Category: Phoenix Suns Blog

Suns blog – Phoenix Suns blog, on Suns basketball news, rumors and more

Game schedule for the 2021 NBA Finals

The game schedule for the 2021 NBA Finals, between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks, is as follows:

Suns vs. Bucks NBA Finals Game Schedule:

Game 1: Tue July 6, Bucks at Suns, 9PM ET, ABC

Game 2: Thu July 8, Bucks at Suns, 9PM ET, ABC

Game 3: Sun July 11, Suns at Bucks, 9PM ET, ABC

Game 4: Wed July 14, Suns at Bucks, 9PM ET, ABC

Game 5: Sat July 17, Bucks at Suns, 9PM ET, ABC (if necessary)

Game 6: Tue July 20, Suns at Bucks, 9PM ET, ABC (if necessary)

Game 7: Thu July 22, Bucks at Suns, 9PM ET, ABC (if necessary)

Suns now one win away from reaching the 2021 NBA Finals

The Phoenix Suns are now one win away from reaching the 2021 NBA Final. Here’s Arizona Sports on it:

The Suns survived a game from the Dark Ages, from a bygone era when defenses ruled the earth. Rarely have style points mattered less.

They fought their emotions. They haggled with referees. They scored 84 points in a playoff game and somehow awaken on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.

Their victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals was a masterpiece of winning ugly. No apologies necessary.

“That was a slugfest,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said. “That’s what playoff basketball is all about.”

What a bizarre triumph. What a strange game. Devin Booker ditched his mask after missing a layup. Chris Paul lost a shoe. Abdel Nader took Torrey Craig’s minutes, playing for the first time since mid-March. The two teams combined to miss 111 shots. They played four full minutes in the fourth quarter where neither team made a field goal.

It remains unclear when Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard may return to action. At this point, there is no reason to think it’ll be for tomorrow’s Game 5.

Suns beat Clippers 84-80 to take 3-1 Western Conference Finals lead

Los Angeles Times: Imperfect but impossible to count out in Game 4 of their Western Conference finals against Phoenix, the Clippers followed what had become their traditional playoff plot line Saturday inside Staples Center: tie themselves in knots by mistakes often of their own doing, then produce a daring, improbable escape to stay alive. Their 16-point deficit in the third quarter was down to just one with 10 minutes to play, the arena coming alive at the same time as the home team. But given shot after shot to even this series, one of the NBA’s top offenses missed over and over, sapped by a devastating combination of tired legs and woeful execution on their way to an 84-80 loss. The Clippers were 0 for 12 in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie or take the lead and did not make a field goal for more than five consecutive minutes in the quarter. And still, another 2-2 tie, after falling behind 2-0, was there for them.

OC Register: Phoenix will be playing for an opportunity to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. With a Staples Center sellout crowd of 18,222 agonizing on its collective feet for much of the suffocating fourth quarter Saturday, when the Clippers shot 3 for 19 and the Suns went 4 for 19, and 0 for 6 and 0 for 3 from 3-point range, respectively. The Clippers were 0 for 12 on fourth-quarter shots that could’ve tied the score or given them the lead, the most such attempts without a make in the fourth quarter of a game over the past 25 postseasons. They drew within one point four times in the fourth, but they couldn’t ever pull in front. “We just couldn’t get over the hump,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.

OC Register: In his second game back following COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Paul finished with 18 points and seven assists. Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and a career playoff-high 22 rebounds. And Devin Booker scored a game-high 25 points on 8-for-22 shooting before fouling out in the final minute.

OC Register: The Clippers shot 32% (27 for 83) for the game; Phoenix was a smidge better at 36% (31 for 86). The Clippers made just five 3-pointers in the game – fewer than in all but one game this season. The Suns hit just four from deep.

Phoenix Suns GM James Jones wins 2020-21 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award

NBA team basketball executives have selected Phoenix Suns General Manager James Jones as the winner of the 2020-21 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, the NBA announced today. This is the first NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award for Jones, who has served two seasons as the Suns’ general manager and four seasons overall in the team’s front office.

Jones received nine of the 30 first-place votes and earned 65 total points from the voting panel, which comprised one basketball executive from each team. Utah Jazz Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Lindsey finished in second place with 61 points (nine first-place votes). Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks finished in third place with 51 points (five first-place votes). Executives were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

With Jones leading the Basketball Operations department, Phoenix assembled a roster that posted the second-best record in the NBA (51-21) and the fifth-highest single-season winning percentage in franchise history (.708). The Suns made the NBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Head coach Monty Williams, whose hiring in May 2019 was overseen by Jones, finished in second place for the 2020-21 NBA Coach of the Year Award.

