Can Phoenix Suns start New Yr with turnaround on highway?

THE Phoenix Suns didn’t method 2025 as a superb 12 months.

“Yeah, that is precisely what coach mentioned, ‘2025, let’s simply do higher than 2024,’” the Suns’ Josh Okogie mentioned throughout apply Thursday.

The Suns have misplaced six of their final seven video games, are 4-9 in December and are two video games below .500 at 15-17. They’re an abysmal 7-16 since their 8-1 begin, which included their season-high seven straight wins.

For higher or for worse in January? That is the query that arises.

After their 117-112 dwelling loss to a depleted Memphis Grizzlies staff on Tuesday, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned they should “discover methods to get higher” with their No. 21 protection within the second half. -time to shut matches.

Kevin Durant put his head down and repeatedly informed the media “I’ve to be higher” due to his three turnovers within the second half. He dismissed his 29 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, saying “all of the gamers within the locker room have the identical mentality.”

Devin Booker talked about how necessary it’s to pile up wins earlier than the All-Star break due to the influence they are going to have on playoff seedings.

Phoenix begins the brand new calendar 12 months with a three-game highway sequence in opposition to three sub-.500 Japanese Convention groups at Indiana (17-18) on Saturday, adopted by Philadelphia on Monday (13-19) and Charlotte (7- 25) Tuesday.

Indiana has received seven of its final 10 video games, whereas Philly has received six of its final 10. The Suns are 3-7 of their final 10 video games and are 5-9 on the highway.

“The highway continues to be good,” Okogie mentioned. “We now have plenty of distractions at dwelling. And I hate to make use of the phrase ‘distractions’ as a result of it may very well be household, like ‘My canine, my prepare dinner generally is a distraction.’ However on the highway, you solely have your self and the basketball and it is time to lock in on the basketball, in your teammates, on the mission Hopefully we are able to someway get a streak happening the highway. .

The Suns’ final six losses have ended by a median margin of 10 factors. Their 120-111 dwelling loss to Indiana on December 19 marked the beginning of this unhealthy streak.

The Suns earned a 10-point win over Denver at dwelling on Christmas, following a 27-point loss to Denver two days prior. However then they regressed of their back-to-back video games in opposition to Dallas and at Golden State final Friday and Saturday with losses, adopted by the New Yr’s Eve loss to Memphis.

“The previous few video games, I really feel like as a staff we performed extraordinarily onerous, however we simply did not provide you with any wins,” Okogie mentioned. “It is fairly humorous as a result of in the beginning of the season we have been profitable plenty of shut video games by simply two or three factors. Now we’re shedding plenty of shut video games by one, two or three factors. That is how basketball works.”

Budenholzer stays constructive.

“You have a look at the Golden State sport and we had the lead within the fourth quarter,” Budenholzer mentioned. “You have a look at Memphis the opposite evening, and I feel we’ve got the ball to tie just a few instances. So right here we’re.

“However it’s a must to make just a few additional performs defensively, make just a few additional performs offensively and there is a good margin for error on wins and losses in our league. We have been on the unhealthy aspect, however we are able to get to the great aspect. aspect.”

Final January, the Suns have been 11-5 and received seven straight. They begin this 12 months with a sequence of accidents to Bradley Beal (hip bruise), Grayson Allen (shoulder) and Royce O’Neale (left ankle sprain), though Allen has been a full participant in apply on Thursday.

This text was initially revealed on Arizona Republic: Suns look to begin 2025 once more within the win column on 3-game highway journey