After a lackluster 1-3 start, the Phoenix Suns have won three straight games. The current streak has featured broken assist records, heroic Frank Kaminsky minutes, and highlights aplenty from the stellar Mikal Bridges. Despite the victories, it feels like the Suns have yet to play a complete game. With that being said, ugly wins are wins nonetheless. The team is coming off of a triumph over Houston in which Book posted a vintage scoring night and DA returned to the lineup after a brief injury scare.
Monty and Co. will look to keep the ball rolling against a dangerous Hawks team. Atlanta has stumbled over its past five contests (1-4), but the season is young for last year’s Eastern Conference Finalists. The incendiary Trae Young is once again flanked by John Collins and Clint Capela, and GM Travis Schlenk has built a deep rotation of talented wings.
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What to Watch For
How will the Hawks hide Trae on defense? If Young is left on Paul, look for CP3 to take advantage. He is too crafty to double, and Trae is doomed as the point-of-attack defender in Paul-DA pick-and-rolls. Placing Young on Book would ensure Nate McMillan a career as a stand-up comic, while tracking Mikal’s off-ball movement is probably too energy-intensive for Atlanta’s offensive engine. If not Paul, does Trae follow Jae?
If Cam Payne can go tonight, it would be a massive boost to the Suns’ reserves. His energy and spacing have been missed during his hiatus, and he had the bench mob humming before his injury. If he is out, backup duties will again lie with Elfrid Payton. Payton has had some nice moments as a fill-in, but his inability to space the floor has hindered the Suns.
Cam Reddish, Wild Card: Reddish is the Hawks third-leading scorer this season (13.1 PPG), and already has six games off the bench with 15+ points. In his other three contests, he has registered five, two, and four points. If the talented Reddish gets hot, it could spell trouble for Phoenix.
Keys to a Suns Win
Slowing Trae: He may not be firing on all cylinders, but Young is a transcendent offensive talent. His preternatural ability to manufacture points, whether by facilitating or creating his own shot, looms large heading into tonight’s matchup. Look for the Suns to be physical with Trae to try and keep him out of sync.
DA vs. Capela: One of the league’s most underrated players, Clint Capela is a menacing rebounder and shot-blocker. If Deandre can limit Capela’s impact on the boards and as a rim-runner, it would go a long way in securing a Suns victory.
Sharing the Rock: The Suns offense is predicated on making quick, sound decisions with the ball. Their litany of playmakers and elite off-ball movement tend to result in high assists numbers. Phoenix is 4-1 this season when recording 25 or more assists, the sole loss courtesy of a Harrison Barnes heartbreaker. If the Suns can stick to their principles, it should help them generate easy looks against a Hawks defense that has been porous as of late
