Three Takeaways From Suns' Game 1 Loss to Clippers

The Phoenix Suns weren't able to come away victorious from their Game 1 meeting against the Los Angeles Clippers.

PHOENIX -- We're just over 12 hours removed from the Phoenix Suns' 115-110 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, and fans are already freaking out. 

Taking a gander through social media, it appears the likes of Monty Williams, James Jones and Mat Ishbia should all be fired after losing to Los Angeles. The dream of sweeping every team to a franchise first NBA Finals title is now dead. 

On a realistic note, the Suns have some adjustments to make from their loss - but it's just that, one loss. Phoenix isn't down two or three games, and Tuesday gives them the opportunity to head back to Los Angeles with the series even and momentum on their side. 

Things will be just fine, but the Suns still clearly have their work cut out for them. 

Three Takeaways From Suns' Game 1 Loss to Clippers

1. What is With These Slow Starts?

Slow starts haven't been a one-time occurrence for the Suns, but in the postseason everything is amplified, and a 12-point first quarter deficit felt like 30 with how bad Phoenix played.

Open shots were missed. Defense was optional. There was no rhythm to an offense that should have one favorable matchup on each and every possession. 

“You can make all kinds of excuses; it doesn’t matter. We had the same time off as they did," said Monty Williams following the game. "You could say we didn’t have a lot of time to play, but we played two days this week. So we just have to come out with that NBA term urgency right out the gate and I didn’t feel like we had that defensively to start and then we got it a bit in the second quarter and then we played really good defense and offense to begin the third and then it just kind of went."

Especially with Los Angeles flipping homecourt advantage back in their favor, falling behind early and taking too long to get going will always come back to haunt you. We might be talking about a different outcome if the Suns had come even remotely close to looking like the team they should to begin the game. 

2. Rotation Roulette 

Suns backup point guard Cameron Payne was ruled out with a lower back injury prior to the game. With Phoenix's fifth starting spot next to Durant/Booker/Paul/Ayton still not solidified, the Suns' rotation was even more of a question mark heading into Game 1. 

Torrey Craig managed to hold his own offensively with 22 points, but his defense on Kawhi Leonard (who led all players with 38 points) was suspect. Some believe Josh Okogie would have been the better play in that fifth spot thanks to his defensive acumen, but would the scoring output have been the same? 

Also, fans brought into question the use of Landry Shamet, who played 24 minutes but finished with just four points. It feels like Terrence Ross or even Damion Lee would have been much better on the floor - though neither of the two are (in Monty's eyes) suitable to run an offense with the second unit. 

Phoenix's bench was their biggest question mark heading into the postseason. We'll see what a healthy Payne looks like with the second group. 

3. Kevin Durant Needs the Ball

If you were to look at the box score and see Durant led the Suns with 27 points, this point may seem a little odd. 

But when the Suns-Clippers are trading blows late in the fourth quarter of a close game, Durant registered just one shot attempt in the last five minutes of the game, which was a three-pointer to draw the Clippers' lead back to one possession. 

Durant spaces the floor like nobody else in the NBA, and that's great for 3.5 quarters of play. 

But you gave up so many valuable assets to snag one of the greatest scorers of all time. You went and got Durant to be the guy in those scenarios, and for him to be a background character in the game's winding moments was a bit disappointing to see.