Preview: Suns Host Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
The Phoenix Suns return to game action tonight after two nights off, facing off against a familiar foe in the San Antonio Spurs.
The Suns host San Antonio twice in a three-day stretch with games on Tuesday and Thursday.
Phoenix is riding a nine-game win streak against San Antonio dating back to the 2020-21 season, but this isn't the same Spurs squad the Suns have dominated for the past few seasons.
What are some things to watch out for the next two games? That will be explored in short order.
Spurs Players to Watch
San Antonio is obviously headlined by Victor Wembanyama, but there are some more unheralded players on the team that make them much more competitive than in years past.
Tre Jones - the younger brother of longtime NBA player Tyus Jones - is a talented point guard that took two years to adjust to the professional game, but started nearly every game last season and flashed the ability of being a strong floor general.
The fourth-year guard was held back by a weak three-point jumper, however, and got relegated to a bench role again. This hasn't appeared to affect his performance, as he is averaging 9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6 assists a game while shooting 37.5% from three.
Devin Vassell is also entering his fourth season and has taken a leap in every season at the pro level. The 2020 lottery pick has capitalized on that improvement with a massive contract extension and is currently leading the Spurs in scoring.
While his three-point shot has been somewhat off in the early parts of the season, he is a foundational piece for San Antonio and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Cedi Osman came to San Antonio after several years with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The sharpshooter has started out his time in San Antonio on fire, averaging 12.7 points per game on great efficiency in just under 21 minutes a night.
Osman has been a large part of the Spurs bumped up competitiveness so far, and Suns fans know he can be a firecracker shooter from his time in Cleveland.
Pop's Unconventional Lineups
Longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has appeared to adapt quite nicely to the modern game, something that had been a question in years prior.
Pop has leaned very much into the "position-less" frame of mind, running a traditional forward in Jeremy Sochan in the starting lineup at point guard, and playing Wembanyama at the four next to Zach Collins at the five.
Pop also mixes in more position-traditional pieces such as Tre Jones, Doug McDermott, and Malaki Branham to mix up the looks San Antonio can throw at other teams. This team is much deeper than years past, and it gives the greatest coach in NBA history more flexibility.
Situation in Downtown Phoenix
Suns fans who are attending the game tonight must keep in mind that the neighboring Arizona Diamondbacks will be hosting game four of the World Series this evening.
Downtown will be more congested and parking will be more expensive/sparse than usual, so plan accordingly. The downtown area was swamped as early as 1 in the afternoon yesterday, so try to get to downtown as early as possible. Also consider taking the light rail, parking is free and tickets run at $4 for a day pass.
The game tips off tonight at 7 and will be aired exclusively on TNT. The game on Thursday night will be broadcast on NBA TV and AZ Family.
