What needs to be remembered about Phoenix ahead of tonight’s game?
For tonight’s Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Phoenix Suns should feel confident about their chances to tie up the series. Over the last few months, the Valley has shown that when they suffer a demoralizing or gigantic defeat, they get back on their feet and put up a valiant effort in the next contest.
Those Suns need to be on display tonight to tie up the series and take back home court as the series shifts to Phoenix.
Independent of Grayson Allen’s status, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have to play like the best players on the court, something they did not do in Game 1. With Minnesota holding a gigantic size advantage, outrebounding Phoenix 52-28 on Saturday, the Suns’ stars must outplay Minnesota’s to cancel out their size disadvantage. Fortunately for Phoenix, in the two Game 2’s Devin Booker has played in after losing in Game 1, he elevates his game.
Devin Booker in Game 2s following Game 1 losses in the playoffs:
36.5 PPG
3.0 RPG
7.5 APG
55/53/100%Don’t count him out yet. pic.twitter.com/Dcfg8SqTZc
— Booker Muse (@DevinBookerMuse) April 22, 2024
Booker scored 18 points on 5-16 shooting in Game 1.
For the Suns to win the series, Anthony Edwards can’t be the best player on the court as he was in Game 1. Combined with Minnesota’s continuity, depth, and size, they have too many other advantages that make it lopsided if Booker and Durant aren’t playing at a high level.
The Suns’ dismantling of the Timberwolves on the last day of the regular season feels ages ago although it happened on April 14th. The advantages that the Suns have are still very much intact. Still possessing a dynamic offense, Phoenix is an improved defensive team that gave Anthony Edwards many issues on offense in the regular season. The team built massive leads in all three games against Minnesota, defeating them all three times by double-digits.
The 56-26 No. 3 seeded Timberwolves did what good teams do in Game 1. They protected their home court and defended themselves from a team that perpetually had their number and punked them in their last outing.
It is time for the Suns to show the Timberwolves who they are. A win tonight gives Phoenix the advantage with the series shifting back to the Valley, where they perform well. From December 26th to the end of the regular season, the Suns were the fourth-best home team in the league; they posted an 18-7 record at the Footprint Center.
A loss puts the Suns in a difficult hole, forcing them to win four of five games to win the series. The Suns could not dig out of being down 2-0 last year against the Denver Nuggets in the second round, leading to their elimination.
With two days rest between games, Phoenix’s play in tonight’s Game 2 will impact the state of the series when it heads to the West Coast on Friday for Game 3.