National Basketball Association

Phoenix Suns: 5 Takeaways From Season Opener

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:22 a.m. ET

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The Phoenix Suns lost their 2016-17 debut to a likely non-playoff team at home by 19 points. Here are five takeaways from their 2016-17 season opener.

Oct 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker #1 makes a pass against the Sacramento Kings during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off a 23-win season, the Phoenix Suns picked up right where they left off last year in a 113-94 defeat at home for their 2016-17 season opener.

The disappointing loss to the Sacramento Kings saw the Suns suffer their largest margin of defeat in a season-opening game in franchise history (19 points). Phoenix trailed by as many as 26 in the game, and some of the team’s veterans simply came out flat.

Oh, and did we mention the 19-point loss came to the Sacramento Kings?

The Suns’ 18-14 advantage with 3:30 left in the first quarter was short-lived, as they would surrender a 16-1 run to end the period and turn a four-point lead into an 11-point deficit. Sacramento led the rest of the night, and the closest Phoenix got from then on was 10 points.

No one was particularly high on this young team entering the new season, but what did we learn from their 2016-17 debut? To separate overreaction from legitimate observation, here’s a look at five takeaways from the Phoenix Suns’ opening night defeat.

Oct 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward T.J. Warren #12 handles the ball in front of Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay #8 during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

5. Three-Point Shooting An Area For Concern

In the modern pace-and-space era, the importance of having a three-point attack — and shooters capable of executing it — is paramount. Just look at the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, who met in the NBA Finals last year as the league’s top-two teams in made threes per game.

Unfortunately for the Suns, three-pointers haven’t played a particularly prominent role in Phoenix’s offense under head coach Earl Watson. In 33 games under Watson last year, the Suns ranked 10th in three-pointers attempted (32.4 per game) and 13th in three-pointers made (8.7 per game), but 29th in three-point percentage (32.4 percent).

That chasm between attempted threes and actually, you know, making them, combined with an offseason to focus on what kind of offense he wanted to run, seems to have taken Phoenix’s emphasis away from the three-point line.

In the preseason, the Suns ranked 29th among all NBA teams in attempted threes (19.5 per game), 28th in made threes (6.2 per game) and 23rd in three-point efficiency (31.6 percent). Wednesday night, the Suns made just four of their 16 threes.

Eric Bledsoe made two of his five attempts, while 18-year-old rookie Dragan Bender supplied the team’s other two threes on his three attempts.

“For me, I just have to be able to hit those open shots,” Bender said. “Being able to stay out there for practice and work on the arc and everything to translate myself to this three-point line as quickly as possible is something I need to do.”

Devin Booker, who was originally pegged as little more than a spot-up shooter entering the 2015 NBA Draft, shot just 30.2 percent from long range in 51 games as a starter last season and went 0-for-3 from deep Wednesday night. He should be fine, given that he’s only just about to turn 20 and has one of the purest strokes in the league; those shots will start falling.

As for the rest of the roster? It’s a little concerning that the Suns’ offense doesn’t include a heavier emphasis on long range shooting, but then again, maybe this team just doesn’t have the personnel for it.

Oct 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) handles the ball against Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) during the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Kings defeated the Suns 113-94. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

4. The Bench Has To Be Better

This one goes far beyond Sacramento’s bench outscoring Phoenix’s second unit by a 48-34 margin. After all, it was an unconventional bench lineup that almost got the Suns back into the game early in the fourth quarter.

However, with the first quarter winding down, Watson turned to his bench to provide the starters with a breather. Phoenix’s 18-14 lead quickly turned into an 11-point deficit entering the fourth quarter, with a bench unit of Brandon Knight, Leandro Barbosa, P.J. Tucker, Marquese Chriss and Alex Len doing the self-inflicted damage.

Knight was a disaster in his first game as sixth man, finishing with seven points on 1-of-8 shooting and a team-worst -19 plus/minus. Barbosa went 0-for-2 in three minutes, Tucker was somehow a -14 in a completely flat six-minute performance and Chriss was welcomed to the NBA by a ruthless Willie Cauley-Stein poster:

“I think it’s unacceptable for us to come in and kind of leave the momentum that the starting unit had,” Chriss said. “In the second half we were supposed to keep our energy up and play defense and I think that’s what we did.”

The script changed in that second half, but only because an ultra-young lineup featuring the team’s three rookies played like they actually gave a damn.

“The way I addressed the team is, we can’t use ‘We’re young,'” Watson said. “Our young guys got us in the game, so that’s not an excuse. Our veterans have to come, they have to play with the same passion.”

Oct 3, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson slaps hands with Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) against the San Antonio Spurs at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

3. Watson Not Afraid To Make Changes

Speaking of the tale of two halves between two very different bench units, it appears as though Watson is not afraid to make changes when players earn their keep.

