On this episode of the Big 3 NBA Podcast, A. Sherrod Blakely is joined by Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic to discuss the Suns' rise this season, Booker and the Olympics, the Emirates NBA Cup, how the Suns stack up out West (especially now with OKC's Chet Holmgren's injury) and of course, whether they have enough firepower to hold their own with the Celtics. All that, and much more!
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SportsTranscript
00:00The Big 3 NBA Podcast is powered by PrizePix, the exclusive daily fantasy partner of the
00:23CLNS Media Network.
00:28Hello everyone, welcome to another edition of the Big 3 NBA Podcast.
00:32This is host Sherrod Blakely, and I am joined by the one, the only, Dwayne Rankin, Phoenix
00:39Suns insider for the Arizona Republic.
00:41What's going on Dwayne?
00:42What's good with you?
00:44It's been a minute since we had you on the Big 3 NBA Podcast, how you been?
00:48I'm alright, you know, here in Salt Lake City, it's a little, it's not cold, but I'm acting
00:53like it is.
00:54So, yeah.
00:55But it's all good.
00:56If you go to Phoenix Suns and you've got to go to Salt Lake City, you're going to be cold.
01:01But I'm happy to see that you are, as always, repping the cap.
01:07For those who sell caps, y'all need to sign this man up.
01:11I think, I've known you for several years and I think I've only seen you maybe twice
01:15without a cap on.
01:17So clearly that's your thing, that's your stelo.
01:20Right, right, right.
01:21I'll take on all offers.
01:22Exactly, exactly.
01:23And apparently that team that you cover in the Phoenix Suns, they take it on all comers.
01:29They look like a very different team than the one that we saw a season ago that you
01:34sort of kind of think would be kind of nice, but they never really got to that kind of
01:38nice portion of the season.
01:40Off to a great start, they're near the top of the standings in the Western Conference.
01:45What's been the key to this team playing so well right out the gates this year?
01:49I think the one thing, I mean, Kevin Durant, he's obviously now he's out with an injury,
01:55but that first nine games, he was, as Jason Kidd said, at the end of the game, he was
02:00a bucket.
02:01He was just pretty much just taking over at the end of the game, sharing the ball.
02:07They're probably, as you know, who knows it, like shoot the three, they're averaging like
02:12over 40 right now.
02:13They didn't do that last year, so they're giving up more threes.
02:17I can pick on the rotation a little bit because it's been just kind of odd because he's playing
02:22a lot of guys, but that speaks to the depth they believe they have on the team.
02:27But to me, I just sense that down the stretch in the clutch, fourth quarter, they were the
02:32worst in the NBA.
02:34They're not the worst anymore now.
02:36They're actually getting good looks in the fourth quarter, actually getting stops.
02:40They're 5-0 in games, had about four points or less.
02:43So they're closing games better.
02:46Now this last one, they actually could have won at the end in Sacramento, but Booker missed
02:49the three.
02:50Maybe he hits that shot.
02:52It's another one.
02:53It's another close win at the end.
02:55So they're winning the close games at the end, and that's the biggest difference.
02:59Down the stretch, they're just playing better, and it's not as rigid offensively as they
03:05were with Vogel.
03:07Not saying that they were just like robots, but this team, a little more fluidity.
03:12Tyus Jones has been huge.
03:14He's been huge for them as far as setting up the offense and getting an open shot.
03:19Devin said, he said in the media days that you can't leave Tyus Jones open.
03:24He went 6-10 from three last night.
03:26So it's a collective deal, and I think the biggest thing, though, they're closing games
03:30better.
03:31Yeah, I'm glad you brought up Tyus Jones because I think he is maybe the most underrated, underappreciated
03:38addition by any team in the offseason because that is a guy that, when you look at this
03:43Phoenix Suns squad, y'all needed a waiter, someone who could set the table, someone who
03:48could make sure everyone was taken care of, who wasn't trying to go out there and get
03:5225-10-7.
03:53He seems to have been that guy.
03:56Has he fit in better than you thought he would, or is this pretty much what you thought the
04:00Suns would be getting with his addition?
04:02I thought this is what they would be getting, but the most interesting part about this is
04:06that when he comes out, then it's back to point book again.
04:12Like Devin, the last couple of games, he's had 12 assists, like he had zero turnovers
04:17against Dallas.
04:18I think he had just two last night.
04:21So Bootholz was figuring out this mix, okay, I'm playing Tyus, I take him out, I'm letting
04:27Devin handle it for a minute, I'm gonna let Kevin handle it for a minute, but there's
04:32not that continual where they have to do it all the time.
04:36And that's the big difference.
04:37When Tyus comes back in, okay, it's his ball, okay, let him do what he does.
04:41But his ability to shoot, I knew he was a high, he could shoot in the 40s, I think he
04:46did last year, but I'm like, he's getting wide open threes playing with two of the three
04:53or all three of them at the same time.
04:56To me, that's been kind of a surprise because he wasn't that aggressive to start, but now
05:03he's like, you know what, if the ball come to me, I'm shooting.
05:07And they need that.
05:08So the other guys don't feel anything, they have to take shots.
05:11And so he is definitely fit the bill for what they wanted.
05:16And he delivered in that sense and defensively, they targeted him because he's small.
05:23So he's had to battle some guys, he did the other night.
05:26So that's going to be the challenge on the other end.
05:29But offensively, I mean, he's given me everything I thought he would give me more.
