Bright Side Baller: Another lifeless effort from the Suns and nobody should be surprised

The Suns’ offense finally joined the defense in the disaster zone.

Effort. It’s been the Phoenix Suns’ Achilles’ heel all season, a lingering disease they refuse to cure. And on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, it came crashing down with the force of Jimmy Page’s solo on Stairway to Heaven. Phoenix shot 22% from deep, 39% from the field, and appeared lifeless as they went down by 20 points in the first quarter. They didn’t even give me a chance to get excited.

Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on…

No, there’s not. The Suns didn’t want to be there. You could see it in their body language, in the way they jogged through possessions, in the way they sleepwalked their way to just 37 first-half points. A lifeless, uninspired display of basketball.

This is what I get, isn’t it?

I had the audacity after the win against the Kings to proclaim that the Suns’ offense isn’t the issue. That with this level of talent, there’s no need to overanalyze X’s and O’s like frantic chemists searching for the perfect formula. The real issue, I said, was always the defense. Always.

Well, guess what? In the first half against the Lakers, the offense was the issue. Thirty-seven points. That’s it. The defense wasn’t good, but it didn’t even matter because the offense had already flatlined. A black hole of missed shots, stagnant movement, and self-inflicted wounds. Pathetic.

Karma. That’s what this team is. They are basketball karma in its purest form, balancing the scales of hope and frustration with ruthless efficiency. Just when you start to believe, they remind you who they are. Who they’ve always been. And after a lifetime of this, I should know better.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

He may not have posted the most dominant stat line against the Kings, but Ryan Dunn’s energy and effort spoke volumes, earning him 33% of the vote. And the win. Right behind him? Oso Ighodaro with 28%. That means 61% of the vote went to the rookies, a clear sign that Suns fans are feeling the youth movement.

Dunn now joins the ranks of Tyus Jones and Mariah Carey with 5 wins this season.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Devin Booker

19 points (6-of-17, 0-of-3 3PT), 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, -13 +/-

Kevin Durant

21 points (6-of-17, 2-of-7 3PT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, -12 +/-

Ryan Dunn

13 points (5-of-12, 2-of-8 3PT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers, +1 +/-

Nick Richards

11 points (5-of-6), 6 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 block, +3 +/-

Royce O’Neale

10 points (4-of-11, 2-of-8 3PT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, -9 +/-

Tyus Jones

8 points (3-of-7, 2-of-6 3PT), 5 assists, 0 turnovers, -1 +/-

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Who you got?

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