Game Recap: More progress from Summer Suns as offense collapses late in loss to Pacers

The Phoenix Suns’ offense crumbled in the final minutes of a 98-94 loss to the Indiana Pacers in their second game of Las Vegas Summer League.

The offense had devolved into bad shots late in the clock, oftentimes without any separation and deep into the mid-range, a bad shot for those not named Devin Booker or Kevin Durant.

Of course, this is Summer League, and we’re not watching for wins; we’re watching for progress. Several Suns showed more progress in their second outings in the purple and orange. Let’s get into it.

Try something the next time you watch the Summer Suns: take your eyes away from the ball and just watch Ryan Dunn on defense for possessions at a time. It’s an experience almost sure to induce at least one set of chills.

Dunn’s footwork is so elite that you don’t even wonder about his positioning, and his hands are even better. I was so impressed that the question “When was the last time we saw a Suns defender with hands this good?” ran across my mind. (For what it’s worth, I think it’s probably Jevon Carter.)

If I had a complaint about his defense, he can stay attached to screens too long before deciding whether to go over or under, leaving enough time for the ball handler to get a 3-pointer up. Pacers forward Jarace Walker found the net on two such 3s. That could have been part of the gameplan though, as Vegas head coach Vince Legarza may have wanted to test Walker’s ability to hit the long ball. This time, that cost the Suns.

Back on the plus side, his athleticism in transition is truly dazzling when he’s able to capitalize on good defense. Feel free to wonder when the last time we saw a Suns athlete so dynamic. (It’s Kelly Oubre.)

There was also the weird experience I had opening the box score after what felt like a very impactful first half from Dunn only to see he was 1-for-5 from the floor with one assist and not another counting stat in sight. Guys with an ability to impact the game away from the box score can carve out playing time on the Suns, given how high usage at the top of the roster is.

By the end, his stat line showed four points, two rebounds, two assists, and one block. He tried four 3s on Tuesday after trying three on Saturday. Still waiting on our first make, but it’s nice to see him keeping the attempts up despite it. In two games He needs these reps.

On another defensive note, on one possession, Ighodaro chopped the ball away from his man, picked it up, and ran the break, finding his first assist of Summer League off a transition bounce pass between defenders.

He was a menace in the first half, buzzing around for four steals in his first 10 minutes. In total, his first half also included eight points on two shots (2-for-2 FG, 4-for-4 FT) and three assists. The more I see from him, the more sure I feel that he will give Mason Plumlee all he can handle on the depth chart for that backup big spot.

Jalen Bridges also made his presence felt all over the court by defending, screening and moving off the ball. Hitting a couple of 3s didn’t hurt either.

Impressions from the Rest of the Roster

Quinndary Weatherspoon had some nice moments, like an eight-point run that saw him hit back-to-back pull-up 3s before finishing in the paint through contact, but that run was slightly mitigated for me by him complaining for a foul after the final bucket and committing a bad foul of his own on the ensuing Pacers possession. That can be the sort of thing that bugs team evaluators, not showing the fortitude to continue playing hard when the whistle doesn’t go your way.

Isaiah Wong came in to provide some solid minutes, just like I pinpointed in the preview. He pushes the pace in a way that really opens up Dunn and Ighodaro in a way Boo Buie and Michael Devoe don’t necessarily capture from the starting backcourt. Maybe Wong can get a start at some point in Vegas. He hit a nice emergency jumper and-one to give the Suns a lead late in the game.

Speaking of Buie and Devoe, when you include Tyson Walker, this roster is filled with guards who love to say “Let me cook” when the ball is in their hands. Our Brandon Duenas made this great point, which can apply to Weatherspoon’s situation as well:

David Roddy started to look the part of a former first-round pick entering his third year with a nice putback finish to end the third that spring-boarded him into a memorable fourth quarter. He finished with 16 points and used his wide frame to grab 12 rebounds, both team-highs for Phoenix’s first double-double of the session.