After dominating the Timberwolves during the regular season, the Suns find themselves in a precarious position. They are down 0-2 in the series against the top defense in the NBA. What’s the saying? “Defense wins championships”? Phoenix possesses one of the greatest scoring trios this league has ever seen, but the Wolves’ defense is winning.
The first two games of the series were eerily similar. The Suns struggled but survived through the first two-and-a-half quarters. The physicality caught up to them, they petered out at the end and lost both by double digits.
And now, the Suns limp home.
There are plenty of questions that need to be answered. Where is the grit? Where is the connectivity? Where is the fight, the care, and the competitiveness? This version of the Phoenix Suns has every fan on edge, which can be a dangerous thing in the postseason at home.
This is Phoenix. Every season ends in a loss. Every time we feel the slightest sense of excitement, it comes with a dash of subconscious paranoia. We know the moment we feel any joy and elation, it is a cruel setup for heartbreak and disappointment. And then the summer starts in the desert…
It is this fractured fan base that the Suns are hoping can get behind them and help right the series.
“We need them more than anything,” Kevin Durant said, referencing the Phoenix faithful. “I know it’s been a disappointing couple of games, even the season for the fans, but we need you more than ever now. Coming back home for Game 3.”
The Suns need the fans, but the fans needed more from the Suns in the first two games. Due to their lack of fire, I feel it will be tense inside the Footprint Center tomorrow night. The murmurs will begin when the Timberwolves put a run on the Suns. The tension will rise. Nervousness will permeate to the top level.
The arena will attempt to drown it out with piped-in chants of “defense”, but counterfeit decibels will not persuade the energy level. We’ve seen and felt it before. I was in the building during Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets last year. I saw Game 7 against the Dallas Mavericks the year prior. We are a high-strung, anxious, skittish fan base.
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