After a tough start following the All-Star break, the Suns begin the 14th of 18 back-to-back sets this season on Wednesday against the Nuggets. The Suns are 7-6 in the first game and 4-9 in the second game with three sweeps this season.
On Arizona Sports Tuesday, Jeff Hornacek emphasized that in order to get back to their winning ways, the team’s first priority is playing better defensively.
“Our defense has not been good the last six, seven games,” Hornacek said. “We’ve been giving up over 110 points per game. The mindset has to change. You have to come out there from play No. 1 like it’s the last play of the game. Sometimes it’s hard to do for 48 minutes but that’s the only way you’re going to get out of it.”
The good news? Phoenix had won five straight against the Nuggets, including a sweep in 2013-14, before Denver won the last meeting in the Mile High City on November 28.
With several new players adding to an already-young team, it will certainly take time to work out the kinks. Still, Hornacek doesn’t feel comfortable attributing the losses to youth.
“It’s not acceptable,” Hornacek said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re young, old, whatever – when I look at the tapes after the game and it’s never any big glaring thing. It’s a little thing here a little thing there – a turnover at the wrong time, a bad shot at the wrong time, we don’t get the loose ball, we don’t get the defensive rebounds. It seems like 4-5 things that happen in the fourth quarter that if we just do one of those it could change the outcome of the game.”
One major bright spot has been the impressive play of Alex Len, who seems to improve with each game.
“He continues to grow every single day,” Hornacek said about Len. “That’s why we’re so high on him for the future – a 21-year-old kid, the things he’s doing already. He’s going to get bigger, stronger and a better post-up game as these years go on. You’re going to look 3-4 years down the road – I don’t want to put any pressure on him, but [he has a chance] to be an All-Star.”