Suns Know Effort, Energy is Contagious

The Phoenix Suns know the best basketball is fun basketball.

Dec 25, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts after making a basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns got back to basics when they needed it most.

Phoenix notched a crucial Christmas Day victory over the Denver Nuggets in spite of missing pieces such as Devin Booker and Grayson Allen.

What ended the Suns' three-game losing streak?

Fun.

“I mean, honestly, man, if you go back and look at all those games, that's why we lost, which is why I'm quite enjoying it. We're just pressing, trying to make the perfect play," said Bradley Beal.

"Nobody wants to lose; nobody wants to be the guy that makes the mistake. Everybody wants to contribute to winning and make the right play, and sometimes you just be caught up in not having fun, and why you play the game and all that.

"I think just finding that joy, it uplifts you in every category game. It gets you going in every facet of the game. So, we're at our best when we're having fun, the ball is popping, we're getting stops, just letting it fly.”

The Suns' effort and energy were noticeably different at Footprint Center against a championship-level Nuggets team. Far too often in previous games Phoenix just went through the motions.

“Yeah, I mean, we watched film yesterday, talked about our physicality and who we wanted to be as a team on both ends," Kevin Durant said after the win.

"And when guys are out, you know, key guys in your lineup are out, sometimes you got to change identity on your team on the fly. And sometimes you can go through those peaks and valleys of what that looks like. So, tonight was one of those peaks that we look pretty good, trying to figure things out on the fly with this group.

"So, you make up for that by just playing hard, physicality, getting back on defense, the fundamentals. I think we did that pretty well tonight.”

Coach Mike Budenholzer concurs.

“Yeah, the spirit was in a good place tonight. I think the competitiveness, the toughness, the activity and then, it's always fascinating how the ball goes in more when you play in that way and I think you're focused on your defense, you're focused on your effort, you’re focused on your competitiveness," Budenholzer said.

"Good things tend to happen for  us offensively and so it was good to get off to a good start.”

We'll see if the Suns can carry that momentum into tonight's meeting against the Dallas Mavericks.