PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns entered this season with uncertainty, mostly stemming from how they finished last season. Their meltdown against Dallas in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals left many wondering if the organization’s championship window had closed. It was legit reasoning.
It just wasn’t accurate.
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Through the season’s first three weeks, Phoenix again has looked like a title contender, beating the Mavericks on opening night, upending the Clippers on the road and routing the Warriors at home. The only team that’s kept the Suns from perfection is Portland. The Trail Blazers twice have beaten Phoenix in the final seconds, the latter on Friday night.
The same teams squared off again Saturday, a rare same-city, back-to-back turnaround, and the Suns took control early and cruised to a 102-82 win at Footprint Center. Entering their first extended trip, the Suns sit atop the Western Conference at 7-2. Preseason crisis averted.
“I’ve said it before, we have a team full of sore losers,” coach Monty Williams said, referencing Friday night’s last-second loss. “You just knew that the way we lost, we were going to get an intentional effort on both ends. … The defense in the first half was really impressive.”
"Defensively, I thought we were just locked in."
– Head Coach Monty WilliamsHear from the team following tonight's win! 👇
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2022
Phoenix set the tone early. The Suns held Portland, playing without star Damian Lillard, who missed his fourth game with a right calf injury, to just 14 points in the second quarter. They led 61-40 at halftime and were never tested the rest of the way. Devin Booker scored 24 points. Chris Paul added 15. The bench contributed 40.
But the news wasn’t all good.
Cam Johnson, a fourth-year forward, injured his right knee in the first quarter of Friday’s loss. The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Saturday reported that Phoenix fears Johnson has suffered a torn meniscus and that he will undergo additional imaging and evaluation. Asked about the injury’s severity, Williams said he had not yet seen an official report.
Losing Johnson for an extended period would be a blow. Last season, Johnson was a Sixth Man of the Year finalist. This season, he was a starter at power forward. One of the league’s top shooters, Johnson had just scored 29 points, hitting seven 3s, and earned praise for his defense against Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns in the post. In eight games, Johnson averaged 13 points, hitting 43.1 percent of his shots from 3-point range.
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“It’s really tough,” Booker said. “Obviously, most for him. We’re here with him. Whatever he needs, he’s going to be around the team. We say ‘family’ every time we break it down, and that’s the situation we’re in.”
“It’s unfortunate,” Paul said. “This is my third year here, just getting to know Cam and knowing how great of a guy he is and how hard he works. Getting into the starting lineup, this is a big year for him. This ain’t it. It’s just a hurdle that he’s going to have to overcome, and we’re going to be right there with him.”
The Suns already were short-handed. Jae Crowder, a starter in all 67 games he played in last season, hasn’t been with the team all season as he waits for a trade, something he and the team agreed upon before the season. During his weekly radio appearance, general manager James Jones has been asked if it’s possible Crowder could return to the team. He has not sounded optimistic.
Torrey Craig started Saturday in place of Johnson. A six-year veteran, he is not a similar player. He can shoot the 3 but not well enough to scare defenses. His strength is his energy. In Saturday’s win, Craig’s defense on Jerami Grant, who had burned Phoenix for 30 points the previous night, was solid. “And he’s just been a maniac attacking the glass,” Williams said.
But this likely will take time.
“It’s obviously a different situation than Cam Johnson, but he defends at a high level,” Booker said of Craig. “And he’s been making shots, too.”
“It’s new,” Paul said. “(But) Torrey’s a pro. He’s probably the only guy close in age to me on the team. Torrey’s played overseas. He’s played all around the league. He’s very adaptive. We’re lucky to have the depth that we have.”
With Crowder unavailable and Johnson potentially out for weeks, the depth will be tested. With Phoenix’s margin Saturday swelling to 29 points, Williams let his reserves play most of the fourth quarter. For guards Damion Lee, Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne, who’s been out with a foot issue, this is a big opportunity. Someone will have to help step up.
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Nothing is won in November. As Paul said, everyone aims for home-court advantage in the playoffs, but the best feeling is just knowing that “nobody’s going to be able to beat you four out of seven times.” The Suns aren’t yet there. And Johnson’s injury could delay things. But they’re off to a good start.
“We are just continuously trying to get better,” Booker said after Friday’s loss. “I told you at the beginning of the season, having a franchise record (64 wins) last year and getting bumped in the second round isn’t a good feeling, so we are coming with the mindset where we are just focused on getting better.”
(Photo of Cameron Johnson from the Suns’ Oct. 30 game against Houston: Darryl Webb / Associated Press)