The Phoenix Suns are 0-2 down in their Playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves . It has been a disappointing run for the Arizona team, especially when they made massive trades in the 2023 off-season.
Former NBA veteran and head coach Mark Jackson has spoken about the problematic parts of the Suns' roster and how bad they have been playing in the first-round series against the Anthony Edwards ' Timberwolves.
"This just in, the Phoenix Suns look soft. They wanted no part of it… The Phoenix Suns have to respond, they got exposed, bad habits all season long, soft at times, undisciplined at times, no fight at times, relying on natural talent," Jackson said on the Mark Jackson Show. "The Minnesota Timberwolves have their foot on the gas pedal. They believe they're the best team in the series, and if Phoenix doesn't respond with better force, they're going home."
The Wolves are dominating the Suns
Despite having a talented group led by Devin Booker and Kevin Durant , the Suns have struggled against Minnesota. It has been a disappointing stretch for Phoenix, considering they are an offensive team, but they have not eclipsed the 100-point mark in the series' first two games.
That is an immediate red flag because if they are struggling to score with the talent they have, that might spell the end of the road for Phoenix. Of course, they are playing against the #1 defense in the league, who have stifled them. For the Suns' fans, Booker wants them to keep supporting , as he feels the team could come back strong.
Phoenix cannot get past superb defenders like Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the perimeter, and they have to deal with defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert in the paint. As Jackson said, the Suns rely too much on their talent with KD, D-Book, and Bradley Beal. However, Frank Vogel and his coaching staff must set them up for success better because talent alone will not win the series.
"I picked them to win this series, and they have disappointed me," Jackson continued. "If you're the Phoenix Suns, you have the home run talent. You were clearly picked ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the regular season, and you were one of the teams that people picked as a team that could win it all. This is disappointing, and this is ugly fashion to be eliminated."
Phoenix's supporting cast must step up
Durant and Booker have not played at their best, but they have been okay compared to their supporting cast. The Suns relied on Grayson Allen as a superb shooter during the regular season, shooting 45% from beyond the arc. He has been a non-factor in the first two games, scoring 3.5 points per game.
Grayson must step up to help create space for his superstar teammates, but the same goes for Jusuf Nurkic in the paint. Gobert has beaten him, which demoralizes the rest of the team because if the Frenchman dominates both sides of the floor, it makes the Suns roster more intimidated to play in the paint.
Coach Vogel must squeeze the best results possible from the team because they are talented enough to keep up with the Timberwolves. Phoenix must step up to the plate and take care of business on their home floor if they want to come back and win this series.
Related: "That has to be his matchup” – Draymond Green doubles down on how to stop Anthony Edwards
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