https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/nba-logos/atl.png

Hawks

When Ish Wainright first walked into the practice facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams had no idea who he was.
Signed on a two-way contract by Phoenix this season, Wainright&rsquo;s path to the biggest stage is an awe-inspiring one. After playing for the Baylor Bears throughout his collegiate career, Wainright went overseas and did well for himself in Germany. He did enough to catch the eye of NBA teams, and suited up for the Toronto Raptors in the Las Vegas summer league and preseason. Eventually, though, it led to the Suns taking notice and bringing him aboard a special organization in the Valley.
Four days ago, Wainright&rsquo;s NBA dream was officially realized, as the Suns converted his two-way deal into a standard contract &mdash; a move that makes him eligible for Phoenix's postseason roster. Wainright took the spot of Frank Kaminsky, who was released as he continues to nurse a stress reaction in his knee.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
All along the way, Wainright&rsquo;s infectious personality and tireless work ethic have left their mark within the Suns&rsquo; organization. A restricted free agent after this season, Wainright could now be Phoenix&rsquo;s newest version of the Cameron Payne success story from a few years ago.
Within a short period of time, Wainright has gained the trust of Williams and the Suns&rsquo; coaching staff. In a pinch, Wainright can play multiple roles for Phoenix. Whether it be as a small-ball 5 or a burly forward who can space the floor, the Suns&rsquo; 27-year-old rookie has already found his niche. The job for Wainright is simple within the Suns&rsquo; already well-flowing two-way operation: defend at a high level, move the ball around and hit the open-shot opportunities.
A well-known gym rat in the Suns&rsquo; training facility, Phoenix&rsquo;s player development staff have helped Wainright quickly become a knockdown three-point shooter from the most important spot on the floor. Converting an impressive 42.9% on corner threes, Wainright is now a player teams can&rsquo;t sag off of. If anything, Wainright&rsquo;s added development makes him a piece that could easily see the floor for Phoenix in the postseason. For example, with Wainright&rsquo;s shooting and frame, he could be a reserve secondary option for a potential Finals rematch against the Milwaukee Bucks.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA career-high 20 PTS, 8 REBS and 4 AST for Phoenix Suns rookie and Uganda National Team star Ish Wainright against the Clippers last night. Knocked down 4-of-8 threes, put pressure on the rim, active defensively (3 STL). Incredible success story and an even better person. <a href="https://t.co/cme5sx5KE8">pic.twitter.com/cme5sx5KE8</a>
&mdash; Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz/status/1512099222421532673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Wainright and his head coach are both in agreement on his role, which has a complete buy-in all levels. If anything, Wainright is the latest shining example of the Suns&rsquo; system mining another rotation gem.
&ldquo;I think the thing that I&rsquo;m seeing with him, he&rsquo;s not bringing the ball down. When he catches it in the shot pocket, he keeps it there and it&rsquo;s all legs and follow through as before I think it would&rsquo;ve been a wind up to a shot. And he&rsquo;s worked on it,&rdquo; Williams said of Wainright&rsquo;s shooting development.
&ldquo;Coach [Steve] Scalzi spends every day, every minute with Ish working on all of that stuff. But in our economy, the corner three is probably where he&rsquo;s going to get his shot when he does get in. So, he&rsquo;s got to be efficient from that spot.&rdquo;
Wainright relayed similar thoughts to Williams. It doesn&rsquo;t bother Wainright that he doesn&rsquo;t get many shot opportunities or minutes because he&rsquo;s a complete team player. Loved in a tight-knit locker room already, it speaks volumes to Wainright&rsquo;s character.
On the doorstep of making another dream into reality, Wainright knows his moment is about to be realized &mdash; signed to a regular NBA contract.
Now, on a playoff roster who's the favorite to win the NBA Finals, the Baylor alum has found a potential long-term home on the highest level of basketball.
&ldquo;My mom actually heard the conversation at my door. I heard her before I could react to anything. I heard her scream, but just having an organization and team believe in you, trusting you it means the world,&rdquo; Wainright said of learning his contract had been converted to the main roster.
&ldquo;The journey that I&rsquo;ve taken to get to this point, it means a lot. I&rsquo;m in a daze still, to be honest with you. It probably won&rsquo;t kick in until Sunday when I&rsquo;m looking at my jersey like, &lsquo;Woah.&rsquo; I&rsquo;ve dreamed about playing in the playoffs, the Finals, winning a championship. Dreamed about playing in the NBA, especially for one of the greatest teams in Suns history and also the No. 1 team in the world. It means a lot.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Ish Wainright is the latest success story from the ever-growing list in Phoenix. Now, Wainright's NBA dream is becoming a reality.

Ish Wainright is the latest Suns player development success story

The Phoenix Suns are waiving Frank Kaminsky, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1512175603964956674" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The Phoenix Suns are waiving C/F Frank Kaminsky, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1512175603964956674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

The Phoenix Suns are waiving Frank Kaminsky to open up a roster spot.

Shams: Suns to release Frank Kaminsky

Although some top-tier players who were expected to hit free agency this coming summer have already signed extensions, the 2022 NBA free-agent class will feature quite a few stars.
After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top-10-guards">ranking the best guards</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top10-forwards">forwards set to hit the open market</a>, let's complete this series by highlighting the top-10 big men up for grabs this summer. &nbsp;
1. Deandre Ayton &mdash; Phoenix Suns &mdash; Restricted
Deandre Ayton is the crown jewel of this year's free-agent center crop. Although the Suns surprisingly chose not to offer him a max extension last offseason (worth approximately $173 million over five years), Phoenix is still in the driver's seat, as the franchise can match any offer the former No. 1 overall pick receives this summer. Expect them to do just that for a young, improving player who is a foundational cornerstone of a team with championship aspirations.&nbsp;
2. Jusuf Nurkic &mdash; Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; Unrestricted
After a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, Jusuf Nurkic bounced back impressively this season, averaging 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.5% from the floor. Nurkic has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis for the past month, and will likely miss the rest of the season. However, he'll likely be ready to rock by the start of training camp next September. Due to Nurk's tight bond with Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, many pundits expect Portland to re-sign the big man to a multi-year deal.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
3. Mitchell Robinson &mdash; New York Knicks &mdash; Unrestricted
The Knicks technically have until June 30 to ink Mitchell Robinson to an extension worth up to $48 million over four years. However, the two sides have not yet reached an agreement, so it appears Mitch Rob will be able to test the market for his services. While he has flashed All-NBA Defense upside in short spurts throughout his four-year career, Robinson has battled numerous injuries and baffling inconsistency. His regression at the free-throw line (he's shooting below 50% in each of the past two seasons) is obviously worrisome as well. Nevertheless, few big men can supply the type of high-flying athleticism and rim-protection he brings to the table.
4. Bobby Portis &mdash; Milwaukee Bucks &mdash; Player Option 
With Brook Lopez sidelined for most of the 2021-22 season, Bobby Portis stepped in and stepped up for the Bucks, starting 57 of the team's last 58 games. He is averaging career-highs in scoring (15.1 points), boards (9.1), steals (0.8), blocks (0.8) and made three-pointers (2.0). Portis is currently one of only two players in the NBA averaging at least 9 rebounds and 2 made treys per game. (Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns are the other two members of this club.) Portis' player option for 2022-23 is only worth $4.6 million, so he is expected to opt-out and search for a significant raise.
5. Ivica Zubac &mdash; Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Team Option 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Zubac is a bonafide firefighter for LAC. In one possession he 1) traps Trae 28 ft out 2) sprints towards Capela hands up to dissuade the pass to the roller 3) checks Capela and stops the Collins drive 4) gets in front of Capela as the shot goes up and wins the glass battle <a href="https://t.co/OjS3dxuz4P">pic.twitter.com/OjS3dxuz4P</a>
&mdash; Justin W. (@LAClippersFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippersFilm/status/1503470104041861120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Ivica Zubac's team option for next season is $7.5 million, so it's an easy decision for the Clippers to pick it up. He just turned 25 years old last week and continues to improve steadily. Zubac is posting career-highs in just about every statistical category this season.
6. Montrezl Harrell &mdash; Charlotte Hornets &mdash; Unrestricted
Montrezl Harrell has had another productive and efficient season off the bench, averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 63.9% across 62 games for both the Wizards and Charlotte Hornets (following a midseason trade).&nbsp;
7. Mo Bamba &mdash; Orlando Magic &mdash; Restricted
After struggling mightily over his first three years in the NBA, Mo Bamba, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, is enjoying the best year of his pro career. He is on pace to become the first player in Magic franchise history to average more than 1.5 blocks and 1.0 made three-pointers per game over an entire season. However, the Magic inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October and have Mo Wagner (brother of their prized rookie, Franz) under contract next season as well. In addition, lineups with both WCJ and Bamba have not performed well. Thus, Orlando will likely let the former lottery pick walk if another team offers a contract the team is uncomfortable matching.&nbsp;
8. Nic Claxton &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Restricted
Nic Claxton continues to impress in limited playing time off the bench for Brooklyn. His per-36 minute averages this season are outstanding: 15.2 points (on 65.1% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. The Nets have limited depth due to the high salaries of their top players, and billionaire owner Joe Tsai is unafraid of paying the luxury tax, so Brooklyn is expected to match any reasonable offer Claxton receives.&nbsp;
9. Andre Drummond &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Unrestricted
Andre Drummond has increased his value following the trade that sent him from Philadelphia to Brooklyn. He has started all 14 games he's played as a Net, and is averaging 11.4 points (on 62.5% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks for Brooklyn. Drummond can boost his value significantly with a strong showing in the playoffs.&nbsp;
10. Thomas Bryant &mdash; Washington Wizards &mdash; Unrestricted:
Thomas Bryant inked a three-year, $25 million deal back in 2019 and played very well for the Wiz during the first year of that pact, averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in under 25 minutes a night. He also started the following season impressively before tearing his ACL in early 2021. Bryant returned to action in January, but has seen his minutes reduced following Washington's acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. Still just 24 years old, Bryant could be a worthwhile investment for a team in the market for a young big.&nbsp;
Best of the Rest:
LaMarcus Aldridge, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Isaiah Hartenstein, Hassan Whiteside, Derrick Favors (player option), Tristan Thompson, Kevon Looney, JaMychal Green, Frank Kaminsky, Mike Muscala (team option), Bismack Biyombo
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Tommy Beer ranks the top centers who could be available as a part of the 2022 NBA free-agent class.