05:33Yeah, I mean, the top teams, they figure out, is there a kink in that team's defense?
05:37And if there is, we're going to go at it.
05:39And there's definitely this, that's the mindset of a lot of teams that face Phoenix.
05:43But the one thing about the Suns this year, and you just touched on it a little while
05:48ago with Devin Booker, who obviously we know, especially the folks in Boston, they know
05:52he can light it up.
05:53He hit them for like a 70 piece, you know, not that long ago.
05:56I still remember that little sort of kind of, but not really beef him and Jay Crowder
06:00had.
06:01Jay Crowder.
06:02I know a lot of that.
06:04But the thing that Book is showing not only is the ability to, you know, play both guard
06:09positions and be pretty effective in that.
06:11But I thought what he did in the Olympics, he did something that I just didn't think
06:15was in his DNA.
06:16Specifically, we're talking about D, he actually did up, he actually looked like a solid defender
06:24out there.
06:25And that was something that we didn't see a ton of, we haven't seen a ton of that in
06:28his career.
06:29How much has he been able to just kind of really use, you know, his play in the Olympics
06:35as almost like a springboard into the season?
06:37Because we know there was some cats who was on that Olympics team that didn't play that
06:41we thought we're going to play a little bit more than they did.
06:43And Devin Booker was one of those guys who played probably as much, if not more than
06:48most people thought.
06:49And to his credit, he handled this business.
06:51What has he been able to, from what you can tell, has he been able to kind of utilize
06:55maybe that Olympic experience as maybe helping factor into him being a major contributor
07:00to the Suns in this great start they're on?
07:03I think the biggest thing is that, you know, being a team guy, and he's always, you know,
07:08in that sense, I mean, he had to carry the Suns for a number of years, because quite
07:13frankly, they didn't have anything else.
07:14No offense to the other guys on the team, but he was, you know, he didn't have much
07:20else to go with him.
07:21But a team guy, I think that's been the bigger thing, like, the defense is one thing, like,
07:27is it better?
07:28Yeah, but he's had stretches this season early where he's struggled a little bit.
07:33And part of that is communication, where sometimes you'll turn and be like, okay, I thought you
07:37were gonna be there.
07:38And they still try to figure out what Bootholz wants on that end.
07:41So part of it is that.
07:43Part of it is, you know, hey, he's going up against some guys that are going at him.
07:47And so it's not always going to be your way of locking guy down every night.
07:50He's never going to be that guy.
07:52But the bigger thing is that he, again, he's competing and he's in the, he understands
07:57this is a team deal, like, case in point, Devin Booker's used to playing the entire
08:02first quarter.
08:03Like he's used to playing the whole first quarter.
08:06And if he was cooking, Marnie Williams, stay out there.
08:10Frank Vogel, stay out there.
08:13He's playing like 14, 15 minutes before he comes out the game.
08:19No, you coming out at the five minute mark, every game, no matter what.
08:25I don't care how you play it.
08:26I don't care what it look like.
08:28I want you fresh at the end.
08:31I'm worried about the beginning, but I'm thinking long term.
08:35And that's something that Devin has had to adjust to.
08:38And it's been, it's been something where he's been like, he's bitching a couple of times.
08:41He's like, hey, man, I was used to playing the whole first quarter.
08:45You're like, well, yeah.
08:47And then he goes, well, but we're winning.
08:50So it's a big point.
08:52That's why I mean, a team guy, like he could easily right now be like, look, man, I don't
08:57know what's going on here.
08:58Like, I'm used to playing the whole first quarter.
09:00You know, I'm struggling sometimes to get a rhythm.
09:03But he's, he's holding on to sticking to the plan.
09:07And they're supposed to revisit the plan after 10 games.
09:10Well, they did 10 games.
09:11So I'm sure the next 48 hours, Devin is probably having a conversation with Boone Holds about
09:16the minutes.
09:18But as far as how he's fitting in with a team that's deeper and better and healthier with
09:24Bill, then he's able to show that he can still be that team.
09:29He can be that team guy.
09:30He doesn't have to take all the shots.
09:31Like those shots that he's passing up, if he takes those two years ago, he's not forcing
09:37shots.
09:39And I think that's a big part of the team concept for him.
09:42In a couple of games I've seen him play, it looks as though, and you have a better feel
09:46for this than I will, but it looks like he's just maturing as a player, kind of figuring
09:50out what does he need to give the game to be successful.
09:53And I know here in Boston, you know, it's almost the reverse because Jason Tatum is
09:57usually coming out at that five minute mark.
09:59But now Joe Mazzulla just doesn't care whether he's cooking or not.
10:02You play that whole first quarter and the result has been Jason Tatum has been leading
10:06the NBA in first quarter points per game pretty much the entire season.
10:11And I think coaches, it does take a minute to figure out what's the best role for your
10:15best players so that they can be the best version of themselves out there.
10:19And just looking at the Phoenix Suns, I tell you what, a healthy Bradley Beal makes a hell
10:24of a difference.
10:25Yeah, he does.
10:26Now, how much has his role changed with the addition of Tyus Jones and just really just
10:34the overall, because players tell you this all the time, that even when we bring the
10:38whole gang back, we are not going to be the same team from one year to the next.
10:42How has his role, Bradley Beal's role, how has that changed or evolved or been tweaked
10:47from last year where he was kind of in and out because of injuries and now he looks to
10:51be more like that dude that we saw in Washington before they decided that we ain't going to
10:58put nobody around you, so you got to do everything.
