The Ryan Dunn effect is real, and the numbers are ridiculous

The Phoenix Suns have won two consecutive games, and confidence is slowly beginning to build. Much of that confidence stems from the team’s newfound ability to play defense, something noticeably absent through the first six games of the season. Playing a shorthanded Orlando Magic team certainly helped, but for the first time all season, Phoenix held an opponent under 110 points. Two nights later, they followed that performance by holding the Houston Rockets, one of the NBA’s most productive offenses, under 100.

One of the more pleasant surprises early this season has been the play of Ryan Dunn, who currently leads the Suns in three-point shooting at 53.8%. And while every three-pointer he knocks down strengthens his case for additional opportunities and minutes, it’s his defense and rebounding that have truly stood out. Why? Because those have been, quite honestly, the two biggest deficiencies for this team.

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Phoenix is undersized, and securing rebounds has been a persistent challenge. Dunn helps alleviate that problem through his athleticism, physicality, and willingness to pursue the basketball. He possesses the explosiveness to go up and meet a rebound at its highest point rather than standing around waiting for it to come to him. Defensively, he’s been everything the Suns hoped he would be when they drafted him out of Virginia. His confidence is clearly growing, and you can see that same confidence developing among his teammates when he’s on the floor.

Want to know how impactful Ryan Dunn has been? When Dunn is on the court, the Suns have a net rating of +24.1. When he’s off the floor, that number plummets to -18.6. That’s a staggering +42.7 differential, the second largest in the entire NBA behind only Alex Caruso. Dunn also leads Phoenix with a cumulative plus/minus of +40.

Those numbers are absurd, especially for a player whose offensive limitations were considered one of his biggest obstacles entering the league. And while we’re still dealing with a relatively small sample size, the difference in how this team performs with Dunn on the court is becoming increasingly difficult to…

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Publish date : 2026-11-08 23:00:00

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