2022 NBA Free Agency Preview: Ranking the top-10 centers

Milwaukee Bucks (35-21, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (44-10, first in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee faces the Phoenix Suns after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 44 points in the Bucks' 131-116 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Suns are 22-5 on their home court. Phoenix has a 2-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Bucks are 16-12 on the road. Milwaukee has a 1-0 record in one-possession games.
TOP PERFORMERS: Devin Booker is scoring 25.7 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Suns. Chris Paul is averaging 19.4 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games for Phoenix.
Antetokounmpo is scoring 29.2 points per game and averaging 11.3 rebounds for the Bucks. Khris Middleton is averaging 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds over the last 10 games for Milwaukee.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 9-1, averaging 115.4 points, 47.3 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.1 points per game.
Bucks: 8-2, averaging 119.2 points, 45.2 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Abdel Nader: out (knee), Dario Saric: out (knee), Frank Kaminsky: out (knee), Cameron Payne: out (wrist), Landry Shamet: out (ankle).
Bucks: George Hill: out (neck), Grayson Allen: day to day (hip), Brook Lopez: out (back).

Milwaukee faces Phoenix after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 44 points in the Bucks' 131-116 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bucks visit Suns in NBA Finals rematch after Giannis' 44-point night

With one week to go before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, talks are heating up around the league. In a year that seems very wide open, many teams could be enticed to make a win-now move and push some chips to the middle of the table. According to the rumor mill, we could see deadline deals involving a number of significant contributors who can swing potential playoff series.
So, which teams and players make the most sense together? Let&rsquo;s go dive into the moves that could swing the Western Conference standings despite Phoenix already creating noticeable distance up top.
Phoenix Suns: Eric Gordon
Will the rich get even richer? Phoenix may try to make a bold move and remove all debate over who's the West's No. 1 seed. As I mentioned previously, it&rsquo;s no secret that the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-suns-are-an-underrated-team-to-watch-at-the-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suns have inquired about Eric Gordon and Thaddeus Young</a> as midseason upgrades. Gordon would be via trade, while Young could be scooped up via the buyout market if no trade happens in San Antonio.
If the Suns were to accomplish this, their rotation would be absurd heading into a postseason as title favorites:
Starting Lineup: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Deandre Ayton
Second Unit: Cameron Payne, Eric Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Thaddeus Young, JaVale McGee
That right there is a dominant playoff rotation with no holes presented. On top of that, it&rsquo;s the type of trade teams make when they know how close they are to the ultimate goal. Phoenix checks all the boxes, and so do the fits of Gordon and Young in the Valley.
Gordon would immediately step in as a reliable third guard, with way less volatility than what Payne and Landry Shamet have presented this season. Gordon&rsquo;s versatility and sharpshooting would bring another boost to an already elite offense for the Suns.
Phoenix would have to send out Dario Saric, Jalen Smith and a cheap expiring contract (i.e. Elfrid Payton, Abdel Nader, Frank Kaminsky). The Houston Rockets have also let it be known they want a future first-round pick in any Gordon deal. Phoenix shouldn&rsquo;t feel concerned about relinquishing a protected 2024 first-round pick, especially with its championship window being right now.
Keep an eye on Phoenix, folks. They are positioned well to make a few notable splashes through different avenues.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Dallas Mavericks: Myles Turner
Does Dallas really want to lock in this core around Luka Doncic? The answer should be "No," although Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith have provided strong chemistry alongside the Mavs&rsquo; young superstar point forward. Maybe the Mavs decide to keep Brunson around, but it&rsquo;s going to be a tough pill to swallow paying both him and Finney-Smith this summer.
With that being the case, now is the perfect time to strike on one of those assets to bring aboard a game-changing piece. Enter Myles Turner, who instantly jolts an already-recharged Dallas defense.
Turner instantly provides an elite rim-protector to take pressure off Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavs might take a small step back in rebounding with this move, but Doncic should be more than capable of taking on those duties.
The Indiana Pacers would receive Dwight Powell&rsquo;s salary, Finney-Smith as a looming restricted free agent and a first-round pick. With Turner&rsquo;s value down due to a foot injury &mdash; which could have him back on the court next month &mdash; this might be the best offer available for the Pacers.
With the sudden emergence of Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor, Indiana would be wise to move off Turner immediately. The Pacers are in a rare position to focus on the internal player development of their young core and simultaneously lose their way into a top draft pick. Focus on the young guys and take a flier on how Finney-Smith could fit next to Domantas Sabonis long-term.
Memphis Grizzlies: Kenrich Williams
One of the most underrated wings on the trade market resides in Oklahoma City. Kenrich Williams is a key glue guy for the Thunder, but imagine how much more valuable his presence would be on a real championship contender this postseason.
Williams is a name that checks a lot of boxes for wing-hungry contenders. I thought about sending Williams to Phoenix for this exercise, but settled upon how brilliant his fit would be in Memphis. The Grizzlies need another versatile wing to keep up in the West. Williams helps bring their strong start even more stability.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17558571_lg.png" alt="" width="684" height="342" />
Oklahoma City reportedly is looking for a future first-round pick in exchange for Williams. Memphis can provide that, plus an intriguing flier on a former lottery pick who hasn&rsquo;t panned out yet in Jarrett Culver.
It&rsquo;s not a star-type move, but Williams is one of those under-the-radar pieces that could thrive in the postseason.
Utah Jazz: Harrison Barnes
It&rsquo;s time for the Jazz to push those chips all-in, especially with their slump as of late with multiple core pieces out due to injury. Utah has fallen off its earlier pace trying to keep up with the Suns and Golden State Warriors. Now, they&rsquo;ve been leapfrogged by the Grizzlies, and multiple teams loom over the Jazz slipping even further in the standings.
Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert can&rsquo;t do everything by himself in Utah. The Jazz have been exposed on multiple occasions for not having more versatile defenders surrounding Gobert to make his job a little bit easier.
Now, with Joe Ingles out for the season with a torn ACL, Utah needs to find an immediate contributor on the wing who can help bring the team much-needed, two-way versatility. Harrison Barnes makes so much sense as what the Jazz need to make the jump. Barnes and Jerami Grant have both been linked to the Jazz, so this has some serious smoke behind it.
Barnes is an excellent floor-spacing option who wouldn&rsquo;t take touches away from Donovan Mitchell. Also, the veteran forward is versatile enough to handle tough assignments on the wing, especially envisioning how it would look against Phoenix and Golden State.
Swapping out Ingles&rsquo; contract, Royce O&rsquo;Neale and a first-round pick for Barnes would be an instant upgrade for the Jazz. It brings them back into the conversation as real Finals threats atop the West with the Suns and Warriors.
How would you grade this rotation for the Jazz if it actually came to fruition?
Starting Lineup: Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Harrison Barnes, Rudy Gobert
Second Unit: Trent Forrest, Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gay, Eric Paschall, Hassan Whiteside
That bench is a little thin for Utah, but the potency of the starting five completely outweighs that. Utah needs to make a big move, and the time is now.
Welcome to the Wild West, folks. This trade deadline is going to be a very interesting one for the Western Conference's true title contenders.
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

The Western Conference feels wide open. How could the trade deadline have an impact? Here are four potentially massive moves.

4 potential NBA trade-deadline deals that would shake up the West

When Chris Paul joined Devin Booker on the Phoenix Suns after a trade last season, it wasn&rsquo;t always easy to decide who would be the finisher when games got tight.
These days, it&rsquo;s just intuitive. Such as Wednesday night, when Booker fueled the Suns through three quarters and Paul sealed the deal.
Booker had 43 points and tied a career high with 12 rebounds, Paul scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and the Suns extended their winning streak to eight with a 105-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good feeling now, but it came with a learning curve,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;There was a lot of trial and error, but now we&rsquo;ve been in enough situations where we know what to expect.&rdquo;
Booker paced the Suns through three quarters, but didn&rsquo;t get a shot in the fourth until he missed a runner with 3:45 to play. Paul took over the offensive burden with his mid-range jumpers and drives to the basket.
&ldquo;You only build that trust by playing together in games, close games like that,&rdquo; Paul said.
The Jazz trailed 98-94 when Hassan Whiteside committed an offensive foul and a technical. Booker made two technicals around a jumper that beat the shot clock to give the Suns the cushion they needed.
Playing without Donovan Mitchell (concussion) and Rudy Gobert (left calf strain), the Jazz got a boost from Jordan Clarkson, who scored 16 of his team-high 26 points in the fourth quarter. Whiteside had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Mike Conley also scored 16 points and added 10 assists for the Jazz, who dropped their ninth game in the last 11.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re playing without Rudy and Donovan right now. But it doesn&rsquo;t mean we can&rsquo;t run back. ... This is about committing to the things consistently that allow you to (grow),&rdquo; Utah coach Quin Snyder said of his team&rsquo;s inconsistent effort.
The Suns were also missing two starters in Jae Crowder (wrist) and Deandre Ayton (ankle), but Bismack Biyombo had 12 points in his first start of the season.
He said it was just &ldquo;a gut feeling&rdquo; to decide on Phoenix when he had suitors trying to bring him back to the NBA, but playing with Paul and Booker made his choice easy.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re good at closing games. ... Believers have wills, not wishes. Those guys have wills,&rdquo; Biyombo said.
Early on, the Suns simply outhustled and outran the Jazz, turning turnovers and missed shots into easy points in transition. Booker, with 21 points, outscored the Jazz by himself in the first quarter and the Suns blocked five shots on their way to a 39-18 lead after one period.
&ldquo;Chris can read the game and when Book has it going like that, he typically goes to sets where he can get him in catch-shoot environments," Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. "But when he&rsquo;s in a groove like that, I think our team feeds off it.&rdquo;
Booker had 26 points in the first half &mdash; a season high for the Suns &mdash; but they collectively went 5 for 17 in the second period.
It took 35 field goal attempts on Monday to score 33 points, but he was far more efficient this time around, going 16 for 28 and adding nine free throws. Booker became the Suns&rsquo; career leader in games scoring 40 or more points with 16.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t take these moments for granted," Booker said. "Coming into a tough Utah building and it being rowdy here and us only having nine men and still coming up with a win &mdash; that&rsquo;s why you see a smile on our faces.&rdquo;
The Suns&rsquo; top-ranked defense frustrated the Jazz until Clarkson started hitting some perimeter shots.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re just trying to find our way. Regardless of the losses, I think we&rsquo;re heading in the right direction as far as staying connected,&rdquo; Conley said, despite Utah&rsquo;s worst stretch of the season.
The same teams played a tight one Monday with Phoenix prevailing over an extremely short-handed Jazz team, 115-109. Conley, Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O&rsquo;Neale sat out in Phoenix, but returned for Wednesday&rsquo;s rematch.
ALL-STAR STARTER SNUB?
The most recent release for NBA All-Star voting tabulations showed Booker fifth among guards in the Western Conference. His coach thinks that is a joke.
&ldquo;So many guys are getting so many more votes than him &mdash; it&rsquo;s laughable," Williams said. "When you look at what he&rsquo;s done not just lately but all season long and the wins we have, you know he should be a starter on the All-Star team. Tonight was one of those games where I think he proved that point.&rdquo;
Booker, who heard chants of &ldquo;M-V-P!&rdquo; from the Utah crowd at times, says he&rsquo;s not worried about votes anymore.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m in a different phase of my career now ... and I&rsquo;ll let the politics and media popularity contest figure itself out,&rdquo; Booker said.
The starters are scheduled to be announced Thursday.
TIP-INS
Suns: JaVale McGee (knee), Frank Kaminski III (knee) and Cameron Payne (wrist) were other primary Phoenix contributors out with injury. ... Booker got a technical foul in the second quarter. ... The Suns outscored the Jazz 22-3 on fast-break points and scored 22 points off Utah&rsquo;s 14 turnovers.
Jazz: Bogdanovic, frustrated with a scoreless first quarter with a pair of turnovers, threw the splint that was protecting his left ring finger avulsion fracture but had it on again when he returned in the second quarter. ... Trent Forrest turned his ankle after making a twisting baseline jumper in the fourth quarter. ... The Jazz only led once in the game by two points.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host Minnesota on Friday night.
Jazz: Visit Memphis on Friday night.

