The Phoenix Suns won their first preseason game under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, beating the LA Lakers 118-114. It was a big come-from-behind victory as they were down by as many as 16 points in the game.
Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal played 14 minutes each, only appearing in the first half. LeBron James and Anthony Davis starred for the Lakers after sitting out of their first preseason fixture. The pair combined for 36 points.
Mike Budenholzer’s Impact Evident in First Suns Preseason Game
Budenholzer Wants Suns Shooting More Threes
Throughout training camp, the need to shoot more threes has been greatly emphasized by Budenholzer. Speaking on media day, Beal revealed his new head coach pulled him aside and showed him some plays where he could have taken a three, but instead turned the ball over. Asked about his thoughts on the Suns as a team shooting more, Beal stated, “We don’t have a choice.”
Will the Suns take more 3s under coach Mike Budenholzer?
Bradley Beal: "Well, we don't have a choice." pic.twitter.com/aA4l4qpX04
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) October 1, 2024
The stars are buying into the philosophy and it was evident in their first preseason game. Against the Lakers they took 39 threes, making 16. At half-time, they had already made nine of 21 attempts. Booker was not hesitant in getting his shot off from deep, with five of his first nine shot attempts from beyond the three-point line. He converted his first three, ending with 12 points.
Ten Suns players attempted at least three three-pointers. This includes rookie Ryan Dunn and Josh Okogie who drained two each. This is a welcome development for Budenholzer if it can be sustained, as the pair are defensive specialists with limited offensive arsenals. It could make for some very difficult rotational decisions down the line.
For Dunn, his chances of earning meaningful minutes are increased with greater offensive production. He certainly staked a claim in his first Suns appearance, taking six threes and succeeding from the corner. Should he continue this growth, he can become a crucial two-way player and move to the forefront of Budenholzer’s thinking.
Improvements Clear Already
Last season, the Suns only attempted 32.6 threes a game, ranking 25th in the NBA. The two Finals teams, the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, were the top two in this category with 42.5 and 39.5 threes attempted per game, respectively. It was even worse in the playoffs, as the Suns were last in three-point attempts with 26 per game.
It was a big factor in why they were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. The Timberwolves had the best defense, and the Suns’ mid-range heavy offense was easy to stop. The reluctance to shoot threes was odd, given the team possessed two of the league’s best three-point shooters in Grayson Allen and Durant. Allen led the league with a three-point percentage of 46.1%. Former head coach Frank Vogel regularly made the point of increasing their volume, but it never translated onto the court.
This year, they will hope for a different story. The players believe it too. Whilst they took 39 attempts in their preseason opener, Booker feels they can increase that number saying, “I still think we had a look at a few more.”
The Suns will have the opportunity to do so in their next preseason game against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.
"I still think we had a look at a few more."
"The quicker we can ramp up the communication, the better."
Devin Booker on 3s and defense in Suns win vs. Lakers.
Suns-Pistons at Michigan St. Tuesday.
Spartans "runner-up" to UK for Booker, who is from nearby Grand Rapids. #Suns pic.twitter.com/h8hSUIbqQI
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 7, 2024
