The Minnesota Timberwolves trounced the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Jaden Mcdaniels balled out in Minneapolis, scoring a career-high 25 points. This defeat has put the Timberwolves 2 up over the Suns in the series. The Suns are in deep trouble now. Their ‘dynasty’ is being demolished. Kevin Durant was dominated by Karl-Anthony Towns in the first game. The Minnesota defense is dismantling the Sun’s high octane offense. The Suns are falling apart on live television.
Suns’ Superteam
The Suns were supposed to be perennial contenders for the Western Conference and NBA titles. The addition of Bradley Beal this summer had galvanized fans across Arizona after a disappointing playoff run last season. Earlier last season, the Suns also acquired the services of perhaps the greatest offensive player of all time, in Kevin Durant. The team from Arizona was looking scary. A trio of Beal, Durant and Booker was a force to reckon with.
Startling Struggles
Despite their stacked starting 5, the Suns have an extremely frail bench. They are also extremely prone to injuries. This results in a fluctuating line-up throughout the season and especially at the tail-end of the season. Their start to the season was shambolic. They were 14-13 in December, with several losses to sub-par opposition. Since then, they bounced back to win several games over a stretch of 50 games. But now, their early season struggles have become glaring. The lack of intensity and focus is there for everyone to see.
Trial By Fire
Phoenix suffered a huge setback against the Timberwolves. Their starting guard, Grayson Allen suffered an aggravated ankle sprain at the end of the third. This injury along with the lack of offensive output from Phoenix led to an easy win for the Timbs. Jaden Mcdaniels has locked down Durant and Beal in this series. The Suns have only shot for 28.6% FG when they’re being guarded by Mcdaniels. If the Suns want to win this series, they must beat the Mcdaniels test.
Comeback Coming?
The mark of a great team is beating adversity. The best teams don’t shy away in the big moments. They face their challenges head on and come out on top. The Suns must prove their mettle in this matchup. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant must step up. Phoenix fans have suffered mediocrity far too long to be disappointed like this in the playoffs. If Phoenix don’t step up now, consider an eclipse darkening the Suns dynasty.
