00:00What's up Suns fans, let's break down that 1-16 1-10 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers this
00:07past Tuesday, a game that marked the return of Jalen Green, it was arguably the team's most
00:12disjointed performance in weeks, and yet, the flashes of high-level play were enough to secure
00:17the win. This game, served as a sign of the potential this group has when at full strength
00:22for the first time all season. The start was anything but smooth, Phoenix missed its first
00:27nine shot attempts, and didn't connect on a three-pointer for the first 14 minutes of the
00:31game. Even when the shot-making went crazy in the middle quarters, the Suns were giving the ball
00:36away far too often, and had noticeable defensive lapses, leading to just a four-point half-time
00:41lead. Through three quarters, they had committed 14 turnovers but also matched that number with 14
00:47made three-pointers, a clear nod to the shooting firepower in this now fully stocked rotation,
00:52that helped build a 13-point lead, and the Suns began to pull away before those mistakes on both
00:57ends of the floor persisted, that's when Jalen Green made a significant impact, largely without
01:02the ball, Philadelphia got within seven points with under three minutes to go, Phoenix turned
01:07to its trustworthy screening action involving Devin Booker and Grayson Allen, that action got
01:12Booker an isolation matchup and with both Green and Allen one pass away, no help defense came.
01:17On the next defensive possession, Green provided excellent on-ball defense against the matchup the
01:31Sixers had been hunting earlier in the game, following a Suns miss the 76ers tried to push
01:36quickly in transition, Green again held up strong defensively around the basket to help stabilize the
01:41Suns' defense, preserving a nine-point lead with just over 90 seconds remaining, despite some
01:47improbable mistakes resurfacing late.
01:55Dalouli bowed the free-throw situation to turn into a one-possession game, a key concern.
02:02Phoenix's 22 turnovers were its second-highest total this season, Philadelphia scored 28 points
02:07off those turnovers, Jalen Green played, 20 minutes off the bench, in spurts of 549, 321,
02:14528, and 518, coach Frank Vogel has made it clear Green will start when fully healthy,
02:20for those debating that point, the most notable element of his play, was the instant two-man
02:25game chemistry with Oso Iguodaro, they formed a perfect match to improvise dribble handoffs and
02:30ball screens, catching defenses off-guard and capitalizing on Green's elite quickness,
02:34Iguodaro showed his own agility, a skill set Green actively looked to utilize early,
02:40Green was clearly trying to play at a controlled pace, willing to give his defender a step to avoid
02:44playing too fast, in time, he'll find those pockets to hit the turbo button that's virtually
02:49unstoppable, adding more direct drives that match the tempo coach Vogel's offense has thrived in all
02:54year, there were a few driving lanes he deferred from, opting instead to feed the wing player one
02:59pass away, he became more aggressive in the second half, with his most direct drive coming on this
03:04take from the third quarter, which then sets up step-back jumpers like this one, no one else on
03:09the roster brings that same explosiveness, as a driver or that individual ability to create space
03:15for his jumper, adding that dimension in games like this provides another layer to a Suns team
03:20that already has plenty of them, Jordan Goodwin was absolutely tremendous for the third time in a
03:26week, he is a primary reason the Suns have an elite bench unit, which outscored Philadelphia's
03:31bench 58-28, Goodwin was everywhere, finishing with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals
03:39He played 20 minutes as the 9th man in a rotation crunch that will often be based on who has the hot
03:45hand, it was him tonight, the perimeter players to crack 25-plus minutes were Devin Booker, 34,
03:52Marjan Beauchamp, 30, Grayson Allen, 29, and Colin Gillespie, 28. Booker led all scorers with
04:0127 points, this brings up a question, with how direct some rotation tweaks have already been,
04:07could they extend further now that coach Vogel has more options at his disposal, would he ever sit
04:12Marjan Beauchamp to close games, Tuesday's game inspired that thought, he and Booker have had a
04:17handful of games where they haven't been locked in on both ends, specifically, on defense.
04:23Against the Sixers, Beauchamp did not have his mid-range game going, missing 11 of his 13 shots,
04:29and he doesn't always spur ball movement when his shot isn't falling. In a crucial blender sequence
04:35late in the game, off an instant double team on Booker, Beauchamp didn't move the ball and instead
04:41took an out-of-control finish while Jalen Green was wide open in the corner, a pass most other 20-point
04:47per-game scorers in the NBA make. Again, coach Vogel has terrific options. Some nights, Jordan Goodwin,
04:54Colin Gillespie, Royce O'Neal, or Grayson Allen will be playing demonstrably better than the up-and-down
05:00Beauchamp, is closing with someone else, ever on the table. What about with Jalen Green?
05:05This discussion isn't exclusive to the perimeter, the change in rhythm for the Suns between when
05:10Oso Iguodaro and Mark Williams are on the floor is becoming noticeable. The reason is obvious,
05:16Iguodaro continues to build rapport with his teammates, while Williams is clearly not on the
05:20same page as consistently, Williams played only 9 minutes in each half, with coach Vogel pulling
05:26him at the 3.21 mark of the second quarter, to let Iguodaro close the half, a move he has made at
05:32the end of games and did again Tuesday, though less frequently in the first half, whether it's
05:36extending the rotation to three centers, and including Kaman, Malouac, allowing Iguodaro to
05:42reach over 25 minutes more often, as he has in just 9 contests this year, or opening the door to
05:48small-ball lineups, we appear to be nearing a point for a sizable change in Mark Williams' role.
05:54Colin Gillespie and Royce O'Neal both held starting spots with Green coming off the bench,
05:59Grayson Allen was the player originally used as the fifth starter, when Green played in his previous
06:04two games, so the expectation was, for Allen to hold that spot, however, he has remained a reserve
06:11behind O'Neal since returning from injury. It's an interesting choice, O'Neal has often been the
06:17primary perimeter defender targeted by opponents and with some success. He's also not as impactful
06:23a driver or playmaker in the ways Allen is. While Allen also gets targeted defensively,
06:28he has held up better against quicker ball handlers this season, and he's obviously the
06:32more reliable shooter. Even though O'Neal's shooting numbers are great this year, perhaps the reasoning
06:38is that the additional offensive punch from Allen isn't as required in the starting lineup with so
06:43much firepower already there, and is better deployed off the bench. More worth watching
06:49is what lineups coach Vogel closes games with. On Tuesday, the closing group was Booker, Green,
06:56Beauchamp, Allen, and Iguodaro, a note on Philadelphia.
07:01Joel Embiid did not play, as this was a back-to-back for the 76ers and he does not play in those games
07:07anymore. Tyrese Maxey was held to 20 points on 7-of-25 shooting by the Suns defense. However,
07:14rookie V, Jay Edgecombe flourished, scoring 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting. So, Suns fans,
07:20with the roster finally at full health and clear evidence of both immense potential and persistent
07:25issues, what's the one rotational or strategic adjustment you believe coach Vogel must prioritize
07:30moving forward.
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