11:01When he actually had marginally decent players around him, he could be like a more all-around
11:06player.
11:07It seems like he's getting back to being that dude in Phoenix.
11:09Yes, yes.
11:10The big thing with Brad is he came into the season saying, I'm going to be a guy that
11:15takes on a defensive challenge.
11:19He literally said that.
11:20He said, I see this role.
11:21Y'all had the tape recorders going, right?
11:22Y'all had the cameras rolling, the tape, okay, just-
11:23Cameras were rolling.
11:24He's repeated a few times.
11:25That's what he said.
11:26Now, he's had to guard some guys and it's been like, wow, dude, this is a handful.
11:27What'd you say?
11:28Last night, Fox, Fox got it going at the end and it was like, he's younger, quicker, much
11:49faster, but he took on the challenge.
11:53He guarded Tyrese Maxey.
11:54Maxey hit him with a 30-piece.
11:55Still guarded him, though.
11:56You know what I mean?
11:57He still hung in there and checked him.
11:58As best he could.
11:59The funny thing about that is he said him and Maxey worked out together in the summer.
12:00He's like the same old Tyrese Maxey.
12:01He was doing it in the workout.
12:02He was doing it in the game, but he's taking on that challenge.
12:03He started doing it at the end of last season, but now he's figuring, okay, look, let me
12:04do that for this group.
12:05Then when it's time, I'm going to do it.
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17:18I'm going to do it.
17:19I'm going to do it.
17:20I'm going to do it.
17:21I'm going to do it.
17:22I'm going to do it.
17:23I'm going to do it.
17:24I'm going to do it.
17:25I'm going to do it.
17:26I'm going to do it.
17:27I'm going to do it.
17:28I'm going to do it.
17:29I'm going to do it.
17:30I'm going to do it.
17:31I'm going to do it.
17:32I'm going to do it.
17:33I'm going to do it.
17:34I'm going to do it.
17:35I'm going to do it.
17:36I'm going to do it.
17:37I'm going to do it.
17:38I'm going to do it.
17:39I'm going to do it.
17:40I'm going to do it.
17:41I'm going to do it.
17:42I'm going to do it.
17:43I'm going to do it.
17:44I'm going to do it.
17:45I'm going to do it.
17:46I'm going to do it.
17:47I'm going to do it.
17:48I'm going to do it.
17:49I'm going to do it.
17:50I'm going to do it.
17:51I'm going to do it.
17:52I'm going to do it.
17:53I'm going to do it.
17:54I'm going to do it.
17:55I'm going to do it.
17:56I'm going to do it.
17:57I'm going to do it.
17:58I'm going to do it.
17:59I'm going to do it.
18:00I'm going to do it.
18:01I'm going to do it.
18:02I'm going to do it.
18:03I'm going to do it.
18:04I'm going to do it.
18:05I'm going to do it.
18:06I'm going to do it.
18:07I'm going to do it.
18:08I'm going to do it.
18:09I'm going to do it.
18:10I'm going to do it.
18:11I'm going to do it.
18:12I'm going to do it.
18:13I'm going to do it.
18:14I'm going to do it.
18:15I'm going to do it.
18:16I'm going to do it.
18:17I'm going to do it.
18:18I'm going to do it.
18:19I'm going to do it.
18:20I'm going to do it.
18:21I'm going to do it.
18:22I'm going to do it.
18:23I'm going to do it.
18:24I'm going to do it.
18:25I'm going to do it.
18:26I'm going to do it.
18:27I'm going to do it.
18:28I'm going to do it.
18:29I'm going to do it.
18:30I'm going to do it.
18:31I'm going to do it.
18:32I'm going to do it.
18:33I'm going to do it.
18:34I'm going to do it.
18:35I'm going to do it.
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18:54I'm going to do it.
18:55I'm going to do it.
18:56I'm going to do it.
18:57I'm going to do it.
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18:59I'm going to do it.
19:00I'm going to do it.
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19:02I'm going to do it.
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19:12I'm going to do it.
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20:00I'm going to do it.
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20:20I'm going to do it.
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20:26I'm going to do it.
20:27I'm going to do it.
20:28I'm going to do it.
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20:30I'm going to do it.
20:31I'm going to do it.
20:32I'm going to do it.
20:33I'm going to do it.
20:34I'm going to do it.
20:35I'm going to do it.
20:36I'm going to do it.
20:37I'm going to do it.
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20:40I'm going to do it.
20:41I'm going to do it.
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20:44I'm going to do it.
20:45I'm going to do it.
20:46I'm going to do it.
20:47I'm going to do it.
20:48I'm going to do it.
20:49I'm going to do it.
20:50I'm going to do it.
20:51I'm going to do it.
20:52I'm going to do it.
20:53I'm going to do it.
20:54I'm going to do it.
20:55I'm going to do it.
20:56I'm going to do it.
20:57I'm going to do it.
20:58I'm going to do it.
20:59I'm going to do it.
21:00I'm going to do it.
21:01I'm going to do it.
21:02It looks very much like those type of game games.
21:06Yeah.
21:07But, you know, I think they really need like a really good team to win this thing this
21:12year because the Lakers won it last year and that did not work out so well for them.
21:17In fact, to the point where they got a new coach again.
21:23So I'm looking at like you guys will be and you guys are in Utah.
21:28You guys are playing them right tomorrow.