Last November, Jones reshaped the Suns’ roster by acquiring guard Chris Paul in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder and signing forward Jae Crowder as a free agent. Paul averaged 16.4 points and 8.9 assists in his first season with Phoenix and joined Suns guard Devin Booker as a 2021 NBA All-Star selection. Crowder made a team-high 148 three-pointers this season.

Jones also re-signed forward Dario Šarić, who averaged 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds this season as a valuable reserve. Key contributors also included Cameron Payne, who averaged 8.4 points and 3.6 assists in his first full season as a Sun after signing with Phoenix in June 2020 in advance of the 2019-20 season restart. Jones further bolstered the roster during the season as the Suns acquired forward Torrey Craig in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks on March 18. Craig averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 32 games with Phoenix.

Phoenix hired Jones as vice president of basketball operations in July 2017. He handled general manager duties on an interim basis for the 2018-19 season and was named the team’s GM in April 2019. Jones joined the Suns after playing 14 seasons and winning three championships in the NBA.

FYI: Doc Rivers and Monty Williams remain tight

It’s always interesting knowing which coaches in the league keep in regular contact with each other. As opposed to the ones who only say hello when their teams are playing against each other. Via the Arizona Republic:

Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he and [Phoenix Suns coach] Monty Williams “talk literally once a week at least.”

The two had something very special to discuss Thursday night after the Phoenix Suns eliminated the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers to give Williams his first career playoff series victory in seven seasons as a head coach.

“I’m just happy for Monty,” said Rivers, who was teammates with Williams in New York and coached him in Orlando. “Listen, the Suns have proven all year they’re good, they’re talented and they’re well coached. Very proud of Monty.”

Lakers vs. Suns Game 2 is tonight at 10PM ET

Lakers vs. Suns Game 2 is tonight at 10PM ET. Here’s the OC Register on the Lakers:

There’s an assumption that the Lakers have the proverbial “on” switch that they can flip at any time. The driver of this assumption is LeBron James, who has played 15 first-round series before this one and has not lost any of them. He’s looked wobbly before, most memorably going to seven first-round games against Indiana in 2018 with a Cavaliers team that was on shaky ground for much of the back half of the season. But if you’re betting on someone to advance in the playoffs, there’s nobody historically who is a better bet than James, who has made nine of the last 10 Finals.

There are other reasons to think the Lakers know how to respond, too. Anthony Davis tied his lowest-ever scoring output in a playoff game in the opener against the Suns, with just 13 points. The only other time he’s done that was in the Game 5 Lakers’ blowout of Houston – he came back with a 37-point outing against Denver to open the Western Conference Finals. Even coach Monty Williams didn’t want to take too much credit for slowing Davis down, because as his former coach, he knows how dangerous Davis can be when a handful of those jumpers actually are on target.

Will the No. 1 NBA defense give up 34 points to Devin Booker again? They don’t think so. A fully intact coaching staff from last season that didn’t lose two playoff games in a row last postseason? It’s a good bet there are some adjustments. There’s a ton of playoff experience up and down the Lakers roster that the Suns do not possess – that has to matter, right?

Suns enter All-Star break with 2nd best record in NBA

The Suns have been one of the best stories in the NBA over the course of the season’s first half. Via the Arizona Republic:

The Suns continue to have the winning fever as they’ll go into the NBA All-Star break on a four-game surge after beating Golden State, 120-98, Thursday night before 3,233 fans at Phoenix Suns Arena…

Winners of 16 of their last 19 games, Phoenix (24-11) has the NBA’s second-best record as it won at defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, 114-104, on Tuesday before returning home to top the Warriors (19-18) for the second time this season.

The Suns will open the the second half of the season March 11 at Portland, a team they throttled by 32 points late last month.

Heading into NBA All-Star break, the Western conference seeds are 1) Jazz, 2) Suns, 3) Lakers and 4) Clippers. Leading the Suns in scoring this season are Devin Booker at 24.9 points per game, Chris Paul at 16.0 ppg, Deandre Ayton at 14.5 ppg, and Mikal Bridges at 13.7 ppg.

