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Jordan Ott Must Make 3 Key Changes To Save Suns' Season
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- Jordan Ott Must Make 3 Key Changes To Save Suns' Season
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
79 games still remain for the Phoenix Suns to stake their claim on reaching the playoffs for a second straight season.
A 1-2 start doesn't inspire much confidence from within the fanbase, although some of the early issues are fixable - particularly from the perspective of head coach Jordan Ott .
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Follow the three areas that Ott can adjust accordingly to in an effort to salvage the season below.
Starting Lineup Changes Should Already be on Table
The current starting lineup of Jalen Green -Devin Booker-Dillon Brooks-Miles Bridges-Khaman Maluach isn't working early on.
The fit between Green/Booker and Bridges/Maluach are the biggest clashing points at the moment. Beyond finding ways to get four ball-dominant players requisite touches and shot attempts, there's also a three-point shooting issue.
What is the clearest solution to this conundrum? It's simply by starting Collin Gillespie and moving Green to a sixth-man role. Inserting Gillespie into the lineup adds the team's best three-point shooter, one of the best distributors on the roster, and a quality defensive piece into the fold.
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There's a case to be made for shifting to Ryan Dunn in the starting unit as well due to his defensive prowess. This decision is much less likely, although it can become a topic of discussion if Bridges continues underperforming on defense.
Finding Balance in Shot Diet Crucial
The Suns are still finding offensive identity in year two under Ott.
Phoenix's 50 three-point attempts against the Oklahoma City Thunder highlight the need to find a balance between maximizing value in those situations versus pressuring the rim.
The insertion of Bridges, Dunn, and full-blown return of Green into the lineup gift the Suns high-level athletes that can buck the trend of being avoidant of getting shots up in the lane.
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Ott must find ways to reconcile an inconsistent three-point shooting arrangement on the bench with bench players such as Luke Kennard and Jordan Goodwin that will boost the floot in this department. The clearest option is to mix-and-match the supreme athletes with the high-end shooters, ultimately seeing what works the best over the next month-plus.
Booker's Usage Needs to Shift
The inconsistent point of attack centering around Booker has to gain consistency.
Ott cites OKC's defensive tactics as a reason behind the 12-year vet taking less than 10 shots in the loss, however there are more underlying issues.
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The most blatant of these is the Suns failing to properly bridging Booker's line between being a scorer and playmaker. The five-time All-Star is at his best when taking advantage of early involvement, proper off-ball actions, and setting him up for catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Until then, the Phoenix offense won't be able to maximize their potential.