21:30Yeah.
21:31Yeah.
21:32Yeah.
21:33Yeah.
21:34Yeah.
21:35Yeah.
21:36How do you see this?
21:37I mean, do players and it sounds like have they been talking about this cup?
21:38No, I haven't heard one comment about the cup.
21:43Now, granted, has anyone asked them about it?
21:47No, but I don't know what's worse than nobody's asking them about it or them not talking about
21:53it.
21:54But who knows?
21:55This will be his first one.
21:56Remember last year he didn't coach.
21:57That's right.
21:58So he's excited.
21:59He's like, yeah, you know, I watched it on TV.
22:01And so that'll be something that will probably get the players attention.
22:04Okay.
22:05Yeah.
22:06He didn't do it last year.
22:07He's doing this.
22:08That's a good thing for them.
22:09And obviously you got guys, you know, you can make the money and then you can share
22:12it with the guys who aren't getting paid.
22:14So there's incentive in that way.
22:15It would be a good run for them, particularly if, you know, with the ramp being out right
22:21now.
22:22Right.
22:23If they were able to be in position to get to the quarterfinals and him missing, you
22:26know, a couple of these games, that would be huge for them.
22:30You know, it'd be huge for them to do that.
22:32I always find it interesting that when they do these type of things and it's like this
22:35big money pot out there and I'm thinking like, wait a minute, Jason Tatum making over 300
22:39million.
22:40Yeah.
22:41300 million.
22:42I mean, Sam Houser, you know, who was like, you know, one of the lower paid guys, he's
22:45getting like 8 million.
22:46And it's like, is this really?
22:48I mean, I understand the NBA is trying to create as many incentive based reasons for
22:53them to take this thing seriously, but I'm sorry, y'all, money ain't going to do it.
22:58What you're talking, I mean, you're not talking about, you know, like life changing wealth
23:03because they already did that.
23:05Right.
23:06They crossed that bridge.
23:07I mean, I mean, Sam Houser this summer, I'm speaking to him specifically because he could
23:11have easily played the game and hit free agency next summer, but he's like, nah, we're going
23:15to do this extension now.
23:16Listen, he's like, look, I got a baby on the way this fall.
23:21I ain't playing.
23:22Y'all give me, show me the money.
23:26It doesn't surprise me that players, they talk about it because it's like, what is there
23:30really to talk about?
23:31We don't play the games anyway.
23:32It's not like some days that we weren't going to play, but the one, but this is the thing
23:38about Phoenix though.
23:39And I really do like what I'm seeing in them is that, um, they just showing up to compete
23:45every game.
23:46Yeah.
23:47Some day you again, closer to the nine, but it just seems some, there was some days I
23:50watched him on TV and it was just like, they were kind of checked out by halftime.
23:55They weren't necessarily getting blown out, but they just weren't, there wasn't no sense
23:58of urgency in their play.
23:59I mean, could you talk a little bit about that, about, it seems like there's more of
24:02that now than it was a year ago.
24:05Well, in the off season, you know, you, you, you talk with people about, okay, what happened
24:10last year?
24:11Like, like, like, come on, man.
24:12Like what, what is it?
24:13Because it's basically the same team, you know, when they may add a tie is obviously
24:17Mason Plumlee who actually has been good.
24:19Uh, Monta Morris, he started out playing, he hasn't played hardly any last few games.
24:25So, um, because again, they, they're using Booker to play some of that point role when
24:29Tyus is out, even when Tyus is in, you know, he's kind of doing it a little bit, but from
24:34what I was told, it basically was like, you know, this is no disrespect to, to, to coach
24:40Vogel.
24:41Um, it just felt like I was told they were saying that accountability wasn't held for
24:47all the guys.
24:48You know, one guy do something, he gets no, nothing, nothing, not even that, no slap on
24:54the wrist.
24:55Nothing.
24:56Next guy does some, he gets chewed out.
24:58So they told, so guys are like, yo, man, like, what is this?
25:01You know, like you treating and everybody, look, everybody gets treated in my opinion,
25:07get treated differently.
25:08I mean, on NBA, particularly if you're the main guys, I can go back to Jim Calhoun when
25:12he told me about having, when he had Ben Gordon and Micah Okafor, he said, why am I going
25:18to treat those two the same as the rest of them?
25:21So there is part of that, but overall team vibe, it didn't sit well.
25:31So that's what's part of part of the problem.
25:33So then now who knows is coming in and right from the jump, all the players are saying
25:38he's holding everybody accountable, everybody, uh, guard your main individual pride.
25:45If you're not guarding your man, that's a problem.
25:47Um, share the ball, uh, you know, do the work.
25:52So he's holding everyone accountable.
25:53Now it's early, but guys have responded to that.
25:57And there's a pride that's kicked in at the end of games, like, no, we're not losing this
26:03game.
26:04You know, we're going to be tougher.
26:05We're going to, we're going to battle for the loose ball.
26:07We're going to battle for the office of rebound.
26:08We're going to do the little things that's going to be able to help us win the game.
26:13And the other part of that is, is that they aren't going to exactly this strange new stuff
26:19at the end of the game.
26:20Okay.
26:21The same stuff that was running in the first half, they get to the fourth quarter.
26:25They're going right to that.
26:27Okay.
26:28This is what we're reading.
26:29This situation, we do this on this half.
26:30We need that when that happens.
