let's be real: this is a bad matchup for Phoenix on paper, and the Suns have to treat it like one. San Antonio comes in at 8-2 and riding a four-game road winning streak, while Phoenix is 3-5 and sitting 12th in the Western Conference. In what world does a team that’s already this sharp on the road walk into Phoenix and not expect to press the issue from the jump?
The numbers tell the story. San Antonio averaged 119.8 points per game last season and allowed 111.5. Phoenix averaged 112.6, with 43.1 points in the paint, 19.9 off turnovers and 14.1 on fast breaks. That gap matters. It matters because the Spurs are not just winning; they’re doing it with the kind of balance that punishes sloppy stretches and empty possessions.
The game is Monday at 9 p.m. EST in Phoenix. The Suns also have injury questions hanging over them, with Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin both listed out. So no, this is not the spot for wishful thinking. This is the spot where Phoenix has to show it can stand up to a team that’s rolling, or get run over by one that clearly knows exactly who it is.
— Stephen A. Spliff
