After a statement win on Friday, the Phoenix Suns are willing to press their luck once more against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Detroit marks the second stop of the Suns’ road trip, with the first being an emphatic win against the Boston Celtics.
The Suns have additional help against Detroit, with Cameron Johnson returning from his night off as he continues rehabbing.
Phoenix is well on its way to another win, leading Detroit 58-49 at halftime.
Make Your Free Throws
The Suns aren’t known for finding their way to the charity stripe this season. Their free-throw rating puts them at 28th in the league, and more games than not could’ve been won with more aggression in terms of getting to the free-throw line.
Phoenix got up to eight free throw attempts in the first quarter alone. That increased to 18 by the end of first half. They average 21.3 attempts on the season.
While not the flashiest part of the game, Phoenix has been heavily outweighed in that department this season compared to some of their opponents.
Deandre Ayton Taking Over
Ayton has been able to put together some masterful performances as of late. On Saturday, he appears to be well on his way to another one.
Ayton went for 19 points along with nine rebounds during the first half. He also attempted six free-throw attempts.
The seven-footer was effective with Chris Paul in the pick-and-roll action, often finding himself able to play in front of the set for easy layups. He also seamlessly used the screens to be a rim-runner, a feat that fans have called on from the former No.1 pick more often.
Bojan Bogdanović Heating Up
The Suns were once interested in obtaining the services of Bogdanović. As the Pistons’ contest with the Suns got underway, it was clear once more why that was the case.
The Croatian marksman went 6-of-9 from the floor while going 3-of-4 from three-point range, resulting in 15 points.
Detroit hasn’t found much success after letting Phoenix take the lead in the first quarter. Bogdanović remains one of their sole anchors on Saturday, which could lose momentum come the second half.