26:32So the, the, the structure of the offense is, is to the point where they know exactly
26:39where each other is supposed to be at all times, which makes it easier to execute.
26:43True.
26:44If you're in a situation where it's one, it's a one, five, one, one, four, you know,
26:50and the four guys just standing there watching Kevin Durant, Devin Booker do something, it's
26:53like, okay, that's easy to defend.
26:55Right.
26:56And not easy to defend anymore.
26:58Like now you have to really like, cause when that ball is moving, when they got it moving
27:03and it's going around the horn or guys dribbling, I mean, you look, I mean, they had Dallas
27:07one other night.
27:08They were like, oh man, they couldn't find the ball.
27:10Like they looked up, the ball was over here.
27:12Oh, that's open.
27:13Oh damn.
27:14That's open.
27:15That's open.
27:16Like, it's like a quarterback and he's got four receivers and he's like, two are going
27:21to be open based on what they see when they come down to court and where guys spot them.
27:27They didn't have that last year.
27:30And there's a tougher LA that Devin about Devin was like, you know, well, we, we went
27:34through some things last year.
27:36We're not trying to do that again.
27:39So it's memory.
27:40It's we're not going through.
27:42We're not going through that stretch again where we don't finish games.
27:45We're going to be mindful of what we, of what's working.
27:48And then Brunholz is out of timeout place.
27:53He's on it.
27:54Like, like he's coming up with stuff and you're like, Ooh, wow, that was wild.
27:57Oh yeah.
27:58He missed it.
27:59But that was wide open shot.
28:01Like so, so he is, he, for a guy who was viewed as a coach that get a ball to Giannis and
28:10get out the way he's doing more with this.
28:15And so that, I think that's playing a role in as well.
28:17Yeah.
28:18I mean, Brunholz, I mean, first of all, you're not going to find anyone who thinks that he's
28:21a bad coach.
28:22It's just that in Milwaukee, it felt as though that they were looking for something to be
28:28above and beyond what he was willing to do.
28:31And there was starting to be a little bit of decline and sometimes it's not even about
28:34a coach being a bad coach, just being a bad fit in that particular time.
28:39But the one thing about this Phoenix Suns team and you, you, and again, I think it's,
28:44it's, it's really important to talk about a little bit is that when you have all your
28:49weapons ready and available, you become extremely difficult to defend.
28:54And I mean, it's, you know, of all the things that people talk about the Boston Celtics
28:57that they do well, defending them is the one thing or being difficult to defend is the
29:02one thing that most teams have a lot of trouble with.
29:05Doc Rivers talked about this earlier this year when he's, you know, when, when they
29:09came to Boston and he was just like, I mean, they got five out, like literally almost every
29:15damn possession.
29:16They got five guys that can shoot the three.
29:18And when you talk about like cats who can like launch it, I mean, Tatum, Jalen, Al,
29:23Derrick White, Drew Holliday.
29:24I mean, and then you go to the bench, Sam Houser, that's literally his thing.
29:28That's why he's getting 8 million some James because of shooting the three.
29:31So they, there's a reason why they jacking like damn near 50 a game, but when you look
29:37at this Phoenix suns team and you look at the rest of the Western conference, obviously
29:40the goal, especially when you look at that payroll, damn, that's, that's some payroll
29:44something else.
29:46There is an expectation that this team is going to be one of, if not the last team standing
29:52out West, based on what you've seen from the sun's team, what's it going to take for them
29:58to be the last team standing out West.
30:00And do you think that they're built in a way that they can compete with and potentially
30:03dethrone the champions also Celtics?
30:06Again, I don't think, I just don't think they got enough to be Boston size wide size of
30:11the problem for the sons.
30:12If you want to look at a weakness, but just not a big team, um, you know, he's a big guy,
30:20but they're not big in the sense of upfront, like tires is six foot bill is six, three
30:26seven, six, five.
30:27But, you know, again, he's, he's playing a small forward type.
30:32I mean, when they started lineups, Bill's being introduced as a forward, like he's like,
30:37like, they're just not big, you know what I'm saying?
30:40That's this high school.
30:41Right.
30:42Right.
30:43It's not big enough.
30:44It's like, he's having to guard bigger dudes.
30:45So it's almost like, that's the issue.
30:47Like can they hold up against bigger teams?
30:51That's why the Lakers are a problem for him because Lakers are a big team.
30:55Like LeBron is, you know, okay, you put, okay, we'll put Kevin on LeBron now who's
30:59guarding Rui.
31:00Like Rui's like six, eight.
31:01Okay.
31:02That's Bill.
31:03It's like, you know, it's just, it's a size issue.
31:05So to me, that's, that, that, that, that could be what holds them up.
31:09But as far as offensively, you just named all the guys at Boston have, they can shoot
31:14it.
31:15I haven't even mentioned Royce O'Neal at one point here before this last game, he was 20
31:19of 38 from three.
31:21Damn.
31:22Like, like, like this just on fire.
31:24Like, I mean, just, just corner threes, the Suns find the corner three about as good as
31:29any behind the lead.
31:30You look at him like, okay, we all know that's the shot everybody won't get to, but they
31:34seem to be getting to it all the time.
31:38So you've got Royce, Grayson started rounding the shape more.
31:41So you got him, obviously Tyus, Devin, Kevin, even Nerkits, like that'll have them shoot
31:48more than that.
31:49Now, four of 19 fans, Brady just jumped through windows and they're like, why is this dude
31:56shooting these threes?
