What We Learned From Suns Win vs Wolves

The Phoenix Suns put forth an exemplary performance.

Apr 5, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) passes the ball by Minnesota / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns enjoyed a wire-to-wire victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves - as the Suns were utterly dominant from start to finish, and the final 10-point margin of victory didn't do justice to how lopsided this game truly was.

Phoenix was able to overcome quiet nights from the Kevin Durant/Devin Booker duo, which saw Grayson Allen enjoy yet another thoroughly impressive performance while simultaneously shutting down Minnesota's offense for the large bulk of the night.

Here are three big-picture things we learned from the dominant victory:

Suns Enjoy Best Defensive Performance This Season

Frank Vogel has quietly done a masterful job of managing the defensive personnel he was handed with this roster - despite the structure of the personnel not being optimal compared to past elite defenses he has manned.

That was shown on Friday more than any other night the entire season.

Minnesota had a shockingly low 41 points at the half. Anthony Edwards was the only starter to score in double figures. The Timberwolves' offense looked shaken much of the night.

Tons of that credit should fall in the hands of coach Vogel for his meticulous approach to preparing for Minnesota - the different coverages, blitzing and crisp rotations were all exceptional - and Minnesota didn't even come close to touching 100 points on the night.

This unit will not be the best in basketball come playoff time. It doesn't have to be.

But the sneakily strong metrics and raw numbers of this defense - especially in the half-court - are more than encouraging going forward

Suns' Offense Flexes Versatility

Make no mistake - the offense still undoubtedly ran through Kevin Durant and Devin Booker tonight, but the unsung heroes are truly what made the offense churn when it mattered.

The Suns' offense finding a way to click in a game that found Booker struggling from both the efficiency standpoint and ball security is the most impressive development tonight - the Timberwolves are a historically great defense, after all.

Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, and Jusuf Nurkic all did fantastic jobs at both putting pressure on the presumed defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert and picking weak spots in the Wolves' defense to exploit.

This offensive showing wasn't as eye-popping as the 133-point effort Phoenix put forward the last time the two teams played, but it did show the offense has evolved significantly in the past months.

Suns Are Peaking at Perfect Time

Three games is a pattern.

This Suns team has finally appeared to gain much needed consistency over the last week - more importantly, these impressive victories have been over solely quality competition.

Phoenix now looks destined to reach at the very least 49 wins on the season - which should be enough to clinch a top-six seed out West.

A matchup with these very Timberwolves could be awaiting the Suns - and it looks like one that could bear fruitful results in the coming weeks.