Devin Booker had 43 points and tied a career-high with 12 rebounds in a 105-97 Suns victory over the Jazz on Wednesday night.

Booker leads Suns past Jazz 105-97 for 8th straight win

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; The Golden State Warriors kept it close despite being short-handed, setting the stage for a player to take over down the stretch.
One did &mdash; and it wasn&rsquo;t Stephen Curry. Otto Porter Jr. took late-game honors.
Curry had 33 points, Porter scored seven of his 19 during a key late stretch and the Warriors regained to top spot in the NBA from Phoenix, beating the Suns 116-107 on Saturday.
&ldquo;I drew up every play, I completely organized every aspect of it,&rdquo; Warriors coach Steve Kerr said sarcastically. &ldquo;Otto was great. He&rsquo;s just added so much to our team with his shooting from that position and his rebounding and defense.&rdquo;
Golden State arrived in the desert short-handed, missing three of its top four scorers to health and safety protocols: Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee and Jordan Poole.
<div class="Component-dfp-0-2-136">&nbsp;</div>
Curry carried most of the load, overcoming a mediocre shooting night to crack 20 points for the first time in nine Christmas games. He finished 10 for 27, including 5 for 16 from 3 to help the Warriors end Phoenix&rsquo;s 15-game home winning streak.
Porter hit a step-back 3 and a pair of jumpers in a span of 1:02.
&ldquo;Coach drew up a couple plays that freed me open,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;Did a good job of finding me, was able to find a rhythm.&rdquo;
The Suns had their chances, keeping it close until the closing minutes in a raucous home atmosphere. They couldn&rsquo;t close it out, failing to score over the final 3:01 to lose for the third time in 28 games.
Chris Paul had 21 points and eight assists to take up some of the slack from leading scorer Devin Booker, who was held to 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Deandre Ayton added 18 points and Mikal Bridges 17.
&ldquo;They created those breaks. They played harder than us,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s rare when I say that about our team. They outworked us more consistently for 50-50 balls, timely offensive rebounds, diving out of bounds to save balls.&rdquo;
The two teams with the NBA&rsquo;s best records played in just the third Christmas game in which both teams had a winning percentage of at least .800.
Playing on Christmas is nothing new to the Warriors. This was their ninth straight Christmas Day game and 11th in 12 seasons. The Suns, once regulars on the Christmas schedule, were in their first since 2009.
Both teams put on an after-the-presents offensive show at Footprint Center, sending oohs and aahs across the Footprint Center with each dunk and 3-pointer.
Curry had 11 points in the first quarter and Payton a massive rebound slam as the Warriors built an early 10-point lead. The Suns revved it up in the second quarter, going on a 15-3 run and taking a 62-58 halftime lead on Paul&rsquo;s last-second 3-pointer.
The teams continued to trade 3s and baskets in transition, neither able to gain any separation until Golden State went on a short run to go up 107-99.
The Suns pulled within two, but Porter hit consecutive jumpers and a long 3 to stretch Golden State&rsquo;s lead to nine.
&ldquo;They wanted it more and they played like it,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;We just have to take this loss and move on to our next game.&rdquo;
MISSING COACHES
The four players weren&rsquo;t the only ones Golden State had in health and safety protocols. The Warriors also had four coaches out, forcing Kerr and his staff to shuffle responsibilities.
&ldquo;Missing all those guys was really bizarre,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;The group did a really good job. These are strange times for a lot of reasons, but I&rsquo;ve never seen four coaches out at the same time.&rdquo;
TIP INS
Warriors: Reserve G Moses Moody also was out in health and safety protocols. ... Draymond Green was called for a technical foul in the second quarter while arguing for a push-off by Booker. ... Curry has made a 3-pointer in 156 straight games, one off the NBA record he set from 2014-16. He&rsquo;s also made least two 3-pointers in 15 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA with Phoenix&rsquo;s Cam Johnson.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee), F Abdel Nader (knee) and F Dario Saric (knee) were all out. ... Paul was called for a technical foul in the third quarter after aggressively giving the ball to one of the officials after a non-call on a drive to the basket. ... Johnson went 2 for 5 from 3 to continue his streak of making at least two to 15 games.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host Denver on Tuesday night.
Suns: Host Memphis on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA:&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

Curry scored 33 points and added six assists in the Warriors victory.

Stephen Curry, Warriors beat Suns 116-107 to regain top spot in NBA

Cam Johnson played some of the best basketball of his three-year career when All-Star teammate Devin Booker was out with a hamstring injury.
Now Booker's back, Johnson's still pouring in the points, and it has made the NBA-leading Suns even more dangerous.
&ldquo;It's just a fun team to play for," Johnson said. &ldquo;You see guys coming out, playing hard and when we win games, we're just excited to play basketball. It's like we were when we were kids. That's the beauty of it.&rdquo;
Booker scored 30 points, Johnson added 21 while making five 3-pointers on 7-for-7 shooting and Phoenix won its fifth straight game, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-101 on Thursday night.
Booker splashed home a long 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to give the Suns an 82-69 lead after they trailed by three at halftime.
Booker &mdash; the two-time All-Star who was in his third game back since missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury &mdash; gave Phoenix some momentum midway through the third quarter when he grabbed an offensive rebound and drove the baseline for a dunk. Luguentz Dort was there to meet him at the rim but fouled Booker as the ball was deflected up in the air and still somehow fell through the hoop.
It was part of an 25-9 run that helped the Suns take control.
Deandre Ayton added 19 points &mdash; including an emphatic dunk in the final minute that earned a technical after he slapped the backboard &mdash; and 12 rebounds. Chris Paul had 16 points and seven assists.
Johnson was the catalyst for another great night from the Suns' bench. He made all seven of his shots from the field while grabbing a season-high nine rebounds.
&ldquo;He's been playing well for a while,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;I've said this a number of times &mdash; we look at Cam as a starter. To bring a guy off the bench who can shoot like that, attack the basket and go to the other end and defend. He puts the work in and he's more than just a shooter.&rdquo;
The Suns improved to 26-5 for the season and have won 25 of their last 27.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 29 points for the Thunder, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. The Thunder shot just 38.5% from the field and 26.8% from 3-point range.
The Thunder proved a tough opponent for much of the night and rallied for a 48-45 halftime lead after trailing by as many as 15 points. Oklahoma City closed the second quarter on a 24-8 run.
&ldquo;From where we have come from at the start of the year to now, 30 games later, you can definitely see improvements,&rdquo; Thunder guard Josh Giddey said. "Earlier in the year that 15-point lead would have gone to 30. Now we are able to kind of control those leads and weather the storm.
&ldquo;You've got to take positives out of games like this ... We fought our way back.&rdquo;
HOME SWEET HOME
The Suns are on a 15-game winning streak at home. It's the eighth time in franchise history that they've won 15 straight at home. They'll get a chance to stretch the winning streak to 16 against the Warriors on Christmas Day.
The 25-year-old Johnson said it's the first time he's played on Christmas at any point in his basketball career and said he has so many memories as a kid of eating a huge holiday meal and watching NBA games on TV all day and all night.
&ldquo;It's like a dream come true,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;Playing on Christmas, getting out there, super excited for that.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Thunder: F Derrick Favors was out for rest. ... Dort played college basketball at Arizona State.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee), F Abdel Nader (knee) and F Dario Saric (knee) were all out. Kaminsky has missed the past 17 games while Nader has missed 15. Saric has been out since tearing the right ACL in his knee in Game 1 of last year's NBA Finals. ... The Suns are 22-0 when taking a lead into the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Thunder: Host New Orleans on Sunday.
Suns: Host Golden State on Saturday.

Devin Booker scored 30, Cam Johnson added 21 while making five threes on 7-for-7 shooting and Phoenix won its fifth straight.

