Phoenix: As Friday’s Game 3 of their series with the Minnesota Timberwolves draws near, the Phoenix Suns are trailing 2-0 and are looking for any magic bullet to salvage their season.
Bench Bradley Beal is one potential remedy suggested by former NBA player Lou Williams.
“Is it a time now for the Phoenix Suns, where they explore the idea of maybe Bradley Beal coming off the bench?” he said during Run It Back.
Take note, move Brad off the bench, and put him in a position to work with I.T. [Isaiah Thomas]. Assign them a partner.
With no genuine point guard leading the way, the Suns have occasionally battled with finding their offensive identity this season. With a sample size of almost just one season, Phoenix had hoped that Devin Booker or Beal could handle point duties, possibly even switching off between the two. However, that approach has proven to be mainly fruitless.
Thomas was added by the Suns toward the conclusion of the season, but will Phoenix take a chance by starting Thomas in the starting lineup given his short playing time?
It’s difficult to think of another lineup configuration that could be effective in Beal’s place should he come off the bench. Booker, like Kevin Durant, has demonstrated a tendency to commit turnovers while handling the ball first. Additionally, if Grayson Allen is out for Game 3 due to an ankle sprain, it will further shorten Phoenix’s already limited postseason schedule.
Frank Vogel, the coach of the Suns, is aware that he needs to make a change because his team is staring elimination in the face.
“We need to exert more control over their pressure. In terms of our movement and passing-cut offense, I felt like we really hit upon a few things in the first half. After the Game 2 defeat, Vogel stated, “We didn’t sustain it when they went on a run, we didn’t stay locked into that plan, and we had too many lost possessions because of that.
