Jalen Green Shines in season debut as Suns outlast Clippers, 115-102
Baku, November 7, AZERTAC
Jalen Green made an immediate impact from the moment he stepped on the floor in Mortgage Matchup Center. Thursday night was a preview of how impressive Phoenix's offensive attack could be when it's led by two dynamic threats and playmakers, in Green and Devin Booker, according to NBA.
Green made his Suns debut after missing the first eight games of the season with a hamstring strain. While every basketball player would agree that 'knocking off the rust' is a real thing, Green's performance made rust seem like a myth.
Green only played 23 minutes, but exceeded all expectations for his first on-court appearance in six months. He poured in 29 points to lead all scorers, the second-highest scoring mark in any Suns debut – behind only Charles Barkley's 37 points in November 1992.
His jumper was pure, the speed was electric, and his assertive approach was exactly what Suns fans were eager to see.
He scored his first bucket in a Suns uniform came just over two minutes into the game, attacking off a ball-screen with Ivica Zubac in drop coverage. Any time Green is able to turn the corner on his defender, it can be a nightmare for the opposing big:
Phoenix leaned into the two-man game between Green and Mark Williams, allowing Green to utilize the Suns' best screener to get into the paint. It's a sound strategy for Green, who operates best when he has a runway available to make decisions.
Green also leveraged his scoring threat to create easier offense for his teammates. On multiple occasions, he attracted two defenders and found Williams near the basket on drop-off passes.
Although Phoenix trailed by three at the half after a clunky start, they saved their best for when it mattered. The Suns came out of halftime and upped the intensity. They used a massive 34-8 run to regain the lead, converting on their first eight shot attempts in the third quarter.
In addition to a blistering hot shooting stretch, Phoenix forced a handful of Clippers turnovers to ignite their transition game. It was a reminder that when the Suns' defense is aggressive and causing havoc, it unlocks a different dimension for them offensively.
From there, the Suns sealed the deal and held on for a double-digit victory. They finished with their second-most efficient game of the season, behind only the win versus San Antonio four days ago. Phoenix is now 4-1 at home.
Phoenix outscored LA 40-23 in the third, marking the Suns' first 40-point quarter of the season.
After coughing up 11 turnovers in the first half, Phoenix took care of the ball and only committed four turnovers across the final two quarters.
The Suns grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, five coming from Ryan Dunn.
Green stole the show, giving Suns fans a glimpse of what they can expect from him offensively. Phoenix was already a high-volume 3-point shooting team to begin the season, but now they're injecting a 23-year-old with one of the quickest pull-up jumpers in the league. He broke the franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a Suns debut. Overall, Green was 10-of-20 from the field and the Suns were +30 with him on the court.
Grayson Allen, playing through an illness, continued his excellent start to the year by spacing the floor and punishing the defense any time they helped off. Those possessions will be more prevalent moving forward for Phoenix's role players. As Green and Booker share the floor, it's going to create a pick-your-poison scenario that isn't easy to deal with. After scoring 18 points and hitting four triples tonight, Allen is now third in the NBA in total 3-pointers made.
Devin Booker was again a primary catalyst for the team's success. As the Suns' leader, he knew it was beneficial to let Green get comfortable on the ball during his debut. Booker stepped up and scored when he needed, but still focused a lot of his attention on the defensive end, which head coach Jordan Ott has raved about in Phoenix's recent home wins.
With a strong first quarter tonight to set the tone, Booker now leads the NBA in double-digit scoring quarters, notching his 13th of the season.
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