NBA-leading Suns win 5th straight, beating Thunder 113-101

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Deandre Ayton scored 24 points, Chris Paul added 15 points and 11 assists, and the Phoenix Suns tied a franchise record of 17 straight wins by beating the Golden State Warriors 104-96 on Tuesday night in an early showdown between the NBA&rsquo;s top teams.
The Suns won despite losing star guard Devin Booker to a left hamstring injury in the second quarter. He had 10 points and two rebounds in 15 minutes. The 25-year-old appeared to get hurt when driving to the basket for a layup, grabbing at the back of his left leg before walking to the locker room a few minutes before halftime.
Even without Booker, the Suns led 56-54 at halftime and 80-78 going into the fourth quarter. The game stayed tight, and neither team led by double digits until Landry Shamet knocked down a 3-pointer &mdash; on an assist by Paul &mdash; with 54.4 seconds left.
It was a highly anticipated showdown, as Suns and Warriors have NBA&rsquo;s best records. It was also the first time in league history that two teams from the same division played each other with winning percentages of .850 or higher after at least 20 regular-season games, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
The game mostly lived up to the hype &mdash; at least until the Warriors, who had their seven-game winning streak snapped, went cold in the fourth quarter.
Jordan Poole led Golden State with 28 points. Stephen Curry &mdash; who came into the game averaging 28.6 points per game &mdash; had 12 points on 4 of 21 shooting, including 3 of 14 from 3-point range.
The Suns limited the Warriors to just 42 points in the second half.
The Suns and Warriors are now both 18-3. The only other time Phoenix has won 17 straight games was during the 2006-07 season. They&rsquo;ll go for their franchise record 18th win against the Pistons on Thursday.
The Suns hadn&rsquo;t lost since Oct. 27 when Harrison Barnes hit a game-winning 3 at the buzzer for the Sacramento Kings.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
TIP-INS
Warriors: F Andre Iguadola (right knee), G Damion Lee (personal), G Klay Thompson (right Achilles recovery) and C James Wiseman (right knee recovery) didn&rsquo;t play. ... F Andrew Wiggins was bothered by back spasms earlier Tuesday but played. He finished with 10 points in 33:17 minutes. ... The Warriors lost despite a 51-35 rebounding advantage and leading 40-14 on points in the paint.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (right knee), F Abdel Nader (right knee) and F Dario Saric (right knee) didn&rsquo;t play. ... Booker hasn&rsquo;t missed a game this season. He was averaging nearly 24 points per game before Tuesday. ... Cam Johnson started the second half for Booker and finished with 14 points. ... Ayton finished 11 of 19 from the field and also had 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host the Suns on Saturday.
Suns: Host the Pistons on Thursday night.

The Phoenix Suns tied a franchise record of 17 straight wins by beating the Golden State Warriors 104-96 on Tuesday night.

No Booker, No Problem: Suns beat Warriors 104-96 to win 17th straight

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker had 23 points, Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 14 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns won their 13th straight, rolling past the San Antonio Spurs 115-111 on Monday night.
Cameron Payne added 20 points off the bench for Phoenix, which had six players finish in double figures. Phoenix finished with 25 assists and went 45 for 87 (51.1%) from the field.
San Antonio point guard Dejounte Murray had 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his seventh career triple-double. But the Spurs have now lost five straight and eight of 10 for their second-worst start in franchise history.
The Suns were patient on offensive despite the Spurs' quicker pace. San Antonio outscored Phoenix 20-10 to open the fourth quarter, pulling with 100-95 with 6 minutes remaining.
The Suns went on a 10-0 run following a timeout. San Antonio responded, outscoring Phoenix 10-2 to pull within 114-109 with 38.6 seconds remaining.
The Spurs are winless when trailing by double digits, and they matched a season-low with five 3-pointers on 20 attempts.
TIP-INS
Suns: Frank Kaminsky missed his fourth straight game after suffering a stress reaction in his right knee. Kaminsky is averaging 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 22.8 minutes this season as the primary big man off Phoenix&rsquo;s bench. &hellip; Cameron Johnson had 18 points after scoring a career-high 22 in Sunday&rsquo;s victory against Denver.
Spurs: Doug McDermott missed the game with an inflamed right knee. He sat out three games earlier this season because of soreness in the same knee. &hellip; Keita Bates-Diop made his fourth career start and first since his rookie season in 2019. &hellip; Jock Landale remains under the league&rsquo;s COVID-19 health &amp; safety protocols. ... San Antonio&rsquo;s worst start came in 1997 when the club went 2-13.
UP NEXT
Suns: At Cleveland on Wednesday.
Spurs: Host Atlanta on Wednesday.

The Phoenix Suns won their 13th-straight game on Monday night, rolling past the San Antonio Spurs 115-111.

Suns win 13th-straight game, rollling past Spurs 115-111

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 13 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 10 games, beating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 on Wednesday night.
Chris Paul drove to the basket and was about to fall out of bounds before finding Ayton for the dunk and a 100-96 lead with 1:27 left. Paul had seven assists in the fourth quarter and finished with 14.
Booker hit a long 3-pointer with the shot-clock expiring with 50 seconds left to seal it. The Suns scored 37 points during a stellar fourth quarter.
Dallas lost for the second time in the last seven games. The Mavericks were playing their first game this season without star guard Luka Doncic, who suffered sprains to his left knee and ankle in the waning moments of a victory over Denver on Monday.
Even without their best player, the balanced Mavericks nearly won. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 22 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 21, and Jalen Bruson had 18.
The game was tight throughout, though the Mavericks usually had a slight advantage. Booker gave the Suns their first lead of the fourth quarter at 87-86 when he made a driving layup with 5:32 left.
Dallas took a 73-68 lead into the fourth quarter after Trey Burke hit a shot just before the third-quarter buzzer.
The Mavericks held a 46-45 lead at halftime. Booker had 15 points for the Suns, and Ayton added 10 points and eight rebounds. Porzingis had 14.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Ayton finished with his 100th double-double in 186 career games, which is the quickest to that mark in franchise history.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Doncic and Maxi Kleber (left oblique strain) didn't play. Doncic is averaging 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game. ... Frank Ntilikina scored 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting. ... The Mavericks shot 16 of 32 (50%) from 3-point range.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee soreness) didn't play. ... It took the Suns nearly four minutes to score their first point. Phoenix missed its first seven shots and fell into an 8-0 hole before Ayton made a fallaway jumper. ... Paul missed his first nine shots of the night before making a 15-foot jumper early in the fourth quarter. He has seven points. ... Landry Shamet scored 11 points off the bench. JaVale McGee added 10 points and six rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Mavericks and Suns play each other again on Friday night in Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 10 games, beating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 on Wednesday night.

Booker scores 24 points, Suns beat Mavs for 10th straight

A year-and-a-half ago, the thought of an NBA front office choosing to model themselves after the Phoenix Suns would&rsquo;ve seemed laughable. After all, you need to experience success in order for teams to try to duplicate it.&nbsp;
From July 2015 through July 2019, the Suns were by far the worst team in the NBA, accumulating a 113-280 record. It wasn&rsquo;t particularly close either; the New York Knicks had the league&rsquo;s second-worst record over that span, yet they won 17 more games than the Suns during that five-year stretch.
Entering last season, the Suns hadn&rsquo;t made the playoffs since 2009-10, which was Steve Nash and Amar&rsquo;e Stoudemire&rsquo;s final season together in Phoenix. This 10-year dry spell marked the league&rsquo;s second-longest active playoff drought (trailing only the Sacramento Kings&rsquo; 15 years) and the fifth-longest in NBA history.&nbsp;
Then, after a decade of mediocrity, the Suns began to change how they are perceived.&nbsp;
It started when they hired head coach Monty Williams, who&rsquo;s beloved and respected around the NBA. From day one, he made it his mission to shift the league-wide view of Phoenix.
"That was Monty&rsquo;s biggest thing coming into [his first] season... We had many conversations, and he said his first step is we need to change the perception of this team and how people view us,&rdquo; Devin Booker told <a href="https://uproxx.com/edge/devin-booker-interview-suns-last-dance-jordan-kobe-nba-best-gamer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dime Magazine</a> last year. &ldquo;And if that&rsquo;s having to get a little nasty, play tougher, more physical, [then we will], but people are going to know when they play against us [that we&rsquo;re] some talented, hard-working guys... I think that the first step in recreating a franchise or a culture is gaining respect from around the league."
While the Suns missed the playoffs by half a game in 2019-20, they turned heads with their strong play and 8-0 record in the NBA Bubble. From there, the team took off. 
The additions of Chris Paul and Jae Crowder took Phoenix to the next level, and suddenly, Phoenix emerged as a legitimate contender atop the Western Conference standings. During last year's playoffs, the Suns became the first team to advance to the NBA Finals immediately after snapping a 10-year postseason drought. 
The turnaround was nothing short of miraculous, with Phoenix going from worst to first seemingly overnight. However, in reality, the Suns had quietly been heating up for some time &mdash; with Booker honing his game as he approached superstardom, Ayton taking the next step in his development and the team's chemistry continuing to improve.&nbsp;
After becoming a juggernaut, the Suns began receiving a lot of national recognition and praise. James Jones was named the NBA&rsquo;s Executive of the Year, Williams was the runner-up in the NBA&rsquo;s Coach of the Year race and Paul finished fifth in Most Valuable Player voting. Phoenix's decision-makers now had credibility, and other teams want to know what buttons they pushed to undergo this transformation.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
What were the keys to the Suns&rsquo; success? They made smart hires (such as Jones and Williams), assembled/developed a terrific young core (led by Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges), acquired the right veteran pieces (including Paul, Crowder, Dario Saric, Frank Kaminsky and, last season, Torrey Craig) and stressed the importance of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/phoenix-suns-credit-tough-conversations-and-constructive-criticism-nba-finals-run-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">communication and accountability</a>.
Rival organizations are taking notice and trying to follow Phoenix&rsquo;s blueprint.&nbsp;
For example, the Portland Trail Blazers are using a similar approach as they plan for the future. In recent months, Damian Lillard has had several meetings with the Blazers&rsquo; front office and owners to discuss the organization&rsquo;s long-term plans. Over the offseason, the six-time All-Star questioned whether the Blazers were doing enough to build a contender around him, but he has since committed to staying in Portland. He recently revealed that the Suns have come up during his chats with the Blazers brass.
&ldquo;The conversations I&rsquo;ve had with Neil [Olshey], he didn&rsquo;t promise me we&rsquo;re about to get LeBron; they didn&rsquo;t tell me we&rsquo;re about to go get a superstar player because I don&rsquo;t think you need all superstar players to win,&rdquo; Lillard recently told <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/amid-chaotic-offseason-damian-lillard-meeting-lebron-james-decision-loomed-sealed-recommitment-trail-blazers-200041277.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Sports</a>. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got CJ [McCollum]; he&rsquo;s an All-Star-level player. We&rsquo;ve got [Jusuf] Nurkic; he&rsquo;s one of the best centers in the league. It&rsquo;s the way you piece the team together.
&ldquo;If you look at Phoenix, they don&rsquo;t have a bunch of stars. They got people who are really good at what they do and understand their roles. Chris Paul and Devin Booker are All-Stars, but Deandre Ayton is a quality center, Jae Crowder is an experienced, quality stretch 4-man that&rsquo;s tough, Cam Johnson is nice and Mikal Bridges is my favorite small forward in the league. You just look at how that team is put together and they&rsquo;re in the Finals coming out of the West. That&rsquo;s what my vision is. 
"I don&rsquo;t see us just landing star players. I&rsquo;m Dame Lillard, and CJ is CJ McCollum. We have the core pieces to do the same thing that Phoenix did. It&rsquo;s just how you fill that in. We just got on the same page &mdash; me, Chauncey [Billups] and Neil. We all spoke and we got on the same page as far as what my thoughts were and how I feel like we can win it. That was good enough for me. I had trust in that. But, we&rsquo;ll see; they can&rsquo;t guarantee me anything and I can&rsquo;t guarantee anything to them, but we got on the same page.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17143631_lg.jpg" alt="" width="649" height="468" />
Making the postseason hasn't been a problem for the Blazers, as they've clinched a playoff spot in eight-straight seasons. However, they've had a hard time advancing deep into the playoffs (aside from their Western Conference Finals trip in 2019, when they were ultimately swept by the Golden State Warriors).
The Blazers are currently 6-8, which slots them at No. 9 in the West. Portland has the NBA's seventh-best offense (scoring 107.8 points per 100 possessions) and 18th-ranked defense (allowing 106.1 points per 100 possessions). While it&rsquo;s not the start that the team had hoped for, there&rsquo;s still plenty of time to turn things around.
&ldquo;Look, I didn&rsquo;t come out here [to lose],&rdquo; Larry Nance Jr. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com</a> before the season. &ldquo;I had a comfortable, cushy situation in Cleveland; I lived close to my family, I was happy and it was all good. I did not come out here to half-ass this thing. I&rsquo;m all in, and that means going for it all. Last year, we saw a few teams come out of nowhere; the Hawks came out of nowhere, the Suns came out of nowhere. There were teams that surprised some people, and that&rsquo;s fully what I&rsquo;m planning on doing here.&rdquo;
The Hawks are an interesting comparison, especially since they struggled out of the gate last season. Like the Suns, the Hawks made a huge leap in 2020-21, going from a 20-win team to within two wins of the NBA Finals. And like Phoenix, Atlanta's turnaround was largely due to bringing in the right leaders (GM Travis Schlenk and head coach Nate McMillan), building a talented young core (Trae Young, John Collins, De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu), acquiring key veterans (such as Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams) and getting hot at the right time.
For the Blazers to follow in the Suns&rsquo; or Hawks&rsquo; footsteps, Nance stresses that they&rsquo;ll need to make significant strides on the defensive end.
&ldquo;Last year, the Blazers finished sixth in a loaded Western Conference and their defense was 28th. Their defense was 28th!&rdquo; Nance <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com</a>. &ldquo;If we move that up to, say, 12th, that&rsquo;s a potent combination. Anytime you can surround guards like we have here with guys that are willing to grind on the defensive end behind them? Whew, that&rsquo;s a winning combo."
It remains to be seen whether the Blazers (or any team) can replicate what the Suns or Hawks did last season. After all, that kind of turnaround is extremely difficult to pull off &mdash; even if the blueprint is right in front of you.&nbsp;

