The Phoenix Suns’ 5-6 start comes with a few easy explanations. They’ve dealt with a brutal schedule - ESPN’s strength-of-schedule metrics say they’ve faced the third-toughest slate in the NBA through 11 games - and there are still questions around Jalen Green settling into the roster. Miles Bridges, too, is still working his way into a new team, a new system and new responsibilities.
But the biggest issue is staring them right in the face, and it’s not going away on its own: the Suns are getting hammered at the rim and on the glass.
The shot profile tells the story. Last season, Phoenix ranked 29th in the league in field goal attempts within five feet of the basket, averaging 23.7 per game.
This year, that number is 23.5, which is fifth fewest in the NBA. That’s a problem for a team that brought in Green, whose athleticism should help him get downhill, and Bridges, who was expected to add some physicality and pressure around the basket.
Through 11 games, neither player has changed that reality in any meaningful way.
And the rebounding numbers are even worse.
Phoenix is last in the NBA in rebounds per game at 38.9, a full 10 boards behind the Minnesota Timberwolves, who lead the league at 48.9. The Suns also sit 30th in rebounding percentage at 45.2%, which means opponents are consistently winning the possession battle.
That shows up in the points column, too. The Suns are allowing 18.1 second-chance points per game, second most in the league, while producing just 12.8 of their own, second fewest. That’s a rough mix: opponents are getting extra looks, and Phoenix isn’t creating enough second opportunities to balance it out.
Thursday night’s win over Charlotte offered a fresh reminder of how bad it can get. Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, two players Phoenix leans on for interior presence, combined for five rebounds in a game the Suns lost the rebounding battle by 21.
Shall I go on?
The larger issue is that this is the kind of flaw that can drag a team down all season. Size is size. You can stress boxing out, you can drill positioning, you can demand more effort, but there’s only so much coaching can do when a roster keeps running into a physical disadvantage.
It hurts Phoenix on both ends. Defensively, the Suns can do plenty right on a possession - rotate, contest, force a tough shot - and still see it all erased when they can’t finish the stop with a rebound.
That means the possession keeps going, the defense has to reset, and the opponent gets another crack. Offensively, the lack of rim pressure creates its own mess.
If defenses don’t fear what happens when Phoenix gets inside, they can crowd the perimeter, close out harder and make life tougher for ball handlers. That may help explain why the Suns are also averaging the second-fewest free throw attempts per game in the NBA.
It’s a tough combination for a team that doesn’t have enough offensive firepower to simply outscore its problems. The Suns can survive a hard schedule.
They can work through the early-season adjustment period. They can keep tinkering with rotations and responsibilities.
But being one of the league’s worst teams at attacking the rim, rebounding and limiting second chances is a much bigger issue.
I’m trying to find a little optimism in all of this. The Suns are 5-6, they’ve played one of the toughest schedules in the league, and they have plenty of areas that need improvement.
But we’re still early enough in the season for adjustments to matter. Jalen Green can find his footing.
Miles Bridges can become more comfortable in his role. The coaching staff can experiment with lineups and find better ways to generate opportunities around the basket.
None of that is guaranteed to solve the rebounding problem, and the lack of size remains a legitimate concern. But this team doesn’t need to become a dominant interior force overnight.
It needs to become more competitive in the areas that are currently costing it possessions and points. If Phoenix can make even modest progress there, there’s still plenty of season left to build something worthwhile.
The problems are real, but so is the opportunity to get better.
In Other News...
Suns Linked To Bold Backcourt Move As Fit Questions Grow
The Suns backcourt chatter has started to pick up again, and this one comes with a familiar kind of intrigue: a big-name guard, a possible change of scenery and a fan base already trying to connect the dots. Dejounte Murray has been the subject of rumors about wanting out of New Orleans, and some Suns fans have floated the idea of a swap centered on Jalen Green as a way to reshape the perimeter around Phoenixs core.
For the Suns, the appeal is obvious enough. Murray brings a different style and could address some of the fit questions that come with Green, while the Pelicans would be weighing whether Greens upside is worth the risk of moving on from a proven guard. Nothing official has been reported, but the discussion says plenty about where Phoenixs roster conversation is headed, and how quickly one bold idea can turn into a real debate about what this team needs most. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Could Catch A Break With One Key Lakers Supporter
The Lakers are still sorting through a few injury questions ahead of their matchup with the Suns, but the biggest name on the report appears headed in the right direction. Luka Doncic is expected to be available after turning his ankle in a recent win, while Austin Reaves remains day-to-day with a heel injury and the team has opted against additional imaging.
There are other moving parts as well, with Collin Sexton day-to-day after a collision that required stitches and Quentin Grimes showing progress from a finger sprain. For Phoenix, the broader picture is simple enough: any uncertainty around the Lakers rotation matters, especially when a key contributor like Reaves is still being monitored and the status of the supporting cast remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Early Surge Cant Hide One Growing Lineup Problem
The Suns have steadied themselves after a rough opening, winning four of their last five and nudging back toward respectability at 5-6. There have been signs of progress under Jordan Ott, especially on the defensive end, where the group has looked sharper than it did early on, even as rebounding and overall cohesion still lag behind the better teams in the West.
But the early surge has not erased the bigger lineup question hovering over Phoenix. The fit of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges remains a work in progress, and Greens uneven play has only added to the scrutiny as trade chatter continues to follow him. The Suns may be improving, but the challenge now is turning short-term momentum into something more stable before the rotation questions become impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]