31:57What do you do after that?
31:59He had five straight, like, so it's in him to be, I mean, does he have to be a hot clip
32:04guy?
32:05No, but he, if he can just shoot in that 34, 35 range and he's your fifth guy out there
32:14shooting three.
32:15Now they've got the whole, all of it covered, just similar, similar to Boston.
32:20And I would be remiss if I didn't say this, one of the things that the Suns have gotten
32:25that's making them unique.
32:26And again, he's not going to be a major contributor.
32:28I'm getting ready to say this guy, but the rookie Ryan Dunn, this dude wants to guard
32:36everybody.
32:37He literally does not care who it is.
32:40I hear you, Luca gave him, gave him work.
32:47The Rosen gave him work.
32:50Guys have given him work, but he keeps coming back.
32:54He keeps coming back.
32:55He keeps coming back.
32:56And if nothing else, when he's out there, that means that Devin, Kevin, or Brad don't
33:04have to guard that guy, right?
33:06So even if it's for like a five minute stretch, that's five less minutes that you're stressing
33:12out the big three to have to guard when he did, like when they play Boston, you'll see
33:16done.
33:17He'll be on Tatum.
33:18He'll be, he'll be, he'll be up in his face, trying to press Tatum will hit him with the
33:22step back three or he'll go around him and Ryan will be like, okay, let's do it again.
33:28They'll set a screen for Tatum.
33:31He's trying to get around it.
33:33He, he's rejecting the switch.
33:34He's just like, no, I'm guarding guys.
33:37Now where he's at now is where he is.
33:42You know, to me, he's become like the second best perimeter defender on team next to Kevin.
33:46So where he is right now is one thing, but I'm thinking what he's going to be in April,
33:51right?
33:52In May, is he a guy that doubt when it gets time and you're in a series with Minnesota
33:58and Mike Boone said, you know what, Anthony Edwards, he's all yours.
34:05When you go in, I want you to harass, I want you to make him work.
34:09I want you to make him do that can be the difference in winning and losing.
34:13If he is able to defend in a certain clip and he went, he came into the, he came into
34:17the, with the team, not being able to hit threes, he was like a horrible making three
34:22and it didn't take a lot of Virginia, but he wasn't making any either summer league.
34:26He went one for whatever.
34:29He starts working with Kevin Durant off season, starts working with getting, getting the work
34:33here.
34:34Cause he's not a college kid anymore.
34:35He's a professional and that's his job.
34:38Now you leave him open, not a good idea.
34:41He's knocking him down.
34:42So if he is able to be a guy that he's in a rotation now and they can't, they can't,
34:47they can't take him out of it.
34:48He has started the three games that either bill or the rent has been out, but that tells
34:54you what they think about him for him to be starting when they could be starting Royce
34:57or Grayson or somebody else.
35:00He is someone that if he is able to keep developing and getting better and better and
35:04better come April and May, he could be a factor.
35:09Will he be the reason they win a championship?
35:10No.
35:11Will he be a reason that they win a series?
35:13No, but maybe in a game of a series, he can help you win that game.
35:19So they have a deep team to the point that Bobo has not played one second.
35:32Not one.
35:33I was so wrong about that dude, man.
35:34I thought he was going to set the world on fire, man.
35:36He can't even, I mean, he ain't even can't even let a damn candle get about set the world
35:41on fire.
35:42Get a brother light a candle up in this mug.
35:44Bruno said he going to help him win games, but right now he's not even playing games.
35:53I keep thinking back to what Fran Fasola said about, about a young fella in Toronto being
35:57two years away from me and two years away.
35:59Don't do it.
36:00I hope Bo, I hope Bo was a little bit closer than that, but damn, uh, cause I, I just thought
36:06it was going to be really good.
36:07I thought it was going to be really good, really soon and that it ain't, it's not looking
36:10that way.
36:11I mean, again, I think the bottom line is to answer your question, cause I kind of went
36:14on a tangent, but to answer your question, I think the Suns are top 14.
36:18I think Denver is starting to figure it out.
36:20It's almost like Mike Malone finally got a hold of him and say, look, man, I'm going to
36:24be me.
36:25Y'all don't like this.
36:26So what?
36:27I'm going to be me who I am.
36:28Y'all either, you know, you know, this is how this rolls.
36:31This is how it rolls.
36:32And so they're playing better.
36:34Um, okay.
36:35See, huge, huge injury with Chad and that just, it just hurts, man.
36:39Like, like they were playing so well and now, you know, they're going to take a step
36:43back.
36:44Even when a Hardenstein comes back, you know, they're still going to take a step back.
36:47So, so the door is opening a little bit for things to get, to get off to this start.
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38:14What time is it?
38:15Game time.
38:16I ask you because you saw them play Golden State for real or not?
38:22Uh, no.
38:23Okay.
38:24I think they're good.
38:25I think they're a playoff team, but when you say good, I think of, is this a team that
38:29I think the way they're constructed are good enough to get to the conference finals or
38:34NBA finals?
38:35The answer to your question is no.
38:36Okay.
38:37I think, I think Phoenix is better than them.
38:39I would take Golden State or excuse me, I would take, um, Denver over them.
38:43I would take Minnesota over them there.
38:46To me, best case scenario is for them to be one of being like fifth or sixth in the West.
38:51I think there are a handful of teams that in a best of seven would beat them because
38:55the problem for them, I think right now is they're relying on so many guys to play that
39:02you, you are.