After the Suns' miraculous turnaround, rival teams (like the Blazers) are trying to follow Phoenix's blueprint and duplicate their success.

Rival teams copying Suns' blueprint in hopes of becoming a contender

If you had Frank Kaminsky scoring a career-high 31 points in the year 2021 on your bingo card, go ahead and pick out your lottery numbers for an automatic winner. Kaminsky&rsquo;s performance on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, propelling the Phoenix Suns to a 119-109 win, was awe-inspiring.
Kaminsky was upfront about his recent stretch in the NBA during his postgame media availability. He&rsquo;s known the opportunities for him in Phoenix, and anywhere else, have been sparse at best. When Kaminsky&rsquo;s team option from the Suns was declined after the 2019-20 season, he signed a veteran-minimum deal with the Sacramento Kings and was cut during preseason play. Kaminsky thought this could be it for his career &mdash; a disappointing result for a former lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
However, the Suns had one open roster remaining and decided to use it on Kaminsky, who they claimed on waivers immediately after his release from Sacramento. Kaminsky sparingly played last season, but he did have that familiarity with the Suns&rsquo; system that head coach Monty Williams desired for a reserve big man. Kaminsky even started a stretch of games for the Suns last season alongside Deandre Ayton, actually thriving within that role.
Wednesday was the latest example where Kaminsky&rsquo;s &ldquo;stay ready&rdquo; mentality has continued to pay off in The Valley. Now, Kaminsky is forcing Williams&rsquo; hand once Ayton returns from a leg contusion suffered last week.
Excluding the game on Nov. 4 against the Houston Rockets where he only logged four total minutes, Kaminsky has become a vital rotation piece for Phoenix over the last week-plus. Take a look at the four games he&rsquo;s been relied upon off the bench for Phoenix:
Nov. 2 vs. Pelicans: 17 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists on 5-of-8 FGA in 29 minutes
Nov. 6 vs. Hawks: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block on 7-of-10 FGA in 29 minutes
Nov. 8 vs. Kings: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block on 4-of-9 FGA in 22 minutes
Nov. 8 vs. Trail Blazers: 31 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block on 12-of-18 FGA in 32 minutes
It&rsquo;s a mind-boggling rise for Kaminsky, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.8 blocks while shooting 62.2% over those four contests. When Kaminsky&rsquo;s number has been called upon by Williams, he&rsquo;s delivered with authority every single time. It&rsquo;s a factor his head coach continues to notice consistently from the veteran big.
&ldquo;I just found that out when we [were] bringing it in and the guys told me that was a career-high for Frank. [I'm] excited for him,&rdquo; Williams said on Wednesday night. &ldquo;I felt like a kid in there just cheering for him, because to do what he does every single day, he&rsquo;s a pro. His ability to mentally stay locked-in, emotionally stay even-keeled and understand that he may not get the call, he may get the call &mdash; to do that day-after-day-after-day, come back in the next day get his work in and go home, have a great attitude. It says a lot about him to see him have a night like that when we needed it.&rdquo;
Without Kaminsky&rsquo;s scoring explosion, the Suns don&rsquo;t win that game vs. Portland. In clutch situations, Kaminsky continued to take the game over and do it all for Phoenix. Whether it was scoring inside or out, grabbing key boards or making crucial passes to the perimeter out of traps, Kaminsky showcased why he could deserve extended run within the Suns&rsquo; rotation moving forward.
&ldquo;I still don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s really hit me yet, but like I said last time it&rsquo;s just a mindset,&rdquo; Kaminsky said of his career-best outing. &ldquo;Go out there and play as hard as you can and be ready for anything. [You] never know when your opportunities are going to come, so you gotta make the most of them. I&rsquo;m just trying to make the most of my opportunity here. It just goes into preparation and staying ready and keeping the same mental approach everyday. Try to stay level &mdash; never too high, never too low. Just keep going with that.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Good morning to everyone. But especially to Frank Kaminsky. <a href="https://t.co/yYCcpJFkM8">pic.twitter.com/yYCcpJFkM8</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/BALLYSPORTSAZ/status/1458823210343018499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When the Suns lost Dario Saric in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals to a torn ACL, likely sidelining him for all of the 2021-22 season, they were missing that underrated and valuable reserve off the bench. The Suns did go out sign JaVale McGee to a one-year deal; however, his role wasn&rsquo;t as a connector who can facilitate the basketball in &ldquo;0.5&rdquo; situations, but more of a version closer to Ayton as a rim-rolling big who can defend the paint.
Kaminsky has taken on the role that opened with Saric's absence and run with it recently, becoming a must-use piece to the puzzle in the second unit. Also, as seen over the last week, Kaminsky can play a vital role alongside Phoenix&rsquo;s starters as a stretch big who can facilitate from the top of the key, finding cutters or trailing shooters in the corners.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s one thing specific, he just knows how to play,&rdquo; Chris Paul said postgame.
Paul is right on the money with his short and sweet statement. Kaminsky is just a high-IQ basketball player who can seamlessly fit within the role asked upon. Sure, he has some flaws, but within the right system, those can be canceled out by surprisingly-strong strengths.
Williams mentioned to the media that once Ayton returns from his leg contusion, he will try to keep Kaminsky within the Suns&rsquo; rotation. Coach will have him potentially split minutes with McGee and keep their former No. 1 overall pick more fresh throughout games with a lighter workload.
Many thought the Suns needed to make one more move for a win-now piece to bolster their bench and playoff rotation to an even higher level. Who knows, they may have just stumbled upon their solution to losing Saric with Kaminsky.
From where Kaminsky was to where he is now, his confidence is reaching entirely new heights we haven&rsquo;t seen since his days leading the Wisconsin Badgers to the Final Four. It&rsquo;s a new mentality Kaminsky has honed-in on, and the results over a small sample size have been nothing short of fantastic.
&ldquo;So proud of Frank,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;Glad to be a part of his journey. He&rsquo;s a pro.&rdquo;

Frank Kaminsky has taken on the Dario Saric role and thrived for the Suns. Evan Sidery breaks it down.

