Dallas Mavericks striker Tim Hardaway Jr. on the left defends Phoenix Suns goalie E’Twaun Moore (55) in the first half during an NBA basketball game on Monday, February 1, 2021, in Dallas. (Photo AP / Richard W. Rodriguez)
The Phoenix Suns were celebrated in the off-season by changing trade with Chris Paul and attracting a Jae Crowder with a tough agency toughness.
Before playing his 20th game of the season, it became clear that what General Manager James Jones did from that moment on, completing the list, also matters, especially as the NBA pushes during the pandemic.
He showed up Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
As the Mavs started to gain steam and opened up an 11-point lead with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter, Suns coach Monty Williams replaced his top three players: Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Paul.
Langston Galloway, E’Twaun Moore and Frank Kaminsky joined. In the final five minutes of the quarter, Phoenix scored five points, setting up a fourth quarter that ended with Booker hitting a winning shot of the game and Luka Doncic missed his last second to complete the Suns victory.
With Phoenix already down, big man Dario Saric (health and safety protocols) and backup guard Cam Payne (foot), was an extremely impressive example of how the usually overlooked list building process went.
Galloway followed Moore this offseason, joining the Suns with minimal contracts for veterans late in the free agency process. Maybe that felt redundant for a backyard that already included re-signed Jevon Carter.
Now, that duo has played the last three games as backup minutes.
“I can only play. Whether it’s a zone defense or a man, I think they have experience, “Williams said Tuesday. “You can follow those guys who communicate on the floor, I know what to say and even if they are not as fast in certain songs, they are usually in the right place.
“They managed to organize us. The movement of the ball with that group and the movement of the player with Langston, E’Twaun and Frank (Kaminsky) … we want to continue to grow that. Those guys give us great success when they come into play. They have great shots in the attack. ”
Moore, who has been rotating in the last four games, has taken on the duties of initiating the game and brings enough change from the jump.
In Williams’ eyes, Moore, who has a floating game and can hit with three open, gave up a few too many shots because he is so focused on ordering the offense.
Galloway, who joined the league six years ago, is evolving into a pure off-ball shooter.
He blows his career shooting averages (40% overall and 37% of the three-point range) out of the water so far, connecting 49% of his photos and the same percentage of depth.
Abdel Nader, who joined the Suns team at the Paul trade in Oklahoma City, gave Phoenix the chance to fall off the wing late, and Williams made sure on Tuesday not to leave him out of Kaminsky when he discussed his second drive. had more than its weight.
The big man that the Suns didn’t sign again this season and took after he was dropped by the Sacramento Kings before the start of the regular season is, of course, more comfortable right now. Playing almost exclusively as a reserve center after the end of last season, doing the same gave him continuity.
“Just being vocal in defense, I know where I need to be, I know our coverages,” Kaminsky said. “That’s why I became better and better in my career. It was a little difficult at first, especially last year. It’s a different set of coatings. ”
Three games back against the Golden State Warriors, Kaminsky had two decisive passes from a triple-double, a sign of his role as offensive initiator linking the ball from the strong to the weak.
It became a similar role that Saric forged in the balloon to end last season.
Saric will probably regain that role in the next few days, once he is allowed to play. The same may be true for Payne, who plays at a high level before an ankle and foot injury. This duo and Carter, who is healthy, offers the Suns options, at least.
Williams doesn’t care that Jones gave him such depth.
Asked on Tuesday about Carter’s current role and how he could fight back in rotation, the head coach said it well: “It’s very hard to play so many guys.”