39:03You know that once you get to the playoffs, that rotation shrinks are the guys who now
39:07all of a sudden being asked to play larger roles going to be able to maintain those role
39:10or will curb, try to roll this thing out and just play 10, 11 guys all season long, which
39:16we know Dan.
39:17Well, that's what you do when you don't have a really good team and you're trying to get
39:21to the playoffs.
39:22I saw my Stevens do it.
39:23I saw it happen when I was in Detroit and those teams, they were like, look, if we could
39:27just get to the playoffs, we got to play 11 to 12 guys just to get to the damn playoffs.
39:31The state seems to be pulling out that, that, that training and then direction.
39:34Yeah.
39:35Yeah.
39:36But they're, they're, they're dangerous.
39:37And they obviously, I mean, they, they, you know, they gave the Celtics trouble for sure.
39:41But if we're talking a best of seven, I feel really good.
39:45If I'm playing Golden State, if that's what I got to see in the first round now beyond
39:51them, like you, do you touch on with, with Chad and okay.
39:55See, that's, that's tough, man, because that wasn't, that's the team that I thought was
39:59coming out of the West this year.
40:01And if he's not able to go this year, you're right, man.
40:04I mean, you can see at least three or four other teams easily slipping in there and being
40:10that team to be, uh, and you know, and you know, the way Phoenix is playing, especially
40:17if you got cats, cause look, you, you, you're talking about done, you know, not only is
40:21it five minutes, you ain't got to worry about, you know, your core guys on Tatum that's six
40:25files, homie.
40:26That's six files.
40:27Right.
40:28Exactly.
40:29And he's using them.
40:30He's using them.
40:31That's six files that none of the core guys are going to be racking up.
40:34So to me, to me, it's like, yeah, we'll play this dude.
40:39Hell yeah.
40:40It's like getting physical and, and you know, frustrating Tatum and Jalen and, and making
40:44him look at the refs, like refs call this fool.
40:46He's all over him.
40:47Right.
40:48Right.
40:49Right.
40:50Who is right?
40:51Right.
40:52Because if he's thinking about getting you off of him, that means he thinking about
40:53dropping his 28 foot in your face.
40:55Right.
40:56That means he ain't thinking about beating you off the dribble and dunking on your six
40:58foot six center or whatever you got, you know, because Tatum, I, I do think when they play
41:03fate is Tatum, he's going to dunk on Bradley Beal at some point.
41:07And that's his boy.
41:08They love each other.
41:09That's St. Louis.
41:10They put him in the loop.
41:11Right.
41:12Yeah.
41:13I mean, but Tatum, Tatum, he's not talking about it, but Tatum got a little list.
41:16He got a list, uh, you know, and especially after the Olympics, uh, he's, you know, he's
41:22still fit.
41:23He's still in his feelings about that.
41:27He won't talk about it until he's asked about it.
41:29And even when he tries to say that, I'm not really thinking about that.
41:32He all of a sudden starts talking about it.
41:33So you realize real quick, he ain't forgotten about it.
41:37He's still got a little bit.
41:38Yeah.
41:39He's still a little salty about that.
41:40Wow.
41:41I'll tell you what though, man, I am really hoping that the Celtics handle their business
41:48in the east, especially considering there's only two teams that are playing above 500
41:51basketball.
41:52It's bad.
41:53Yeah.
41:54I mean, it, I mean, it is looking like, yo, look, it's a survivor in the east, yo.
41:57Right.
41:58Right.
41:59It's like Cleveland and Boston have made it to the next Island and the rest of them are
42:02just like, you got like 13 teams trying to get in a boat for like four or five.
42:09And it's just like, everyone's got a shot.
42:13I hope that Phoenix emerges because look, first of all, y'all literally, y'all should
42:20be that much as much, as much as y'all team payroll is.
42:22Right.
42:23Right.
42:24Like Yankees, Dodgers.
42:25Like, yeah, you should make it.
42:27And just for completely selfish reasons, I would love to spend June and Phoenix.
42:32What?
42:33What?
42:34Yes.
42:35What's wrong with Minnesota?
42:36You don't like Minnesota?
42:37Look, man, Minnesota is great in, in, in like July and August when I got no games to cover
42:43and the beautiful weather.
42:44And I got to do nothing but just sit back, listen to my prints and, uh, and go to, and
42:49go to, I got, I got a, Hey, I got a spot in Minnesota makes great smoothies.
42:53That's no question.
42:54Oh really?
42:55It's like that?
42:56They got some of the best, this one spot makes some of the best movies you've ever had.
43:00And that's literally all I got in Minnesota.
43:02I got, I, there's, I, it ain't like Atlanta, right, right, right, right, right, right, right.
43:08We're going to win a pepper wing spots that we can, that we can take.
43:11Yes.
43:12Yes.
43:13We ain't got them in, in, in Minnesota, but, uh, you know, shout out to Minnesota, man.
43:17I'm just asking.
43:18I'm just asking, you know, uh, cause I was in Minnesota for two games and, and I thought
43:23I was going back for a game five and didn't happen.
43:26No, no, no, but they may, it may be different if they play this year.
43:31So I got a shot.
43:33I mean, I'll get me wrong.
43:34I asked you to see me in a month and you've seen me, you know, a month into this month
43:39into the season, but about what, three weeks into the season, two weeks into the season.
43:46I mean, I can't, I mean, look, they look good.
