Suns 'Pissed' After Another Frustrating Loss

The Suns are currently reeling, but the motivation to turn things around still seems to be present.

Jan 4, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball against Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- Last night did not bear the results that the Phoenix Suns had hoped for - and that has become a troubling pattern in what could quickly turn into an even more disastrous season than the 2023-24 campaign.

The Suns dropped their fourth consecutive contest last night against the Indiana Pacers by a score of 126-108 to move to 15-18 on the campaign - a concerning start to the season has been an understatement.

For reference, the 23-24 counterparts sat at 18-15 at the same point at this time of year - with a roster that was noticeably less talented while also having a coaching staff that did not gel together in the best fashion.

Yes, Oso Ighodaro, Tyus Jones, and Royce O'Neale all missed the loss last night - but the issues have superseded who does/doesn't play on a game-to-game basis.

"We're definitely pissed off. We're not happy about it. It's a good thing, though. You don't guys smiling and happy and (expletive) after four losses."

Those are the words of Bradley Beal when asked by Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic about how the Suns are responding to the recent slide.

Devin Booker joined in on those sentiments - believing that this rut the Suns are in can be remedied.

"(Expletive), the vibes are low, man. We're just have to keep fighting. It's a blessing to even be in this position, but our output is super ugly right now. We continue to build. Hopefully later in the season, these moments right here are out the way, got past them."

The Suns' fortunes in 2023-24 improved vastly as the season progressed - ultimately finishing 49-33 and securing the number 6 seed in the West.

Phoenix would need to go 34-15 the rest of the way to match that win total - and the fashion in which the schedule lines up gives the team a prime opportunity to pad victories before a relatively difficult final two months of the season.

The schedule can be favorable to Phoenix - but the mindset of the team coupled with the play-style have to be in tune with each other in order to make the jump they need to make.

"They scramble really well. I think some of the 5-out lineups that we had out there, you'd expect to get a good amount of 3s up and we weren't able to. A lot of our 3s came when we picked up the pace a little bit."

That tidbit was via Grayson Allen - responding to the perpetual question of three-point volume.

While there shouldn't be a set amount of looks the Suns put out on a game-to-game basis, it feels like they are teetering on a trend of not being aggressive enough from range - as they haven't attempted 40 in a single game since a victory over the Utah Jazz on December 13.

The spacing that Kevin Durant and Booker provide - along with the sheer number of quality spot-up shooters should make that a focal point - it just hasn't been as of late.

Phoenix is set to play several lower-tier Eastern Conference squads over the next three weeks - it's now or never when it comes to actually channeling the intrinsic motivation and tweaking certain aspects of the way the team plays into a high volume of victories.