The team is doing it on both ends of the floor. The Suns boast the 8th best offense and 3rd best defense through Thursday’s games.

Suns off to their best NBA season start in many years

Some Phoenix Suns team game notes, as they face the Lakers tonight:

At 22-11, the Suns have their best 33-game start to a season since 2007-08 as they face the reigning champs for the first time in the regular season.

The Suns have won 4 straight on the road, the team’s longest road winning streak since December 2014.

The Suns have won 11 of their last 13 games overall, and they have won 13 straight when allowing fewer than 120 points.

Devin Booker was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for Feb. 22-28, his 2nd career P.O.W. honor with both coming in the last 3 weeks. He is the first Suns player to win Player of the Week twice in a 3-week span since Steve Nash in January 2007.

Booker scored a season-high 43 points on Sunday at Minnesota, his 99th career 30-point game as he closes in on No. 100.

Chris Paul has 15 assists in 2 straight, a first for him since March 2016.

Devin Booker picked as injury replacement for Anthony Davis on 2021 NBA All-Star team

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Booker has earned his second straight NBA All-Star selection. He is averaging a team-high 24.7 points (16th in the NBA), 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting a career-high 50.1 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 84.8 percent from the free throw line in 26 games this season.

Behind Booker and fellow NBA All-Star Chris Paul, Phoenix has posted the league’s fourth-best record (20-10) and produced its best start through 30 games of a season since 2007-08. With the selection of Booker and Paul, the Suns have multiple NBA All-Stars in a season for the first time since 2009-10 (Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire).

Davis will miss the NBA All-Star Game after sustaining a right calf strain against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 14. He was voted by NBA head coaches as an All-Star reserve, his eighth consecutive All-Star selection. Davis is averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.78 blocks in 23 games this season.

According to NBA rules, when a player selected to the All-Star Game is unable to participate, the Commissioner shall choose a replacement from the same conference as the player who is being replaced. Davis and Booker both play for Western Conference teams.

The NBA All-Star Game rosters will be determined through the NBA All-Star Draft, where team captains Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets and LeBron James of the Lakers will select from the pool of players named starters and reserves in each conference. TNT will air the NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET.

In the two-round NBA All-Star Draft, Booker will be selected with the All-Star Game reserves in the second round. The starters will be selected in the first round. Davis will be assigned to the same All-Star team that drafts Booker.

Saddiq Bey, Devin Booker named NBA Players of Week

The NBA announced today that Detroit Pistons forward Saddiq Bey has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booked named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played between February 8-14, 2021.

Bey is the second Pistons rookie to ever win the award, joining Kelly Tripucka (March 14, 1982) as the only first-year Pistons to earn NBA Player of the Week honors.

Bey helped lead the Pistons to a 3-1 week by averaging 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals in 26.1 minutes per contest. Bey shot .714 (25-of-35) from the field and .696 (16-of-23) from 3-point range during the four-game stretch while scoring in double figures in each contest. He became the only rookie in team history with at least four 3-pointers made in back-to-back games (Feb. 12-14).

Bey set a Pistons rookie record with seven 3-pointers made and recorded career highs of 30 points (10-12 FG, 7-7 3FG) and 12 rebounds in a win at Boston on Feb. 12. Bey became the only rookie in NBA history to make seven triples in a game without a miss from 3-point range and became the fourth rookie in NBA history with at least 30 points and seven 3-pointers made in a double-double (Jason Kidd, Stephen Curry, Lauri Markkanen). He also became the fourth Pistons rookie to score at least 30 points in game over the last 35 seasons (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Grant Hill, Allan Houston).

The Villanova standout holds the Pistons rookie record for most 3-pointers made (49) through 25 career games and is shooting .422 from distance on the year, currently setting the highest 3-point percentage for any Pistons rookie among qualified players in team history.

Phoenix’s Devin Booker was named the Western Conference Player of the Week. Per NBA.com/suns, “Booker averaged 32.3 points on 56.3% shooting from the field and 47.6% from three-point range, plus 5.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds in four games, helping the Suns extend their winning streak to six straight overall including wins over the Eastern Conference’s top two teams in Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Booker scored at least 27 points on over 50% from the field in all four games during the week, twice scoring his season high of 36 points.”

More from NBA.com/suns: “This marks Booker’s first career NBA Player of the Week honor and he is the first Suns player to be named Player of the Week since Goran Dragić on Feb. 3, 2014.”