43:48I mean, and, and the other part of it all is like, they hit on two of the three free
43:55agents with tires and plump, they hit with those.
44:00Whereas last year, they brought in all those dudes and half of them ain't even in the league
44:07right now.
44:08That's what I'm saying.
44:09You know, you know, you had a rough summer when like half the cash you bring in ain't
44:12even in the damn league the next year.
44:14Right.
44:15I mean, that means that means 29 other teams just like, nah, we good.
44:18We good.
44:19We good.
44:20We good.
44:21That's what I mean.
44:22Like, so they hit on that.
44:23They hit on the draft picks.
44:25They hit, they hit a far more higher percentage this off season than they did last off season.
44:34And that's, to me, that's the difference in everything.
44:37Like that gets, the core is the same, but the Tyus Jones pickup, the way Kevin's been
44:44Devin, figuring it out, getting other guys involved.
44:48And, you know, he can go on for 40 like he has already.
44:51Bill, healthy, Nurkic, they just go ahead and just, they're just, they're just, there's
44:58not a lot of centers, centers in the league.
45:02It just isn't.
45:03Like, so, so you hear people, oh, well, they should do something.
45:07For what?
45:08What you going to get in return?
45:09Right.
45:10I mean, you're not getting, I mean, it just, you know, look.
45:14He can rebound.
45:16He's not a guy that finishes inside, but, you know, he's got to double, double the last
45:22three games prior to this last one.
45:24So he can produce, it's all matchup driven with Nurkic.
45:27Anthony Davis, problem.
45:29But Anthony Davis is a problem for everyone.
45:33So you can live with some of that.
45:36If you can, if you can offset it with Kevin Durant.
45:40And the last thing I'll leave you with is on the, on the getting back to Durant because
45:44the way he's been playing.
45:46Obviously, we know about the leadership deal where, you know, K, you know, him and Stephen,
45:50they went back and forth on their latest bout.
45:52So it's all good.
45:53You know, it really is.
45:55I mean, I mean, I mean, Durant and I addressed leadership last year.
45:59So this is nothing new.
46:00This is just a redo of that, which is fine.
46:03But there was a situation against Dallas.
46:07And one of the things that Kevin hasn't gotten credit for is in-game leadership.
46:14He gets after dudes.
46:16And he got after Yusef Nurkic like nobody's business against Dallas.
46:22Nurkic was complaining about a foul call and Kevin was rolled up on him.
46:30I don't want to hear that.
46:32Like pass the ball.
46:34What are you doing?
46:36And he smacked him on the chest like, come on, man.
46:39Let's play.
46:40Right.
46:41That is an element of him that I'm seeing more and more of.
46:47Like they get after guys.
46:49Now, is that something that he can, you know, because Bruno is basically saying,
46:55I'm staying on him about that.
46:57Right.
46:58I want him to continue to do that for us because we need him to be that in this situation.
47:04Yeah.
47:05Like that part of him, you want to see that particularly in crunch time moments
47:11or moments like that where it's starting to go astray.
47:14And he goes, no, no.
47:16Quit that.
47:17Get out of the ref's face.
47:18I ain't trying to hear that.
47:19I ain't trying to see that from you.
47:21Dude, get your game together.
47:23Forget what just happened.
47:24Get your game together.
47:25You just missed the play right there.
47:27What are you doing to be sitting up here arguing with the ref?
47:30Now, granted, he got on Nurkic last year.
47:32It was quiet as hell.
47:34I can tell you after games, asking what he said to me during the game.
47:38He gets at Nurkic, you know, from time to time.
47:42But in the way that he did it in his last game, his game against Dallas,
47:46and nip and tuck, nip and tuck game.
47:49And who came through at the end of the game?
47:51Nurkic.
47:53Now, is that because Kevin Durant got on his case?
47:56Don't know.
47:58But it sure got his attention.
48:00Yeah, it got his attention.
48:03But part of what's happening with KD, which I absolutely can relate to,
48:07is there comes a time when you reach that, what I like to call,
48:11double-platinum OG status, where you just say whatever the hell is on your mind.
48:16And you know that it's coming from a place of wisdom, experience,
48:20and you want to do what I do because I am better than you.
48:24And so it would be in your best interest to listen to me
48:28because I'm better than you.
48:30If it gets to the point where you keep acting up
48:32and they got to make some decision,
48:34guess who ain't going to be moved?
48:36OG.
48:40If you want to stay with the crew,
48:42you need to do what I say.
48:45I like to see that about KD because he's earned the right
48:48to get in your face and say whatever the hell he want to.
48:50He's a bad man still.
48:55Well, look, man, this has been awesome.
48:57Hanging out with my man, Dwayne Rankin,
48:59on the Big 3 NBA Podcast.
49:01Dwayne Rankin of the Phoenix Suns.
49:03The Phoenix Suns insider for the Arizona Republic.
49:05I'm so through with you.
49:07Award-winning.
49:09Mr. Scully himself.
49:11Huntington.
49:13Marshall University.
49:15I'm so through with you. I don't know.
49:17One of the gums of Marshall.
49:19My man.
49:21My man.
49:23I appreciate you, brother, as always.
49:25Yes, sir.
49:27Absolutely.
49:29This is it.
49:31Another edition of the Big 3 NBA Podcast.
49:33This is Rob Blakely signing out for Dwayne Rankin.
49:35We out.
49:37Peace, people.