2019-20

phxccunningham

“I used to think broadcast was pretty challenging back when it was normal. Now, everything's different.”

While the Phoenix Suns were adjusting to their new normal inside the bubble, one of the many behind-the-scenes teams was adapting to its new way of life back in Phoenix.

With unique visuals, sounds and high-quality analysis of Suns basketball, Suns Productions provides fans a thrilling experience to enjoy night-in and night-out while in the comfort of their own home. In a time where large public gatherings are prohibited and live sports are being played in empty venues, the role of providing a virtual seat for a fan became more important than ever.

“First off, we were thrilled that the Suns got the invite,” Suns Broadcaster Kevin Ray said. “We were excited to be back doing what we love to do, having missed it for four-plus months. I think for us, we knew it was going to be unique circumstances, but even beyond that, because while the other local broadcasters are also doing it remotely, Dan Siekmann, our boss, and his crew have taken unprecedented steps. Like everything else, you adapt and you figure it out.” 

Suns Vice President of Broadcast Productions Dan Siekmann has witnessed many changes throughout his 23 seasons with the Suns, but nothing quite like this. While there was plenty of enthusiasm for the Suns season to resume, it was immediately followed by a short runway to piece everything together.

“Once we found out we were doing the games in Orlando, we realized we didn't have access to the arena because of the transformation,” Siekmann said. “We also found out that we didn't have access to the downtown ASU studio, which we've been using for about the last seven years for pregame, halftime and postgame shows. Both were not available for us to use, which threw me into a little bit of a panic.”

To add to the stress, there were multiple factors for Siekmann and his team to discuss, plan out and find resolutions for. Executive Producer / Director Bob Adlhoch has primarily held control of what goes out on air throughout his 19 years with the team, but due to the long-distance broadcast from Orlando to Phoenix, that power became limited.

“I think the biggest thing that we face is just the lack of control that we're used to on a normal Phoenix Suns home game broadcast,” Adlhoch said. “We [normally] have 10 to 12 cameras with operators. We're in contact with all of them and we can request what they shoot and change those requests or those assignments at any time. But right now, we're taking essentially one feed from Orlando. That includes camera cuts, replays, pretty much everything except graphics. We have one single camera that I'm in contact with on my headset. And that's the only camera I have that I can ask for a particular shot.”

All of the teams invited to the bubble needed to adapt to this new way of life, but Suns Productions received an additional ripple than these other organizations when constructing their broadcast plans.

“Every team faces similar challenges in how we're taking these feeds from Orlando, but unlike the other 29 teams, our arena is undergoing this huge transformation,” Adlhoch said. “That added a lot more layers of complexity to what we're trying to do.”

While the reimagination of the arena continues to spread excitement throughout The Valley, Suns productions needed to find, or in this case create, a temporary home to house their broadcasts. With TV fiber and audio cables stretching over 1000 feet down Jackson street behind the arena in a PVC pipe, a Frankenstein-type operation was pieced together to connect a make-shift studio with the television truck.

“Parking [the truck] out back, it was a little bit of a challenge in a lot of ways,” Siekmann said. “One, we ran cables up through a stairwell and power cables and all the feeds up to the TV truck outside. Another challenge we had was because of the virus, we couldn't have our full crew in the TV truck. It's just too many people in the small area. We had to rent a mobile mini unit, which parked next to the truck, thus becoming another sub TV truck. Another challenge we had was since we didn't have access to the arena or ASU for our studio, we had to develop our own studio.”

Beyond all the staff and operators that are necessary behind-the-scenes, Siekmann and his team needed to find rooms and manufacture temporary studios for the broadcasters themselves. In a typical game situation, a set is normally only used for Tom Leander and Tom Chambers during the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. But with no media row in front of them, the in-game announcers for both television and radio were in need of their own setup.

“Our announcers are not in Orlando. They're calling the game from here,” Siekmann said. “We had to develop a studio for pregame, halftime, postgame show. We turned the historic building that's next to the arena into a studio. In this building, we set up kind of a small makeshift studio for the pregame, halftime, postgame show for Tom Leander and Tom Chambers. We built a room and turned it into an announcer booth for Kevin Ray and Eddie Johnson. We also have an area for radio. Al McCoy and Tim Kempton calling the game in another area tucked away. So, lot going on in a little small area. It's very makeshift, but it's effective. It seems to be working.” 

