Suns’ Coach Looks For Better Defensive Matchups With…
The Phoenix Suns are rolling out the following starting lineup against the Dallas Mavericks:
Tyus Jones
Devin Booker
Ryan Dunn
Kevin Durant
Jusuf Nurkic
The Suns will not have Bradley Beal tonight due to a elbow injury. Dunn – Phoenix’s first-round pick – will get the nod.
Jones, Booker, Durant and Nurkic are the other typical starters for the Suns.
Fresh off a loss where Phoenix led by as much as 22, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer says there’s plenty of room for improvement on the offense.
“Yeah, I mean I think that’s accurate and we’re trying to get more of the beginning and less of the end. It’s basketball, it’s never easy, it’s never pretty and it’s never perfect. I think sometimes we’re not any different than any other team when our defense is good. I think that lots of times,” Budenholzer said.
“It helps our offense, helps us get into stuff, gets into spacing and actions quick against the defense that are not set. I think that if we’re taking the ball out of the net or we’re fouling too much, we’re turning it over and leading to easy baskets. It’s a sport that is both ends. I have a big influence on the other end and sometimes we’re just not as good moving into the second and third actions, screens and executions. There is room for improvement on those possessions when we’re stagnant and we are not as good as we need to be.”
The Suns are 1-1 and face a Mavericks team that is 1-0 entering tonight.
“Obviously, a ton of respect for Klay (Thompson) and his ability to shoot, get hot and make shots quickly with no dribble, so I think your awareness of where he is, while still knowing that (Luka) Dončić and (Kyrie) Irving are going to have the ball a ton. I’m sure that is their formula, to try and get you to lose sight, lose connection with (Klay) Thompson, while they have two great players that you know tracked defense, so you kind of got to be able to do everything against them,” Budenholzer said of Dallas.
Opening tip is at 7:00 PM.
