00:01Greetings to all the Phoenix Suns faithful, we're here to discuss an exceptional stretch
00:05of play.
00:06The Phoenix Suns have surpassed all projections this season, with forward Royce O'Neal crediting
00:10their success to outstanding team cohesion, timely scoring, and top-tier defense.
00:15The team is currently on a six-game road trip, finishing up against the Atlanta Hawks this
00:19Friday.
00:20This is one of two six-game road trips this season, with the next scheduled for March
00:2410-19, O'Neal told Arizona Sports Burns and Gambo Show that this time on the road has
00:30been crucial for bonding saying, we've just been hanging out, going to dinners, spending
00:35a lot of time with each other, especially off the court, it's been great all around.
00:39After starting this trip with two straight losses, the Suns have now won three in a row, this
00:44is their third winning streak of at least three games in the last month, a major driver, their
00:49defensive intensity.
00:51According to TeamRankings.com, Phoenix now ranks number four in the NBA in defensive rating,
00:56jumping eight spots since the end of 2025.
00:59After 33 games they were ranked 12th, meaning this huge leap has happened over the last 11
01:04games.
01:05O'Neal emphasized this, stating, I think everybody's staying on the same page, knowing that defense
01:12is going to win games, we want to get stops, I think us just dialing in on the offensive and
01:17defensive end is huge for us.
01:20And the offense has matched that defensive effort with timely shots.
01:24The Suns have won 12 of their last 16 games, that includes two big wins against the New York
01:29Knicks, who are currently the number three seed in the East.
01:32In the first matchup, O'Neal himself hit a crucial three-pointer with 116 left to extend
01:38the lead from two to five points.
01:40Eight days later, they did it again at Madison Square Garden.
01:43O'Neal called it huge, and said, just for myself, knocking down that big shot, just doing
01:49whatever it takes for us to win.
01:51The overall success, currently at 27-17, and a season-high 10 games over 500, has them
01:57sitting as the number six seed in the West.
02:00O'Neal believes the key difference from last season is how well they play together, highlighting
02:05improved communication and energy from everyone, whether it's himself, Devin, Dylan, Jalen,
02:11or Grayson, they close out this road trip in Atlanta before coming home for nine of their
02:17next 10 games.
02:18So, Suns fans, after seeing this blend of connection, defense, and clutch play, how far do you think
02:24this team can go?
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