NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates 
Need a little hope? Looking for something to give you those warm and fuzzies as you sip your morning coffee? The sugar and cream aren’t doing enough to brighten your day? Well, for all the ugly statistics we’ve been compiling about the Phoenix Suns lately, here’s one that might make that coffee taste a little sweeter.
Through the first six games of the regular season, Phoenix ranked dead last in the NBA in defensive rating, surrendering a staggering 124.5 points per 100 possessions. It was an atrocious start, one that had us questioning whether this team possessed the personnel, discipline, or defensive identity necessary to compete night in and night out.
Advertisement
But since then? Things have changed considerably. Over their last five games, the Suns have posted a defensive rating of 109.0, the sixth-best mark in the NBA during that stretch. Their net rating has climbed to +4.2, ranking ninth in the league, a significant improvement from the -10.3 net rating that placed them 25th during their first six games.
That’s a pretty substantial turnaround in a relatively short period of time.
And perhaps the most encouraging part is that those numbers include the absolute shellacking Phoenix suffered at the hands of the Spurs. Even with that disaster factored into the equation, the Suns have managed to establish themselves as one of the league’s more effective defensive teams over their last five outings.
Advertisement
Now, does that mean all their problems have magically disappeared? Of course not. The rebounding remains atrocious, the lack of size continues to create significant disadvantages, and the questions surrounding roster construction and player fit aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But there is something encouraging about watching this team begin to stabilize defensively.
Much like last season, Phoenix stumbled out of the gate, struggling to establish any semblance of consistency before gradually finding its footing. And while we’re still dealing with a relatively small sample size, the defensive improvement suggests that some of the early growing pains are beginning to subside.
The rotations are becoming…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/phoenix-might-figuring-things-one-170000062.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-11-14 17:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
