Last Week:7↑
2023-24 record: 49-33
OffRtg: 116.8 (10) DefRtg: 113.7 (13) NetRtg: +3.1 (8) Pace: 99.0 (15)
Key addition(s): Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee
Key departure(s): Eric Gordon, Drew Eubanks
Coaching change: Frank Vogel out, Mike Budenholzer in
Three numbers to know:
The Suns were 10th offensively overall, but had the third most efficient offense (115.7 points scored per 100 possessions) against the league’s top 10 defenses. And those 26 games include two in which they scored more than 130 points per 100 possessions against the top-ranked Wolves.
They were the league’s worst fourth-quarter team by a huge margin, getting outscored by 11.6 points per 100 possessions.
They were swept by Minnesota, allowing 123.2 points per 100 possessions, the highest mark in the first round and 8.6 per 100 more than the Wolves scored in the regular season (when they ranked 17th offensively).
Key question: How much will a point guard help?
They return a starting lineup that outscored opponents by 11.1 points per 100 possessions, the fourth best mark among 21 lineups that played at least 300 minutes. And as noted above, they had a great offense against the league’s best defenses.
But Jones was an incredible pick-up on a minimum contract, and he can help them on both ends of the floor. He has led the league in assist/turnover ratio in each of the last six seasons and is one of two players – Jimmy Butler is the other – that has had more steals than personal fouls in each of the last six. Most important may be taking some of the playmaking burden off Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, allowing those guys to be better on both ends of the floor.
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