Frank Kaminsky becoming surprisingly key cog for Suns

After the Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons, 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton shined on the NBA&rsquo;s biggest, high-pressured stage throughout the team's miraculous run to the NBA Finals.
Along the way, Ayton blossomed into a dominant version of himself that was pivotal to Phoenix&rsquo;s success. Although it wasn&rsquo;t what many expected when he first entered the Association, Ayton transformed his game to fit best around Phoenix&rsquo;s dynamic backcourt duo of Devin Booker and Chris Paul.
Ayton focused on the little things offensively to a historically efficient run, as well as transforming into an elite defensive anchor. There were even debates among national NBA media about whether Ayton&rsquo;s player archetype &mdash; a 7-footer with guard-like speed who could switch seamlessly and handle rim-protection duties &mdash; was a more valuable mold than three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Even with the Suns&rsquo; surge to the top tier of the league, there was little question of what the 2021 offseason entailed: run it back. Phoenix accomplished most of that idea &mdash; re-signing Chris Paul and Cameron Payne, plus inking a new 4-year, $90 million extension agreement with Mikal Bridges &mdash; but the organization may have made things very awkward for a team who is even better than it was last season.
Somehow, someway, the Suns have fumbled their opportunity with Ayton. ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski reported three hours before the extension deadline that the Suns and Ayton&rsquo;s representatives <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/extension-talks-between-suns-and-ayton-end-without-a-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed to come to terms on a new multiyear deal</a>.
As news broke near the end of Phoenix&rsquo;s practice on Monday, Ayton was seen wearing Elfrid Payton&rsquo;s No. 2 practice jersey chucking up jumpers alongside fellow bigs JaVale McGee, Frank Kaminsky and Jalen Smith. Over 30 minutes later, Ayton declined to speak with the local Phoenix media on the story that was taking over the NBA&rsquo;s headlines &mdash; and understandably so, because this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-suns-need-to-send-right-message-signing-deandre-ayton-to-his-welldeserved-rookiescale-max-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should have been avoided entirely</a>. Ayton bought into a unique role and thrived within those circumstances, being a key cog to the Suns&rsquo; run in the Finals. However, Phoenix&rsquo;s front office felt Ayton wasn&rsquo;t worthy yet of a five-year rookie-scale max extension.
Bridges, one of Ayton&rsquo;s best friends on the roster, spoke after practice, and he put into realistic terms what this situation could mean for the Suns in 2021-22:
&ldquo;I try to do the best I can to kind of clear his mind and not think about it, but we&rsquo;re humans. It&rsquo;s tough,&rdquo; Bridges said of Ayton&rsquo;s contract situation. &ldquo;Just try to help him, one of my best friends. It&rsquo;s bigger than basketball. I want to play with him... Being around him every single day, I just don&rsquo;t want to lose that.&rdquo;
Ayton has needed to be pushed to put his rare talents on display through his first four seasons, which is maybe why Phoenix was hesitant to hand over the gigantic bag right now. Paul and Booker were constantly in Ayton&rsquo;s ear keeping his motor up, providing tough love along the way in order for the Bahamian big man to reach his immense ceiling.
When Bridges said that he doesn&rsquo;t want to lose having Ayton around, it immediately sparks the thought of an unnecessary distraction for a legitimate championship contender.
Suns head coach Monty Williams also spoke after practice on Monday, quickly going over the Ayton situation. Williams refused to go into details, reiterating that point sternly when asked a follow-up question. However, Williams tried to deflect blame onto himself like the strong leader he is, hammering home how he takes situations like this as a challenge to empower the player.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s on me to help guys get what they want,&rdquo; Williams said of Ayton&rsquo;s non-extension. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my job to help these guys get paid.&rdquo;
The going rate for a 23-year-old center who has flashed All-Defense potential and special touch around the basket is obviously massive. Although the box score numbers last season wouldn&rsquo;t reflect that Ayton deserved max money, the eye test certainly said so with an emphatic yes. Ayton is not even in his prime years yet, so it&rsquo;s absurd to believe real regression is on the horizon anytime soon.
Two teams hold max cap space in a historically-weak 2022 NBA free-agent class: the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons. Now potentially being the No. 1 name available next summer, Ayton will be a top target who could be poached from the Valley. Phoenix, of course, will hold his restricted rights and could match any offer. But imagine the plausible reality where San Antonio throws Ayton a max-offer sheet right when free agency opens on July 1. The Suns would likely match the offer, but exactly was the point of this unnecessary standoff between the front office and Ayton?
&ldquo;We came here together and we obviously always want to be here together,&rdquo; Bridges said of Ayton on Monday. &ldquo;We both want to be here, and I want him here as well. Obviously, I can&rsquo;t do nothing, I&rsquo;m not in the process, but we want him here and I know he wants to be here as well.&rdquo;
This situation will loom over the Suns throughout the 2021-22 campaign, one where hoisting the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy is their only priority. Who knows what happens after this season, though, thanks to Phoenix fumbling away a golden opportunity to lock up one of the most efficient two-ways bigs in the Association before a potentially uglier negotiation nine months from now?
History continues to show the Suns get in their own way when it&rsquo;s not needed. This Ayton saga is the latest example, and it could have real consequences down the road if the relationship between the player and organization isn&rsquo;t mended well behind the scenes.

The Suns passed on a rookie-scale max extension for Deandre Ayton. It's now created an awkward situation for a title contender.

Suns create unnecessarily awkward situation by not extending Ayton

Nekias Duncan previews the Pacific Division for the 2021-22 NBA season.

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Pacific Divison

<div>
<div>
<div id="id__21ryfrdgrid" dir="auto" lang="und">Injury Update: Dario &Scaron;arić (right knee injury) will not return tonight.</div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">&nbsp;</div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1412590375269650434" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoenix Suns (Twitter)</a></div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">&nbsp;</div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">ANALYSIS: Saric came down awkwardly on his right leg and was quickly removed from the game. The Suns will now look to Frank Kaminsky for solid minutes behind Deandre Ayton in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.</div>
</div>
</div>

The Phoneix Suns have ruled Dario Saric out for the rest of Game 1 with a right knee injury.

