MORE FROM THE GAME: Highlights | Photos | Box Score
As they did on Wednesday, the Suns started slow. The difference this time was how soon and to what extent they recovered.
Phoenix trailed by double-digits early, but got another big boost from its bench. The defense, which gave up 20 points in the first 6:31, yielded just 60 the rest of the way.
Alex Len led the Suns with 21 points in just 23 minutes. Markieff Morris added 18 on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting after a rough preseason opener, and T.J. Warren and Ronnie Price each added 10 points.
The Player
Len might be Tyson Chandler's backup, but the latter views his young teammate in far brighter light than his role indicates.
"I feel like there's no young player like him out there, to be honest," Chandler gushed. "I feel like he's one of the young great big men in this league. He doesn't know it yet. The league doesn't know it yet. But they soon will."
High praise indeed from the former All-Star and Olympian, but well deserved after Len scorched Utah's vaunted front line with 7-of-10 shooting, 7-of-8 free throws, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. He dunked over Derrick Favors, converted an and-one putback through 7-foot-3 Tibor Pleiss and hit a mid-range jumper allowed by Trevor Booker.
"He was strong with his moves," said Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek. "He was active. He had a little bounce in his step."
The Play
Terrico White is fighting for a roster spot, and he made a one-play argument for one late in the game. The 6-5 swingman, who subbed in with just over one minute remaining, found himself trying to contain Jazz guard Bryce Cotton, who was charging full speed toward the rim.
Cotton rose for the layup, perhaps hoping for at least a foul. White snuffed out any hope for that or a basket, timing his own jump perfectly and violently spiking the ball toward the floor.
The late, unexpected play drew a robust reaction from both the bench and the fans, who were already in a good mood with the Suns cruising toward their second straight preseason win.
The Takeaway
Defense continues to be the early the barometer by which Phoenix measures. In the first quarter, the Suns gave up 30 points on 63 percent shooting. They trailed by as many as 11 in the first period.
They locked in after that, limiting Utah to just 18-of-56 (32.1%) from the field the rest of the way. Consequently, Phoenix won comfortably despite just a decent shooting performance of their own (44.6 FG%, 33.3 3FG%).
"We want to take pride in our defense," Hornacek said. "We keep stressing that all the time...When we get that type of effort defensively, we should be good."