The Suns were heavy underdogs heading into their match against the Celtics yesterday, and with reason. They held the league’s second-worst road record and the second-worst overall slate, and faced a hostile crowd cheering for the hosts who, in stark contrast, boasted of the second-lowest number of home losses. Yet, they were confident of their capacity to compete, and not simply because they hitherto appeared to be on a roll. As far as they were concerned, they possessed both talent and resolve to claim their first four-game winning run in nearly four years.
As things turned out, the Suns did go on to triumph, much to the chagrin of the 18,624 fans at the TD Garden. And they did so after spotting the Celtics 11 points in the first quarter. At any other time in the not-so-distant past, the double-digit deficit would have deflated them. Not yesterday; instead, it spurred them to show that they could hang with the acknowledged best of the best in the league. No doubt, their effort was borne of pride; if nothing else, they strove to disabuse observers of the notion that they don’t play to win.
Parenthetically, the Suns’ current mindset is informed by persistent contentions that they’re out to tank their campaign. Among other questionable decisions, they let go of would-be free agents early, never mind the possible use of expiring contracts as trade leverage. As interim general manager James Jones explained, however, there is logic to the seeming madness. Tyson Chandler had to be waived to allow for the development of highly regarded Richaun Holmes, while Austin Rivers’ refusal to be part of a rebuild led to the cutting of ties.
After eight roster moves, the Suns look to finally have normalcy, and they’re reaping the dividends. The small sample size notwithstanding, there can be no downplaying the strides they’ve made. Yesterday, for instance, they proved inferior to the Celtics in several key categories; they shot worse, had fewer assists, and committed more turnovers and fouls. Yet, they succeeded in climbing out of a hole, pulling away, and then holding on for the win precisely because of determination; they gathered 19 more rebounds — and, as a result, took 11 more shots — than their opponents.
Who’s to say how long the Suns will ride the wave? Considering their relative lack of depth, there is cause to argue that they’re actually better off being bad than being, well, mediocre. Don’t tell that to them, though; they’re out to win, and how.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
