Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. We’re here to talk about the daily happenings in the NBA!
The last time the Phoenix Suns lost, the world was still on the go.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Petersen/Getty Images.)
Think fast. When was the last time the Phoenix Suns made the postseason?
If you said 2010, you’re CORRECT. You don’t get a cookie from me, though, because you probably looked it up in the wide world of the internets.
Either way, it’s been a long time for these Suns. Phoenix hadn’t resembled a decent team since the three-guard experiment of Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, and Isaiah Thomas didn’t work out in 2015. In the following draft, they took Devin Booker with the 13th pick. But the Suns became the doormat of the Western Conference as they won 23, 24, 21, and bottomed out at 19 in 2019. I long thought that Booker needed help in the worst way and people out there were unfairly saying he had empty stats when he was clearly doing everything he could to keep Phoenix afloat.
The Suns added Ricky Rubio, Dario Saric, and Aron Baynes as well as rookie Cameron Johnson. They were also getting a full season of Kelly Oubre, Jr. They also got Monty Williams as head coach. Booker was finally getting some team structure. Phoenix was 26-39 when the pandemic hit. It wasn’t the biggest of improvements but they were close enough to the Top 8 in the West that they were invited to the Disneyworld Bubble. They had a long shot of making it to the postseason but what mattered was that they got a chance to do it.
Man, oh, man, did they take advantage. Devin Booker and company shocked everyone by going undefeated in Disney, winning 8 straight games. But it was because they were so far behind in the standings, they missed the postseason. Still, for the first time in a long time, the Suns showed promise.
In the offseason, Phoenix was able to acquire Chris Paul from Oklahoma City. He could be the difference between going home after the regular season and a playoff spot. They went 7-10 in games decided by 5 points or fewer before the pandemic hit and 2-0 in those same close games in the bubble.
Paul certainly made that difference. He and Booker hit clutch jumpers to keep the Mavericks away at the end. Booker also hit an important free throw for the final margin, which turned out to be four. CP3 is already paying dividends and Booker has continued to be that player. The Suns may have left the bubble but did the bubble really leave the Suns?
It’s the first game but it’s important for a team like Phoenix to get off to a good start if they want to make the postseason. Being a young team other than Paul, they’re going to have their growing pains and they might go through some extended swoons.
But for the first time in a long time, the future finally looks bright for Phoenix. A decade-long playoff drought could come to a halt this spring.
Bullet Passes
Russell Westbrook finished with a triple-double after three quarters; he would finish with 21-11-15. But the Sixers came away with the win.
RJ Barrett showed some promise on Wednesday by going 26-8-5 but the Pacers were just too good. Domantas Sabonis had 32-13-5.
In a Charlotte loss, Terry Rozier made 10 threes on the way to 42 points. In case you’re wondering how LaMelo Ball did? A board and three dimes.
Still, the most impressive individual performance went to Ja Morant. 44 points and 9 assists! JA MAKIN’ ME CRAZY.
The Bucks/Celtics game had a hell of a finish.
JAYSON TATUM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/BTGSOpwLOu
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) December 24, 2020
Jayson Tatum had to fling it and let fate take over. Even if it went off glass, it was a made bucket.
Giannis Antetokounmpo got fouled and had a chance to send the game to overtime with 0.4 seconds left (you know he was in a similar situation a few months ago in the postseason). He made the first but pulled the second foul shot short. Them’s the breaks. All I got is YGTMYFTMVP.
I really feel for Karl-Anthony Towns, whose mother passed away due to COVID. Here was KAT after the game. He wasn’t even talking about basketball anymore.
Here’s the full quote from KAT when asked about how the team’s game-to-game mindset compared to previous seasons pic.twitter.com/5cXuk4Gj7X
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 24, 2020
With his mind really elsewhere, how is he even able to play ball? I hope he’s getting the help he needs and heals fully.
Speaking of the pandemic, Rockets players including John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were sent home because of contract tracing. KJ Martin tested positive while Ben McLemore has been self-isolating. The Rockets didn’t have enough players that could play so the game was postponed.
James Harden‘s recklessness was apparently an entire separate thing. He got fined $50K for not following COVID protocol. And of course, he won’t be able to play for the next few games until he tests negative enough times.
I’m just going to say that lives are on the line here and he’s going around being careless going to “events” not wearing a mask. Ugh.
The NBA season was only on Day 2 and we already have a case like this. Awful.
NBA Scoreboard
Dec. 23, 2020
Watch This Play
It was chaos! Denver had a chance to win but Sactown stole the ball and looked how it ended!
BUDDY HIELD GAME-WINNING PUTBACK IN OT pic.twitter.com/TjMPu0mQnm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 24, 2020
Buddy Hield with the heads-up play after Harrison Barnes tried to yam it. It all ended well! Kings win their opening game on the road.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.