PHOENIX — In the future after the Phoenix Suns’ devastating first-round collection sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves, beginning guard Bradley Beal lamented the staff’s poor well being and lack of continuity as key components that drove their disappointing season to its swift finish.
“I imply, on reflection we received 49 [regular-season] video games,” Beal mentioned Monday on the staff’s follow facility. “That is a variety of video games. And I missed what, 30 video games, roughly? That is a variety of video games. I am not saying we would have received each sport if I might have performed, however we might be in a very completely different place if I am wholesome the entire yr, if all people’s wholesome the entire yr.”
Beal started the season with decrease again tightness and nerve ache down his legs. He later confronted an ankle sprain, hamstring pressure, a damaged nostril and a concussion all through his first season with the Suns, throughout which he performed 53 out of 82 attainable regular-season video games.
Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Beal performed collectively for precisely half of the common season, with the staff posting a 26-15 document in these video games — a 52-win tempo that may have been good for fourth place within the Western Convention.
“We did not take a look at this factor as a one-year factor and we’ll are available and simply, we solely bought this yr to determine it out,” Beal mentioned. “No, we have time. You do not need to use that as a cop-out, however the actuality we stay in, that is the sport plan. We now have a window. Yeah, it is a brief window, however we’ve got a window, so we need to maximize it as a lot as attainable. And clearly, we nonetheless have a variety of room to develop. All of us need to be higher. I’ve bought to be higher. And all of us need to be higher as a company and transfer in direction of that aim of profitable the title, which is not simple.”
Beal added, “We’re not going to sit down right here and say it is easy. Every little thing occurred this summer season and strikes have been made. All people had that [mindset that], ‘Oh, that is it.’ However you continue to need to work out the kinks. You continue to have to verify it suits nicely and all people’s on the identical web page and we’re working in direction of that very same aim and I feel all people has that mindset. It simply did not fall.”
Beal, Booker and Durant finally shared the ground for 862 minutes through the common season, the sixth most of any Suns three-man lineup. In these minutes, the Suns posted a 120.5 offensive ranking, a 114.0 defensive ranking and a plus-6.6 web ranking, in line with ESPN Stats & Info analysis.
However in opposition to the Timberwolves, the Suns’ Large Three underperformed; Phoenix was minus-51 when Booker, Durant and Beal shared the ground within the four-game collection — the worst plus-minus for any trio this postseason.
Within the postseason, the Suns have been largely with out beginning guard Grayson Allen, who sprained his ankle in Recreation 1 versus Minnesota, barely performed in Recreation 2 and missed the following two video games altogether. Allen likewise lamented the staff’s poor well being all through the season.
“I feel accidents actually shortened the timeframe that we needed to be the group that we needed to be,” Allen mentioned Tuesday, including, “I just like the group that we’ve got. I really feel like we’ve got sufficient. We had sufficient. So [we’ve] simply bought to come back again and be higher and hopefully the continuity helps.”
Beal pledged earlier than Recreation 4 that the Suns would not be swept, saying, “I’ve by no means been swept a day in my life, so I will be damned if that occurs.” Then, he scored 9 factors on 4-of-13 capturing with 6 turnovers earlier than fouling out in Sunday’s season-ending loss to the Timberwolves.
“I will be damned,” Beal mentioned with a smile when he first met with reporters. “I am attempting to make mild of the scenario, however it’s a [expletive] feeling, excuse my language. It positively is. You will have enormous expectations for your self as a staff and clearly individually to contribute and be part of one thing actually huge and that collection simply sucked. And, clearly, the final sport for me was horrible.”
The Suns acquired Beal, who turns 31 in a number of months, in a commerce with Washington. He has three years and $161 million remaining on his deal, together with a no-trade clause. A 3-time All-Star who twice averaged 30 factors per sport within the common season, Beal’s scored 18.2 factors for the Suns this season and averaged simply 16.5 within the playoffs.
Beal and Allen have been the one two gamers who addressed reporters throughout exit interviews Monday, however the staff introduced that proprietor Mat Ishbia and basic supervisor James Jones deliberate to handle reporters Wednesday to debate the staff’s season.