It’s a grim situation in Phoenix.
The Phoenix Suns were blown out 109-126 by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday (Feb. 27).
The loss dropped Phoenix to 0-3 and one game out of playoff contention.
It was a game that Phoenix didn’t seem to have a solution for. After being swept in Games 1 and 2 away from home by Minnesota, 텍사스홀덤 Phoenix looked to turn things around, but it wasn’t to be.
They were stymied by Minnesota’s stout defense, led by Rudy Gobert, and were unable to stop the Anthony Edwards-led offense at all.
Phoenix’s vaunted big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal were completely outmatched by Edwards. In the first place, Phoenix’s big three specialize in offense. They”re bound to have weaknesses on defense. The problem is, they can’t even play offense. Against Minnesota, which has one of the best defenses in the NBA, Phoenix was helpless.
There are still four games left, but there’s no hope for Phoenix. Minnesota is dominating both offensively and defensively.
In the midst of this total mess, criticism of head coach Frank Vogel has been growing. Vogel is not a coach whose strengths lie in his ability to improvise and react quickly within the game. His weaknesses have been on full display in these playoffs.
The problem for Phoenix is that they don’t have a ball-handler who can orchestrate a game.
Phoenix traded Chris Paul last summer to acquire Beal. They traded Paul, who was aging and showing signs of decline, for Beal, who is younger and more of a scorer.
The problem is that Beal is not a player who can orchestrate a game, but rather a player who looks for his own individual scoring. Beal is a similar type of scoring shooting guard to Booker, Phoenix’s ace. It’s nearly impossible for two superstars of this type to coexist. Phoenix even has Durant.
Throughout the season, Beal and Booker alternated at the point guard position, but both players struggled and underperformed.
In the regular season, they were able to win games with their superstar weight class, but in the playoffs against the best teams, their weaknesses really showed. Even with good weapons, the offense struggled to get going without a leader.
The problem is Beale’s contract. Beal is under contract through 2027. He’s a high-priced player, and no team will be willing to take him on. Phoenix is stuck with a combination that is clearly failing. That doesn’t make the decision to trade Booker, their franchise star, any easier. It’s a frustrating situation for Phoenix.
If the Suns are helplessly eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, there’s no telling what could happen. Phoenix’s present and future are bleak. The Suns have their own first-round pick until 2030, with the exception of 2024.
Can the Suns turn things around, and frankly, it doesn’t look easy.