Suns Lackadaisical Defense Leads to Worst Games in Franchise History
By Luke Gamble
This video sums up the Suns season in just 20 seconds. It only points out the lackadaisical defensive efforts of Devin Booker, but it is a reflection of the team as a whole. The Suns have lost four games already this season by 40 or more points, which is as many losses as the rest of the NBA has by that margin. That is as many 40 plus point losses this season as the Suns have had in their last 49 seasons as a franchise.
Phoenix also won the unpopular race for the first team in the NBA to reach 40 losses on the season.
Without creating turnovers, or being able to apply pressure at all on the defensive end, the rest of the season is sure to be a struggle for the Suns. Luckily for them, being one of the worst teams in the league is already setting them up for a lottery pick in June.
The Suns were able to pick up Elfrid Payton before the trade deadline to give them a little bit of help on the offensive side of the ball, but they were not doing themselves any favors on the defensive end. In college, Payton won the Lefty Driesell Award as the nation’s top defender, but since entering the league he has not lived up to his expectations.
“He has conceded nearly 48 points more than an average player would have on the same number of possessions,” according to Orlando Magic Daily.
Regardless of anyone’s individual numbers, the Suns have to come up with something different on the defensive end that will help them win games.
