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The Suns will take momentum into the All-Star break, just not the kind they wanted.
Phoenix dropped its fifth game out of its last six on Tuesday, losing 127-118 at home to Houston. James Harden's 40 points countered the combined 66 points from Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. The Suns' renewed offense simply wasn't enough to overcome a lack of defense and the presence of an MVP candidate.
3. The Suns can play good defense
Bledsoe Steal
The third quarter was evidence enough. Phoenix used frenetic speed and energy to limit Houston to 18 points on 29.2 percent shooting. Not coincidentally, the period marked the Suns' most positive stretch of the night. After trailing by as many as 18, they actually led by eight before the Rockets stormed back.
2. That defense didn't happen often enough
It's hard to believe the same Suns team that limited Houston so effectively in the third quarter allowed the Rocktes to shoot a scalding 75.0 percent in the fourth. Harden had a lot to do with that, scoring 20 of his game-high 40 in the final period.
Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek gave the Rockets All-Star his due, but wasn't about to give him all the credit for Houston's hot night (50.5 percent overall).
"We can't have those 10 [defensive] breakdowns a game, because for us we need every play," he said.
3. Phoenix needs the All-Star break
Alex Len is nursing a sore ankle. Eric Bledsoe's second child was just born. Several of the Suns are hitting a wall after experiencing big-time minutes for the first time is career.
Morris Posterizes Josh Smith
More than anything else, the Suns need to distance themselves from their recent losses. The stretch of games leading up to the All-Star break was brutal: nine playoff-caliber teams out of the final 11 contests.
That being said, the Suns are, somehow, still clinging to the eighth seed. Their grip isn't as secure, but a week-and-a-half break could provide the rest they need to re-secure their hold.