Phoenix Suns: Offense will give them a puncher’s shot to make playoffs

The Phoenix Suns’ new-look offense

What could possibly be so amazing about a team that has a 26-39 record? For the Phoenix Suns, it’s not the idea of another lottery pick. Instead, it’s their amazing offense and a team that has serious potential for the future because of it.

Skepticism is expected. Phoenix? Their offense is 14th in the league in points per game; it sounds like nothing to write home about. WRONG! Suns general manager James Jones and new head coach Monty Williams has completely reinvigorated this team’s offense. It’s not clear to the casual fan, however.

I know it’s a longshot, to say the least, but now with the NBA season set to resume with a 22-team plan, the Suns have a  puncher’s chance to utilize their healthy line-up and offense to actually make the postseason.

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Why Phoenix Suns’ offense is special

When Monty Williams joined the Suns this past offseason, he installed what he dubbed the “0.5 Offense.” This offense takes root in European basketball and it means that whenever a player touches the ball they have half a second to decide whether they will shoot, drive to the basket, or pass.

This system is designed to make an offense dangerous because every player is a threat. It takes players with high-basketball IQ. Instead of running plays that opponents can then dissect and game plan against, this offense relies on sequencing, and trust between teammates.

This game plan has made them the top passing team in the league. The Suns lead the NBA in assists per game with 27 a game. This results in about 70 points per game being created from easy open looks caused by teammate feeds.

The 0.5 System has also improved the team’s 3-point shooting. The team added shooting from gaining players like Dario Saric, Aron Baynes, and rookie Cam Johnson. This caused them to become sixth in the league in both catch-and-shoot points per game and spot-up shooting percentage.

The final hallmark of the system is pace and motion. This Suns team is top-10 in both transition opportunities and points. This means as soon as Suns players get the ball they are running to make quick plays before the defense sets. Adding to that, the Suns use off-ball cuts at the second-highest rate in the league, meaning their players are consistently moving to get open.

Okay, so why aren’t they better?

Two things have held this Suns team back from being a serious playoff threat prior to the season hiatus: health and defense.

Out of the 65 games the Suns had played, only 21 times did the team’s starting five play together due to health and other issues. Ricky Rubio missed time with an injury, Deandre Ayton was suspended to start the season, and pretty much every other player on the roster dealt with some kind of minor ailment.

This means that the Suns have been playing catch-up and haven’t truly congealed their starting lineup yet.

Next is their defense, they rank 21st in opponents points per game which isn’t good. The bright side is that this is a young team though, and most young teams aren’t historically great on defense to start. Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges both possess the potential to grow into great defenders though which could change this team’s fortunes.

What does it mean going forward? 

If any team was to actually benefit from the time away, you can make the case that it was the Suns. By the time a potential play resumes, the team should be back to nearly full strength, which will benefit their uphill battle for the final playoff spot.

If that is the case, the Suns’ offense has a chance to be enough to pressure some of the other teams they’ll face, and if they can get hot they might be able to snag the 8th seed which would be great for this growing roster.

Even if they don’t make the playoffs, the Suns are still heading in the right direction, just need to build some more.

The Suns should continue to aim to draft players that can contribute right away rather than players who are projects with potential. A look to improve their point guard and wing spots would be a wise place to start. This draft, while not being particularly strong, does have a lot of NBA-ready players who can fit around the team’s budding duo of Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.

The Phoenix Suns have the potential to grow into one of the best offensive teams in the league, and with some growth maybe even a legit playoff contender in the not-too-distant future.