Phoenix struggled out of the gate, but a win over the Lakers makes you feel better about things.
The Phoenix Suns are in fifth place in the Western Conference after the first week following the All-Star Break. The route to get there was difficult, and they went from being three games behind fourth place to four. They’re looking up at the Denver Nuggets, hoping to leapfrog them and secure home court in the first round.
If you play like Phoenix did this week, you can put that thinking to rest. They’ll be fortunate not to be a Play-In team. A loss in Dallas. A surprising loss in Houston. A victory at home versus the Lakers. Those were the Week 18 results. Here are the week 18 numbers:
Week 18 record: 1-2.
Week 18 OFFRTG: 116.1 (tenth)
Week 18 DEFRTG: 117.4 (22nd).
Week 18 NETRTG: -1.3 (16th).
This is the first week in a long time where statistical results have been below par. The low net rating is concerning, particularly given the quality of competition that Phoenix faced. All of their Western Conference opponents trailed them in the standings, but a lack of focus and execution led to subpar basketball for the majority of the week.
Not what you expected to see coming out of the break, with 27 games to go, the most difficult schedule ahead of you, and a desire to win at the forefront of their thoughts. The Suns came out like a college student returning to university after spring break. Stumbling, mumbling, being late for courses, and attempting to absorb what they just experienced at Rocky Point.
Still, we spotted some good aspects here at the Suns Stock Exchange that could auger well for the next weeks. The second squad performed admirably, whereas the first team appeared disorganized. Let us chat about it.
Royce in Noyce: Stock.
How useful has Royce O’Neale’s arrival been to the Suns? Week 18 wasn’t the best for the team as a whole, but it was fantastic for Royce. O’Neale averaged 10.3 points and 37.9% three-point shooting in three games, starting the last one against the Lakers.
It still amazes me that the Suns traded away a bevy of players who couldn’t contribute in exchange for someone who brings enthusiasm and shooting. Although we cannot anticipate every week to be as successful as O’Neale’s, knowing that it is possible will undoubtedly benefit the team in the coming weeks.
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