Dario Šarić (knee) out for rest of Game 1

We have a fantastic matchup on our hands, health permitting.
In one corner, the Milwaukee Bucks have finally broken through the glass ceiling. Back-to-back postseason meltdowns led to an epiphany: hey, maybe we should do some things differently.
And so, they did.&nbsp;
A different offensive formation. A departure from their strict drop scheme, opting to sprinkle in more switching as preparation for later rounds. You've seen the fruits of that labor. Their drop suffocated the Miami Heat's offense in round one. Their alterations in drop and willingness to switch were evident against the Brooklyn Nets in round two, and especially against the Atlanta Hawks in the Conference Finals.
The health of Giannis Antetokounmpo looms large, but this is a talented, mentally tough, and diverse (at last!) group ready to bring this thing home.
And then there are the Phoenix Suns, who almost nobody expected to be here.&nbsp;
They barely missed the playoffs last season, partially due to an unfortunate suspension. They went 8-0 in last season's bubble, leading to optimism and ultimately setting the stage for a Chris Paul trade.
Paul raised the floor tremendously with his playmaking, shooting, shot creation, and leadership. Internal improvement from the young studs -- Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges -- raised the ceiling. The vets filled the gaps, with Cameron Payne's resurgence leading the charge.
They took down the defending champs in round one, with injuries on both sides permeating the series. They destroyed the Denver Nuggets in round two, one pick-and-roll at a time. The Los Angeles Clippers threatened late, but ultimately couldn't push the Suns to a seventh game in the Conference Finals.
The Suns have the goods, y'all.
I&rsquo;m not a coach -- I'm just a pun-loving basketball fan with a hankering for film breakdowns. But instead of a traditional series preview, I decided to go into the basketball trenches and devise gameplans for both teams. The tone of this piece will be a little more informal, but it will still be informative (at least I hope).
First, let's look at how the Bucks will try to stop the Suns.
Defensive Matchups
Jrue Holiday --&gt; Chris Paul
PJ Tucker --&gt; Devin Booker
Khris Middleton --&gt; Mikal Bridges
Bobby Portis --&gt; Jae Crowder
Brook Lopez --&gt; Deandre Ayton
Middleton got the Booker assignment during the regular-season meetings. The idea of starting with Tucker on Booker as an innings-eater of sorts would make some sense. Tucker has gotten the Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, and Trae Young (in spurts) assignment in consecutive rounds. Letting him hound Booker and be physical &ndash; something that Patrick Beverley had some success with &ndash; could frustrate him.
Top Priority on Defense: Discipline vs Pick-and-Roll Attack
The Suns may have the most versatile pick-and-roll attack in the NBA. Drag screens in transition. Screen-the-screener actions from the wings. A buffet of options out of the HORNS alignment - a player in each corner, and a player stationed at each elbow, for those who aren't familiar. We'll dig into some of the specifics shortly.
Not only are the actions diverse, they also do a fantastic job of mixing up the spacing. They'll give you an empty corner look. They may go with a traditional spread formation. Sometimes, there will be one shooter in the strong side corner. They may go with identical looks on consecutive possessions, but have the spacers relocate to different areas.
Staying out of rotation is going to be key. If this team is able to scramble you, you might as well get back on the bus.
Suns' Team Stats (and Phoenix's stats vs. Milwaukee)&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Offensive Rating: 116.3, 7th (120.5)</li>
<li>Half-Court Offensive Rating: 102.7, 3rd (106.8)</li>
<li>True Shooting Percentage: 59.7, 3rd (60.7)</li>
<li>Assist Percentage: 62.2, 9th (54.6)</li>
<li>Turnover Rate: 12.6, 4th (10.5)</li>
<li>Pace: 98.00, 24th (100.04)</li>
<li>Free-Throw Attempts: 18.7, 29th (17.5)</li>
<li>Free-Throw Percentage: 83.4, 2nd (77.1)</li>
<li>Three-Point Attempts: 34.6, 15th (36.5)</li>
<li>Three-Point Percentage: 37.8, 7th (43.8)</li>
<li>Offensive Rebounds: 8.8, 28th (10.0)</li>
</ul>
Suns' Play Type Breakdown
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screen-shot-2021-06-18-at-4-06-58-pm.png" alt="" width="760" height="325" />
Actions to Watch For
(Before digging in, I'd once again like to <a href="https://twitter.com/theIVpointplay/status/1364703174028746752?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommend this breakdown</a> for a more comprehensive look at the Suns' playbook. It is absolutely worth your time, I promise.)
<ul>
<li>Spain/Stack PnR</li>
</ul>
This is a favorite for Phoenix. High ball screen up top, a back screen on the screener's man. The back screener will pop up above the break, or flare out to the wing. It's an incredibly tough action to defend on the fly.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/c8q3cy" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<ul>
<li>Pistol</li>
</ul>
Also known as "21" action, keep an eye out for Booker screening for Paul on the wing (or vice versa) as part of their early offense package. A pitch to the screener may precede the action, but otherwise, they'll be looking to get downhill early.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3d1n74" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<ul>
<li>52/53/54</li>
</ul>
Don't overthink this one. The tell for this action is pretty simple. The center (5) and another player &ndash; the shooting guard (2), small forward (3), or power forward (4) &ndash; will be stationed at each elbow, predominantly in a HORNS alignment. The center will screen for the other player at the elbow as they lift to the wing and receive a pass.
Here's a loose example.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/f2ugtx" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
This would be "52" since Ayton (5) and Booker (2) are involved at the free throw line. If you peeped, Booker fakes a handoff to Paul before flowing into a pick-and-roll with Ayton. That handoff-to-ball-screen option exists. Sometimes, the lift from the wing will act as a decoy for a more traditional ball screen.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1o6u45" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Base Coverage: Drop
This remains the go-to, though tweaks can be made if necessary. The drop coverage deployed in Game 1 against the Hawks is not what it looked like in Game 2, for example.&nbsp;
For this series, it'll need to look more like the Game 2 version. Bring Lopez or Portis closer to the level of the screen and drop back from there. Active help at the nail and elbows to clutter the driving lanes.&nbsp;
Paul and Booker are mid-range artists; you don't want them getting comfortable. If they get comfortable, they'll force extra help. Extra help will lead to kick-outs, and you don't want a Suns team that ranked seventh in three-point percentage to get a bunch of open looks.
To that point: they're draining north of 43% of their "wide-open" triples during the postseason.
Keep things tight.
The Changeup: Heavy Switching
This is what the regular season was for.
This is what slipping from first to eighth in defensive rating was for.&nbsp;
More presently, this is what the back-half of the Eastern Conference Finals were for.
If the Suns are able to get to their automatics against drop and scramble the defense, switching may be the way to go. Keep the ball in front, and turn things into an isolation battle. With or without Giannis, there should be enough size to keep the Suns out of easy mismatch-hunting on the block.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/book88_lg.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="387" />
Defending Devin Booker
Booker is one of the most complete offensive players in the sport. Smooth off the dribble, physical when getting downhill. Superb footwork. Early reps as a point guard helped instill all the basic pick-and-roll reads.
There isn't a full-blown weakness to hammer home, which has allowed him to flourish during the postseason (27-6-5, 56.7 True Shooting Percentage) so far. Booker dropped 54 points across the two regular-season meetings, and did so on a mid-range heavy diet. Shoring things up and cutting off some of the automatic looks could go a long way towards slowing him down.
Major Key: Crowd the elbows
Booker was <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shooting/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DistanceRange=By%20Zone&amp;sort=Mid-Range%20FGA&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of 12 players</a> to average at least 5.0 mid-range attempts during the regular season. Of those 12 players, his 48.6% clip on those shots ranked fifth.
He's improved his volume during the postseason, taking 6.7 middies and knocking them down at a 41.1% clip. I won't go full-blown math nerd on you. I also have no interest in having the mid-range/analytics "debate." Let's just say a 41.1% clip on nearly seven attempts is not an ideal diet.
Booker was woeful on those looks against the Clippers (34.7% on 8.2 attempts). There were some misses that you can chalk up to randomness, but for the most part, the Clippers did their homework early.
Look through Booker's (pick-and-roll) film in that series, and you'll see someone loading up at the "nail" or around the elbows before he even begins an attack.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2021_06_30_00_16_26.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
Terance Mann has the primary assignment on Booker, but look at where Nicolas Batum is stationed. Cameron Payne is one pass away, but it doesn't matter. The priority here is to make sure Booker can't flow into a left-drifting pull-up. He's going to have to pull in Mann's face, or work his attack towards the baseline.&nbsp;
Booker shot a shade under 44% on middies against the Bucks during the regular season with near-identical volume to the Clippers series. This is what some of those looks, well, looked like.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/iespbv" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
There are makes and misses in that compilation, but one thing is constant. More accurately, one thing&nbsp;isn't&nbsp;constant.
Help.&nbsp;
Step one to slowing down Booker is making sure he can't walk into those Paulian middies around the elbows. Make him shoot over two. Push him towards the baseline. Push him back above the break if necessary.&nbsp;
If he gets rolling on those middies, it'll open everything else up. He'll toss in a head fake to sell the pull-up, then get to the basket instead. He'll toss in shot fakes to draw easy free throws.
Don't let Booker get into his bag like that.
Other Notes
<ul>
<li>It's worth noting that Booker's pull-up prowess is only scary in the mid-range area. Despite coming out of Kentucky known as a knockdown shooter, that hasn't completely shown itself in the pros. More specifically: the pull-up three hasn't translated. He shot just 30.8% on pull-up threes this season, a little bit below his career mark (31.7%). If they're setting high ball screens for him, ducking or spinning under those picks could be a way to keep him in front.</li>
<li>To the ball-screen point: the Suns do a great job of mixing up the location of those screens. They don't mind operating below the arc. Trapping Booker on lower screens could be a way to keep him out of rhythm.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Defending the Shooters (Perimeter)
Chris Paul: Hard, but controlled close-out
<ul>
<li>It's been a strong shooting season for Paul. In addition to his mid-range mastery, he's coming off a season in which he shot 39.5% from three -- and an absurd 47% on <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/101108/shots-dash/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">catch-and-shoot looks</a>. Running him off the line is the play, but you'll have to stay attached. Not only is he a threat to flow into one or two-dribble pull-ups from there, any extra rotation from the defense will open up kick-out opportunities for him.</li>
</ul>
Cam Payne: Hard, but controlled close-out
<ul>
<li>Payne and that funky form can do work. You can't be too reckless when closing out; he doesn't mind pump-faking, watching a defender fly by, then letting an uncontested triple rip. Keep things in front.</li>
</ul>
Mikal Bridges: Hard, but controlled close-out
<ul>
<li>Bridges made a leap as a shooter this season, improving his efficiency (36.1% to 42.5%) and volume (2.7 attempts to 4.4) from last season. He's improving as a driver, and has become more willing to stop-and-pop for middies. Don't give him easy driving lanes.</li>
</ul>
Cam Johnson: Hard close-out
<ul>
<li>Don't let the middling regular season numbers (34.9% on 5.6 attempts) fool you; Johnson can shoot the skin off the ball. He's up to 45.1% from deep in the postseason; the low attempts (3.4) can be attributed to the switching defenses the Suns have faced thus far. He's often on the move, either lifting above the break in some of Phoenix's HORNS sets or finishing Spain pick-and-roll possessions. Don't lose track of him, and don't let him establish a rhythm.</li>
</ul>
Defending the Shooters (Frontcourt)
Jae Crowder: Soft close-out
<ul>
<li>Crowder has a strong argument for the streakiest shooter in the sport. Look no further than his playoff run last season in which he buried the Milwaukee Bucks in Miami's surprising second-round victory, then nearly buried Miami with his cold shooting in the Eastern Conference Finals. Muck up actions elsewhere unless Crowder proves that he's on a heater.</li>
</ul>
Torrey Craig: Let him fire
<ul>
<li>Craig has shot well in Phoenix (36.9%) on low volume, but those looks are almost exclusively open. He's a classic tip-your-cap candidate.</li>
</ul>
Dario Saric: Soft close-out
<ul>
<li>Saric shot 39.3% from three on over five attempts in his second season (2017-18), and hasn't matched that volume or efficiency since. He's a willing shooter, but a somewhat streaky one. The real fear is his pump-and-drive game. Stay disciplined on his fakes and force him to drain contested shots.</li>
</ul>
Frank Kaminsky: Hard close-out
<ul>
<li>Kaminsky can stroke it as a pick-and-pop guy. He isn't an elite shooter, but a good enough one to pay attention to. He also isn't a dangerous passer on the move, nor is he a high-level finisher. Running him off the line shouldn't be too dangerous.</li>
</ul>
Deandre Ayton: Let him fire
<ul>
<li>Ayton has taken 20 threes this season. If he's flinging one, the shot clock is winding down or the game is out of hand already. Don't worry too much.</li>
</ul>
X-Factor: Deandre Ayton
Ayton has had a wonderful postseason thus far. His per-game numbers speak for themselves: 16.2 points with a 70.5 TS, 11.8 rebounds (3.4 offensive).
He's doing the little things, and doing them well. Per Synergy, Ayton is generating north of 1.4 points per possession off of cuts (1.46), in transition (1.47), and as the roller in ball-screen actions (1.56).
Ayton has been doing a great job of doing his job early. Running the floor hard, sealing his man off and putting them in the photographer section. It's simple stuff, but effective stuff.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/w4augf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Getting a body on Ayton early will be key. If you can get him to catch further from the basket, you may be able to goad him into face-up jumpers. He has the touch to knock those down, but they're inherently less threatening.&nbsp;
His post-ups will also be a mini-battle that could swing the series. If the scheme shifts from drop to switching, it'll be on Ayton to abuse size mismatches. He's only generating 0.59 points per possession on post-ups this postseason. Can he dislodge Holiday? Flip in hooks over Middleton?&nbsp;
In theory, of course he can. He'll need to prove it, though.

Nekias Duncan breaks down how the Milwaukee Bucks can defend the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.

