‘Two steps forward, one step back’ sums up the Suns’ performance against the Wolves.
How does the chorus of Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul start again? That’s right. “I take two steps forward, I take two steps back”…
The Phoenix Suns, after their 121–113 stumble to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, embody the maddening dance of two steps forward, one step back. Monday night against the Clippers, they looked sharp, like a team with purpose, precision, and swagger. They opened this game riding that same wave, bringing energy, efficiency, and hustle to the first half. It was smooth, promising, even exciting. That’s the “two steps forward.”
The two steps back? That came in the second half. The Suns managed just 18 points in the third quarter, a glaring reminder of a fatal flaw that haunted them in last season’s playoffs against this same Timberwolves squad. They struggle against young, physical, long, and athletic teams that thrive on relentless defense. Sure, plenty of teams find those matchups tough, but for Phoenix, it’s a glaring Achilles’ hee. They simply can’t consistently match that level of effort.
We saw it last year in the playoffs. A rising barometer of energy that the Suns just couldn’t match. When the stakes got higher, Phoenix fell short, and last night’s second-half performance against Minnesota felt like a replay of that same story.
The Suns looked completely shell-shocked in that third quarter. The swarming defense of Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Clark (who?) left them rattled and disoriented. A team that managed just six turnovers in the first half suddenly couldn’t stop giving the ball away under relentless pressure, racking up 10 turnovers in the second half alone.
The carelessness became a running theme for the rest of the game, almost laughably so. Phoenix simply unraveled. The Suns practically gift-wrapped transition highlights for Anthony Edwards with their sloppy passing.
ANTHONY EDWARDS MY GOODNESS.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 30, 2025
“Minnesota was good on the defensive end of the court,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game. “We got to be better. You got to make shots, and you got to make plays, but a lot of credit to their defense, and we got to find a way to be better.”
Yeah. Two steps back.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Oh man, this one was a nail-biter. Grayson Allen edged out Devin Booker by the slimmest of margins after the Suns’ win over the Clippers on Monday night. Allen claimed 37% of the vote, while Booker finished just behind at 36%. A mere three-vote difference. That gave Allen his second Bright Side Baller of the season.
But is Mariah to blame? Could she be the Ross Perot of this scenario, siphoning just enough votes to swing the outcome? After all, she did pull in 18 votes…
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Kevin Durant
33 points (13-of-19, 4-of-8 3PT), 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, 0 turnovers, -7 +/-
Devin Booker
28 points (11-of-19, 2-of-7 3PT), 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 0 blocks, 9 turnovers, +3 +/-
Bradley Beal
17 points (6-of-10, 1-of-3 3PT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers, +2 +/-
Grayson Allen
11 points (4-of-7, 3-of-6 3PT), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, -2 +/-
Nick Richards
7 points (3-of-7), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, +5 +/-
Royce O’Neale
4 points (2-of-8, 0-of-4 3PT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, -10 +/-
Okay. I’m expecting you to be responsible voters here. Mariah remains on the list by popular demand. But just because we loss doesn’t mean Mariah was the Bright Side Baller now, mmmkay?