That Knight-Barbosa-Tucker-Chriss-Len lineup gave up an 18-1 run bridging the first and second quarters and put the Kings ahead for good. Surprisingly, a lineup of Tyler Ulis, Knight, Bender, Chriss and Len got the Suns back into the game with a 20-4 run spanning the third and fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 10 with nine minutes to play.

Phoenix was unable to chop down the deficit any further, but the effort from the youngsters was not lost on Watson.

“One thing that is visible is our second unit, and in the first quarter, that 16-1 run is unacceptable,” he said. “Mix in the young guys in the second half, it looks like that is our second unit. So now our rotation is down.”

This may seem like a drastic overcorrection based on the results of one game, but for a first-year head coach, it’s important to send a message. Laziness and lackluster effort won’t be tolerated, no matter who’s starting or coming off the bench.

And yet somehow, he continues to send that sterner message while still building an environment centered around positivity and family.

“The first unit wasn’t giving us anything special. So you want to see if that second unit can kind of play their way in. They [Sacramento] make two quick threes, kind of separated them, put them back up 16, that kind of changed the game.

“But those guys are so young, you have to give them a chance. You know when you watch the game and they play with their heart, to me they played with the most heart. Heart gets rewarded.”

With the Suns focused on a budding youth movement, it’s encouraging to hear that Watson won’t hesitate to reward the young guys immediately for their hustle and production.

Oct 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Garrett Temple (17) handles the ball against Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Ulis (8) during the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Kings defeated the Suns 113-94. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

2. The Kids Are All Right

That 20-4 run from an unexpected bench unit didn’t get the Suns a W, but it was impressive nonetheless for 18-year-old Dragan Bender, 19-year-old Marquese Chriss and 20-year-old Tyler Ulis.

Not only was that lineup able to turn a 26-point deficit with 2:43 left in the third into a 10-point disadvantage with nine minutes to play, but it was sparked almost chiefly by Ulis and Bender getting their first NBA minutes.

.@dbender03 from downtown, again! #WeArePHX pic.twitter.com/SKfTjJ0iSc

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 27, 2016

“The momentum changed everything,” Watson said. “Our second unit, we just played young guys, let them play aggressive, let them have fun, be creative. They played with a lot of passion. It was fun to watch.”

Dragan Bender was the big surprise, especially after looking so timid during the preseason. The youngest player in the NBA scored eight of his 10 points during that 20-4 run, knocking down two threes.

He finished the game 4-for-5 from the field, and his odd little dance to celebrate his three-pointers helped get the crowd back into the game.

@DBender03 is 1st NBA 18y/o to score 10+ in a game since @DevinBook.

Book, Bender & Antetokounmpo are the only 18y/o to do so since 06-07. pic.twitter.com/K5EaxU3DK5

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 27, 2016

In a span of minutes, Bender made a nice cut and finish set up by Alex Len to score his first NBA basket, banked in a three-pointer that brought the crowd to its feet, confidently drilled another corner three and even threw his hands up to celebrate a slick two-handed dunk for Len.

That kind of energy and enthusiasm is infectious, scoreboard be damned.

LMAO Suns are on a 7-0 run and Dragan Bender threw his arms in the air after Len’s dunk…with his team down 17. Love this kid. #SunsVsKings

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 27, 2016

Chris and Ulis only had two points apiece during the run, but they were active on the defensive end as Watson switched things up with a trapping press to increase the tempo and force some mistakes.

Ulis finished with two points, one assist, one rebound, one steal and one block in 14 minutes, while Chriss added seven points, four rebounds and one block in 22 minutes.

“I think the biggest surprise out of the second unit was Tyler,” Watson said. “His defense on the ball was aggressive and we need that energy. We need that energy, we need those steals, deflections, and we need that purpose. So those guys kind of earned minutes now.”

“I’m getting a chance,” Ulis said. “This is a shot, this is something that I always wanted to do. He threw me in the game, we’re down 20, but you have to play like it’s 0-0. That’s something Devin [Booker] talked to me about and we just had a conversation at dinner about that. I just come in and try to do what I can.”

Len and Knight added four points apiece during the run, meaning all 20 points were scored by players 24 years or younger.

Speaking of the younger guys, the more polished Devin Booker had a relatively quiet night…and still finished the game with 18 points in 25 minutes on 8-of-12 shooting.

Sure, he missed all three of his three-pointers, and yes, a couple of his baskets came in garbage time late in the game, but the whole second half was essentially garbage time. If he can put up 18 points in such an underwhelming performance, just imagine what he’s going to do as the season progresses.

If there were any positive takeaways from a 19-point loss to the lowly Kings in Phoenix’s season opener, it’d be that the youth movement still looks promising.

Oct 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward T.J. Warren (12) boxes out Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes (22) during the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Kings defeated the Suns 113-94. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

1. Patience: It’s Still A Virtue

The Phoenix Suns had a great, optimistic summer. Fans got to watch Devin Booker make the NBA All-Rookie First Team, tear up Summer League, join USA Basketball’s Select Team and have Drake don his jersey at a concert in Phoenix.