Bright Side Baller: The struggling Suns get stung by the Hornets

The Suns’ fleeting 21-hour joy after beating the Sixers vanished as they fell into old habits, suffering a humiliating loss to the lowly Hornets.

Twenty-one hours. That’s it. That’s the grand total of joy Phoenix Suns fans have been allowed since Christmas Day. A measly 21 hours of post-victory bliss before the cold, hard reality of this season came crashing back down.

Yes, Phoenix managed to beat the Sixers on Monday night. A rare W in the wasteland of the 2024-25. But apparently, that sliver of competence was all they had in the tank. Because on the second night of a back-to-back, against the Charlotte Hornets — a team that had clawed together exactly one win since November 23 (you read that right, one win in 45 freaking days) — the Suns couldn’t seal the deal.

Let that sink in. The Hornets. The NBA’s walking punchline. And Phoenix, with all its supposed star power, just rolled over. It’s like they can’t stand the idea of a winning streak, even when it’s handed to them on a silver platter.

The question isn’t just what went wrong. It’s how much more of this we’re supposed to endure. Twenty-one hours of joy in two weeks. That’s not fandom. That’s suffering.

Oh, they started strong. For a moment, it looked like the Suns might avoid their usual script of stooping to their competition’s level. They jumped out to a 10-point lead, playing with energy, purpose, and — dare I say it — swagger. Booker hitting jumpers. Plumlee boxing out. KD blocking shots.

But then, like clockwork, the familiar routine set in. They got comfortable. They started feeling themselves. They stopped respecting their opponent.

And the moment you stop respecting your opponent, you’ve already lost.

This isn’t a new story. It’s the same tired tale we’ve seen over and over again this season. Need a reminder? Remember the Pelicans? The team that went 1–19 in a 20-game stretch? Guess who gifted them their lone win? Yeah, the Suns.

Watching this team feels like watching a kid breeze through school thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act, somehow advancing to the fourth grade without learning how to read. Sure, they’re sitting in that fourth-grade classroom, but they lack the most basic tools to succeed. That’s the Suns in a nutshell right now: a basketball team with no foundation, no consistency, and no clue.

And here’s the kicker: this is the richest fourth grader you’ve ever seen. The amount of money being poured into this team to be absolutely mediocre is staggering. Mat Ishbia, bless his billionaire heart, is willing to foot the bill. But if I were him, I’d be looking for a way to do more than bench a couple of starters.

This team isn’t just struggling; it’s broken. It’s not a tweak-here, tweak-there situation anymore. It’s a full-blown teardown and rebuild job waiting to happen. And until someone has the guts to admit that, we’re stuck watching this mess repeat itself like a bad rerun.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

Sixth Man Brad, with his efficient 25 points against the 76ers, earned his third Bright Side Baller of the season on Monday night. He’s now tied up with KD and Ryan Dunn, who had won the previous three BSB’s.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Who gets it in the win in this crap loss? Let’s go with the only players to score in double digits, shall we?

Kevin Durant

26 points (8-of-18, 1-of-6 3PT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, +1 +/-

Devin Booker

39 points (14-of-25, 2-of-8 3PT), 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 turnovers, +2 +/-

Bradley Beal

10 points (5-of-13, 2-of-8 3PT), 0 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 turnover,-1+/-

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And the winner is?