
If Dunn could return to the above average 3-point shooter he was to begin the season that would be even better, but even as it stands he and Ighodaro do just enough offensively between them to keep defenders honest. They also play with a level of enthusiasm which - when compared to some of the abject displays we have seen this season - quite frankly is needed to climb the standings.
It may be worth examining if Jones could take the place of Morris in this lineup, just to see if he could take it to the next level. He's a better passer and 3-point shooter, while Dunn and Ighodaro could again mask his lack of impact on the other end of the court.
Really though it looks like the coaching staff have found something that could really work here, and it is almost ironic that it includes the recently benched Beal. Coach Budenholzer has continually spoken about trying to find ways to make the pieces fit throughout this disjointed season, and this looks to be a winning formula that has simply has to utilize more.