NBA Finals Scouting Report: How the Bucks can stop the Suns

One week from now, we will know who is playing in the NBA Finals. It appears it will be the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, but we should have learned by now to never count out the resilience of the Los Angeles Clippers.&nbsp;
And the Atlanta Hawks? Just ask anyone from Philadelphia or New York whether that team should be underestimated.
This is somewhat uncharted territory for Adam Silver and the NBA, who have grown accustomed (along with all of us) to having all eyes glued to LeBron James or Steph Curry at this point of the season.
Also, our NBA body clocks are saying &ldquo;draft, draft, draft.&rdquo; But due to the pandemic, we've all had to readjust to this slightly different schedule. So the end of the Finals are still quite a ways down the road, the draft and free agency are going to happen at the end of the July and beginning of August, respectively. The Olympics are looking like a walkover for a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-to-join-team-usa-james-harden-to-withdraw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loaded Team USA</a>... but we have seen that movie before, and the ending is not always a certainty. FIBA competition usually takes care of that.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
No matter which two teams make the Finals, though, it will be the first time in a long time (or ever) that the Bucks, Clippers, Suns and/or Hawks got that far.
So let&rsquo;s refresh everyone&rsquo;s memory. Or, let&rsquo;s fill in the younger generation on what folks in the four finalists' cities have endured over the years.
PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns are one victory away from making the championship round for the first time since 1993, back when Charles Barkley was playing against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. It was the summer before Jordan decided he wanted to change professions and become a Major League baseball player.&nbsp;
The Bulls won Game 1 and Game 2 in that 1993 series, and battled in a classic Game 3 that went three overtimes before the Suns won and chopped the series lead down to 2-1. Chicago won Game 4 at home, but the Suns took Game 5 in Chicago (the format was 2-3-2 at the time) and the series returned to Phoenix for Game 6 on June 20. The Bulls were going for a three-peat under Phil Jackson with a roster that included Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant and John Paxson. Barkley was flanked by Dan Majerle, Tom Chambers, Kevin Johnson, Cedric Ceballos and Danny Ainge.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EkGZYKjyaSU" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Barkley and Jordan were friendly, but the edge in competitive streak was in favor of Jordan. Back then, fraternization on off days was common, and Barkley and Jordan were fewer than two years removed from being teammates on the original Dream Team. The way the story has been told, Jordan took Barkley out to Majerle&rsquo;s bar on the night of June 19 after everyone traveled, and the drinks flowed freely... except the drink of choice for Jordan was water.
Then, on the night of June 20, the Bulls were ahead by eight entering the fourth quarter, but then went cold. In the first 6:09 of the fourth, the Bulls didn&rsquo;t score. They committed three shot-clock violations in that span, and Phoenix was ahead 98-96 with 14 seconds left. But the Bulls had the ball, and Grant found John Paxson open at the three-point line for a shot that Paxson drilled. Prior to that, all nine of the Bulls&rsquo; fourth-quarter points had been scored by Jordan. Phoenix had the final possession, but Barkley rolled to the basket off the inbounds play and Phoenix did not get the ball to him. Instead, Kevin Johnson attempted a runner from the lane just before the final buzzer, and Grant blocked it. Game over. Bulls 99, Suns 98. And Phoenix has not hosted an NBA Finals game since.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS 
The Bucks are up 2-1 on the Hawks now after Khris Middleton was Mr. Everything last night in Atlanta except for being Mr. Airball, an award that will be retired in honor of Giannis Antetokounmpo for what he has been doing from the free-throw line the past few seasons, but especially this postseason. These teams will be back at it Tuesday night, and hopefully the referees will be briefed, too, on allowing a player shooting a three-point shot to have enough space to land without turning an ankle because an official was too close. Are there enough ace bandages in "The A" to wrap Trae Young tightly enough to give the Hawks a chance to even this series? Or is Milwaukee advancing to the Finals as a fait accompli currently maneuvering speed bumps?
Whatever the case, the Bucks are favored for good reason, and if they make it to the Finals, it&rsquo;ll be the first time it's happened for that franchise since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s sky hook was a lethal weapon. That was back in 1974, before Kareem decided he did not like living in Milwaukee following a 4-3 loss to the Celtics in the Finals and forced a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, a maneuver for which he was never forgiven in the city where Mike Budenholzer now calls the shots. The Bucks last won a title in 1971, and have not been back since despite being led at different times by Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Giannis, Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon, among others.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/knKXGqVyOKc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
They dropped four straight in the Conference Finals three years ago against the Toronto Raptors, and they went out in seven games in 2001 against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. All of the sports glory in the state of Wisconsin since then has belonged to Aaron Rodgers and Frank Kaminsky, and all those years of losing have been drowned out by beer, cheese, frozen custard, bratwurst and beer. The last time the Bucks won, the team was a member of the Western Conference and the Brewers were still adapting to the American League following the franchise&rsquo;s move from Seattle, where they were known as the Pilots. Al McGuire and Marquette provided a couple years of glory, but aside from the accomplishments of the Packers, there has not been much to celebrate.
But losing is never permanent unless your favorite team is the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Bucks are halfway to breaking through the organization's three-and-a-half decades of frustration. So stay tuned.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 
Ahead of a win or go home scenario in Monday's Game 5, Kawhi Leonard is once again unable able to play, and could be more seriously hurt than the franchise has let on. There are reports out there that he needs knee surgery and is upset with the Clippers' medical staff; one would think the league office would order the Clippers to provide some clarity on this matter, since Leonard is a pretty good basketball player whose health is a determining factor in whether Steve Ballmer&rsquo;s team has a snowball&rsquo;s chance in hell of being championship material.
The Clippers have never been to the Finals, before or since relocating to California from Buffalo, spending 1978-1984 in San Diego. They blew 3-1 leads in the conference semifinals in 2020 (to Denver) and 2015 (to Houston), and went out in six games against Oklahoma City in 2014. There is only so much that Paul George can do without his fellow superstar teammate, and if Leonard is truly done and legitimately unhappy in L.A., the offseason unrestricted-free-agency market just got a heck of a lot more interesting.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CuQ3unu2YAQ" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Before they were the Clippers, they were the Buffalo Braves and joined the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1970 along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. Their Hall-of-Famers included Bob McAdoo and Ernie DeGregorio, and in one of the most interesting pieces of NBA cameo trivia, they had Moses Malone for a grand total of two games before trading him to Houston for a pair of first-round picks.
In 1975, the franchise made it to the conference semifinals, but were defeated by the Washington Bullets. Since then, the Clippers have a franchise history that everyone in the NBA outside of Minnesota can laugh at. Except Clippers fans, of course. And those poor folks deserve either our pity or our sympathy. But to Clippers fans and Timberwolves fans, we can only say: &ldquo;The Cubs eventually won, okay?&rdquo; Perhaps that will help.&nbsp;
ATLANTA HAWKS 
Dominique Wilkins was a heck of a hooper and had one of the greatest nicknames in the history of professional sports: &ldquo;The Human Highlight Film.&rdquo; But he never appeared in a single NBA Finals game, and his only championship came with Panathinaikos in 1996 when the &ldquo;Greens&rdquo; won the Euroleague championship.
The Hawks franchise has not won a title since 1958 when they were based in St. Louis, and they reached the Finals in 1960 and 1961 only to lose to the Boston Celtics. The closest they came since then was 2015, when they reached the Conference Finals but were swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GvrCl12-kKo" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The Hawks are closer now than they have ever been, but when your entire team gets outscored by a single player in a single quarter (Khris Middleton had 20 points to the Hawks&rsquo; 17 in the fourth last night), you really have to dig deep for resiliency &ndash; although we would not put anything past Trae Young at this point. At the very least, the Hawks have two games remaining. In the first round, they bounced back from a Game 2 loss in New York and won the next three. Atlanta was down 2-1 against the Sixers last round and gutted out that series in seven games, winning three times on the road. The team has a terrific mix of young and old, and Nate McMillan has worked wonders with these guys.
A victory in Game 4 would turn this into a best-of-3, and we already know that hostile arenas do not faze them. Middleton had the hot hand in Game 3, and who is to say that Bogdan Bogdanovic or Kevin Huerter or Danilo Gallinari cannot be that type of player for Atlanta sometime in the coming week? Count the Hawks out at your own peril. Knicks fans and Sixers fans will tell you not to take them lightly.
We've got a big week ahead of us. Let&rsquo;s hope it brings more good stories than bad.
But the only thing we know for sure is that one of these four franchises will eventually end a very long drought.&nbsp;

Chris Sheridan refreshes everyone's memory and fills in the younger crowd on what folks in the four final teams' cities have endured over the years.

Sheridan: A history lesson is in order as the NBA Finals draw near

Nekias Duncan provides scouting reports for the Suns and Los Clippers for their Western Conference Finals matchup.

Scouting Report: How the Clippers and Suns will defend each other

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Anthony Davis had 34 points and 11 rebounds, LeBron James added 21 points and nine assist and the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated their first home playoff game in more than eight years with a 109-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night in Game 3.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
AD was on a MISSION tonight in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lakers</a> Game 3 victory 😤 34 PTS - 11 REB - 48.2 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/2iVUDyvGzO">pic.twitter.com/2iVUDyvGzO</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1398139142840651778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Dennis Schr&ouml;der added 20 points and the seventh-seeded defending NBA champs took a 2-1 lead with their second straight victory in the first-round series. Los Angeles pulled away from erratic Phoenix in the second half for the second straight game, and a fierce late rally by the Suns came up short.
Game 4 is Sunday in Los Angeles.
Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the second-seeded Suns, who are in an early hole in their first postseason series in 11 years. Phoenix also came unglued in the final minute when Devin Booker and Jae Crowder both were sent to the locker room early.
Booker scored 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting, but the star guard was ejected with 35.4 seconds to play after committing a flagrant foul against Schr&ouml;der. Moments later, Crowder got a technical foul, following Booker off the court after apparently trying to confront Schr&ouml;der.
Phoenix also got another quiet game from Chris Paul, who played just 2 1/2 minutes in the fourth quarter even though coach Monty Williams said the star point guard's shoulder had healed. Paul had seven points and six assists in 27 minutes.
Roughly 7,000 masked fans watched inside Staples Center as the Lakers hosted their first playoff game in their downtown arena since April 28, 2013. Los Angeles won its 17th title in the Florida bubble last October and the legions of fans confined to watching their beloved team&rsquo;s rebirth on television turned up in force for this streak-breaking win.
Davis scored 18 points in the third quarter while staking the Lakers to a 17-point lead, and Wesley Matthews hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter while Los Angeles pushed its margin to 21.
Cameron Payne hit three 3-pointers in a late rally, but the Suns couldn't get closer than eight points.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Phoenix won the series opener in impressive fashion, but the Lakers answered with much-improved play in a 109-102 victory in Game 2. The Suns were the NBA's best road team during their outstanding regular season, but the Lakers are proving to be the nightmare matchup most expected when the champs slipped to the bottom of the bracket due to injuries.
Williams said before the game that Paul was &ldquo;a full go&rdquo; after his bruised right shoulder that clearly limited him in both games in Phoenix. The 11-time All-Star point guard still didn't appear to be playing at his usual strengths at Staples Center, his former home with the Clippers.
Both teams got off to solid offensive starts in Game 3, but both then fumbled through a dismal second quarter featuring just 28 points on combined 9-for-39 shooting. The Lakers also got a worry when Davis came down awkwardly and appeared to be moving gingerly both before and after halftime.
But Los Angeles made a 16-6 run out of the break led by James, who increased his aggression and broke down Phoenix's defense. The Lakers took their biggest lead of the series midway through the third quarter when Schr&ouml;der's three-point play put them up 67-51, and Davis made a series of tough buckets to keep LA's lead at double digits even without a 3-pointer in the quarter.
TIP-INS
Suns: F Abdel Nader (knee) remained the only player in the series unavailable due to injury. ... Mikal Bridges had six points in 34 minutes.
Lakers: Starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went to the locker room in the third quarter after bruising his left quadriceps. He didn't return. Caldwell-Pope scored five points in 26 minutes. ... Andre Drummond had six points and 11 rebounds.
LONG TIME COMING
The Lakers' eight-year, two-month gap between home playoff games was an unprecedented stretch in franchise history.
Before the six-year postseason drought that ended last season, the Lakers had only missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons once in their first 66 seasons of existence.
The Lakers' most recent playoff game at Staples was Game 4 of a first-round sweep by San Antonio in 2013. That was the season that began with championship aspirations and ended with Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash sidelined by injuries.
KING VS JAE
James had another yet lively meeting with Crowder &mdash; his former Cleveland teammate, his opponent in last year's NBA Finals against Miami, and the Lakers fans&rsquo; least-favorite Phoenix player, as evidenced by numerous derogatory chants of his name.
James got a standing ovation when he drew an offensive foul on Crowder with seven minutes to play.
Crowder also struggled from the field, to Staples Center's delight: He missed his first seven shots, including six 3-pointers, before finally hitting a jumper with 6:43 left.
BIG SWITCH
Torrey Craig and Frank Kaminsky effectively bumped Dario Saric from the Suns' rotation for Game 3. Saric, who scored six points in 26 minutes and occasionally got roasted on defense by James in the first two games, didn't play.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Lakers celebrated their first home playoff game in more than eight years with a 109-95 win over the Suns on Thursday in Game 3.