Suns rally, edge Nets in Macao OT

FAN BOTS

Thank you for watching the video      Link:https://arizonasports.com/nba/phoenix-suns/nets-macao-china/3598682/      Important warning⚠️⚠️    My friend, please check the accuracy of the information. The information I provide may be  incorrect, late, or outdated..     #SunsvsNets#OTThriller#Macao#BasketballHighlights#Suns#Nets#NBA

Transcript

00:01Welcome to our breakdown of the Suns' thrilling overtime victory against the Nets.

00:05The Phoenix Suns overcame an early setback, managed to push the game into overtime,

00:10and ultimately secured a 132-127 victory against the Nets during their second preseason matchup

00:16on Friday. This game was part of a doubleheader known as the NBA-China Games, taking place in

00:22Macau against Brooklyn. The Suns were again missing key players, projected starters Jalen

00:27Green, who is dealing with a hamstring issue, and Mark Williams, who is being managed for injuries.

00:33To summarize the game, the Suns found themselves down by 18 points in the first quarter due to a

00:38struggling offense and a lack of engagement from Devin Booker. The situation was further complicated

00:44by Nets guard Cam Thomas, who played with exceptional intensity, possibly fueled by his recent experience

00:50as a restricted free agent without a long-term contract. The smaller Phoenix lineup faced

00:56challenges on the boards early in the game, but as the comeback progressed, they managed to take

01:00control of the rebounding battle. Backup point guards Colin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin led the team in

01:06rebounds with 9 and 7, respectively, while rookie center Common Malouac contributed 5 rebounds in his

01:1320 minutes on the court. Waking up for the 5 a.m. MST tip-off, there are a few key observations to note,

01:20keeping in mind that this was the second game of the preseason. Dylan Brooks is ready to take on

01:25more offensive responsibilities if the Suns need him to. During the first half, Devin Booker held

01:31back, which is understandable given his experience. In his absence, Brooks stepped up to fill the gap.

01:38Although Brooks relied heavily on one-on-one plays, this approach may be necessary at times throughout

01:43the season, particularly if either Booker or Green faces injuries. He led the team in shot attempts,

01:49finishing with 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. Booker also

01:56scored 18 points, contributing 5 assists and 5 steals in 27 minutes of play. Notably, half of his

02:03points came during a strong 5-minute stretch at the beginning of the third quarter, where he helped

02:08the Suns rally from a 12-point deficit to tie the game at 82. The younger players are still learning

02:14and facing challenges. Oso Iguodaro, who started at center for the day, ended the game with 12 points

02:20and 3 blocks. The second-year center faced difficulties in securing rebounds, managing to

02:26collect only 3 boards in 22 minutes of play, against opponents Nick Claxton and De'Ron Sharp,

02:32both of whom are also big men. Iguodaro's performance began poorly, as he lost possession

02:37during a dribble, failed to execute a pick-and-roll defensive strategy, and was physically overpowered

02:42by Claxton within the opening minutes of the game. Similarly, Ryan Dunn, another second-year

02:48player for the Suns, encountered a tough start, unable to provide a solution as Phoenix explored

02:53various strategies to contain the impressive performance of Thomas, who scored 22 points

02:58and contributed 6 assists in just 24 minutes. In the center position, Nick Richards emerged

03:03as a notable player. Although he played only 11 minutes, he managed to score 9 points, secure

03:094 rebounds, and block 2 shots before Malawash took to the court for 20 minutes, some of which

03:14were alongside the starters in the first half. While playing with the starting lineup, the

03:18number 10 pick from the 2025 draft demonstrated why his growth and the opportunity for playing

03:23time will be gradual. Malawash found himself slightly out of position, allowing a player

03:29to slip behind him for a rim run, and he jumped off his feet prematurely. During the game, Malawash

03:36demonstrated his skills with a mid-range pump fake, and was involved in some miscommunication

03:41while defending a pick-and-roll play. In the second half, he found his rhythm, scoring a

03:46total of 10 points and getting to the free-throw line 6 times, along with contributing 2 assists.

03:51The competition for the backup point guard position is particularly noteworthy among the

03:56training camp battles, as it could lead to a challenging decision for cuts. On Friday,

04:01Gillespie stood out as the frontrunner, achieving a team-high plus-minus of plus-115, largely due to

04:08his near double-double performance. It's worth mentioning that three of his offensive rebounds

04:13came from a single play. Goodwin also made a strong case for himself, leading the team with 19 points,

04:19including the last six points for the Suns during overtime. The rebounding abilities of both point

04:24guards could prove crucial for this team, which is somewhat undersized, as will their defensive

04:28skills, when guarding the ball. The third contender in this competition, Jared Butler, had some notable

04:34moments, although he was a bit overly aggressive. He finished the game with 8 points, 4 assists,

04:39and 3 steals, shooting 2 for 10 from the field. Goodwin Butler and forward Nigel Hayes Davis are all

04:45vying for their spots on the team. Rookies Rasheer Fleming and Maliwak played a crucial role in securing

04:51the victory for the Suns. It's worth mentioning that Fleming, who received recognition in the annual

04:57NBA GM survey for being one of the biggest rookie steals, contributed significantly with two

05:03chase-down blocks, two steals, and six points during his 15 minutes on the court. Do you believe

05:09the Suns' performance in this game indicates they are ready to overcome their size challenges this season?

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended