The Phoenix Suns are 3-0 since the addition of Kevin Durant being in the lineup. That major reinforcement will be absent on Wednesday with the Suns taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Durant was prepared to face off against his former team, but he suffered some ankle soreness during warmups. Now, the question that many analayst have pondered has come to resurface.
Without Durant, the Suns have quite a few scenarios on rotations that still need to be answered. Head coach Monty Williams will be able to have a good look at that against OKC.
Phoenix was still able to lead over Oklahoma City with a 60-52 score at halftime.
Booker Holding His Own
Devin Booker has been a sight to see as of late. Booker, who recently won the Western Conference Player of the Week continued that momentum in the first half.
Booker was able to score 17 points in just the first quarter, shooting 70 percent from the field while also shooting 50 percent from three-point range.
The three-time All-Star was able to finish the half with 30 points already knocked down.
With Williams still tinkering with the rotations and new faces, having Booker still be able to perform at an All-NBA level without Durant is critical.
Struggle City for Reserves
The Suns bench hasn’t stood out for most of the season, and that seems to be an ongoing situation. Even with newer additions to the reserves, the overall identity and fluidness remains a mystery.
The newer and older pieces of the bench are still figuring one another out. Much was obvious with the unnecessary isolations on offense and turnovers.
Darius Bazley was a minus-11 for the half. Cameron Payne and Jock Landale were both a minus-9, with both putting up only two points a piece.
The bench was responsible for of the Suns’ turnovers for the half as well, giving the Thunder a window of opportunity.
The Thunder are a young, energetic team that finds themselves in more close games than not. It will be in the Suns’ best interest to put the game out of reach as soon as possible with the starters in the second half.