The studio was built and the truck was ready to go, but with so many people involved in the process of producing and broadcasting Suns games, the next step was implementing COVID-19 precautions.

“Due to all of the coronavirus concerns, we have taken pretty lengthy steps to make sure that there aren't any extra people in the truck,” Adlhoch said. “In fact, where we normally have anywhere between 10 to 15 different people in our truck space, we've limited that so that people can be at least six feet apart. Everyone's wearing a mask. There are a lot of barriers to communication that we don't normally have. Normally a producer would sit to my left, but because there's not enough room for that producer to sit six or more feet away from me, they're now sitting behind me. The graphics operator is in a completely different space. Normally they'd be right behind me. I could turn around and make eye contact with them, but I can't do that now. All of our communication is over headset.”

In order to provide the safest environment possible, Technical Director Len Marinaccio went far beyond what anyone could have imagined and developed a filtration system inside the truck to keep the air moving and keep the potential germs, viruses or bacteria levels down.

“He had an idea to build a special air filtration system and put it in the truck while we were working,” Adlhoch said. “Len's one of the smartest people I've ever met. Even though he had described what he was going to do, it was really amazing to see him actually build it. There's a HEPA filter in one section, that's pulling air from the entire truck through this metal tubing. Then a cardboard conduit that he built that brings the air from the metal tubing that's in the ceiling down to the HEPA filter, which is on the floor next to me. He's done a couple of little studies of his own to show that every hour it completely refilters the air within the truck. It is important in these times because being in a truck, it's a big metal box. It's like when you fly on an airplane and, in our case, we're in it for five to six hours in a day. You have all this circulated air and if it's not being filtered, then any potential germs or virus, bacteria, whatever would just be lingering in the air. It's pretty amazing.”

The truck’s layout was planned. The studio was constructed. The COVID-19 precautions were set. Finally, it was time to play some basketball.

It wasn’t until action got on its way that Kevin Ray realized that the broadcasters were entering a new world as well. While they were still able to watch the game action through their monitor, they had to adjust to not relying on the smaller details within the game that would ordinarily surround them.

“The obvious is just the fact that you're not there,” Ray said. “Yes, we can see the game just like the viewers at home on the screen, but when we're doing a game, there are so many other things that as broadcasters, you're observing. You're able to look down on the bench, see what's being communicated during the timeouts and even what play is going on. Just so many of the little things that you in many ways take for granted until it's not there in front of you. The obvious is just the day of the game. Not being able to talk to the player to the coaches.”

Fortunately for all, the Suns traveled down to Orlando and shocked the world, grabbing eyes nationally and stealing hearts around The Valley. Fans tuned-in to Fox Sports Arizona to watch as the Suns overcame their daunting odds, finishing play 8-0.

Suns Productions ultimately battled through their obstacles and adjusted to their life new life in the studio, just as the team did so on the hardwood.

“We just have to embrace this life right now,” Eddie Johnson said. “So many people in our past and past history have gone through things like this and it's been even worse. What we have to do is just accept it and move forward. That's what everybody's done. The NBA has done a tremendous job down in Orlando. Obviously, the Suns have done a great job in setting K. Ray and I up and I our private room with our TV, big screen. We're sitting there like we are at home. All I needed is nachos.” 

For a more in-depth behind-the-scenes with the Suns productions crew, tune-in this Sunday on the Suns YouTube Channel at 11 a.m. PT as we take you inside the truck and throughout the studio in this week’s episode of “Don’t Sleep on Basketball.” 

Don’t Sleep on Basketball is a content series that captures the unprecedented times we’re facing through the lens of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. Basketball sits at the intersection of culture, entertainment and sport, which puts the Suns & Mercury organization in the perfect position to serve as participant, voyeur and storyteller during this unparalleled era. The dynamic initiative is available across multiple mediums, including FOX Sports Arizona, Suns and Mercury social channels, YouTube, and editorially on Suns.com.

adapting

ADAPTING

Matt Petersen

Following the Phoenix Suns’ 8-0 run on the NBA Campus in Orlando, the league announced today that guard Devin Booker has been named to the Kia NBA All-Seeding Games First Team and Head Coach Monty Williams has been named the NBA Coach of the Seeding Game

A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who have been on site covering the 2019-20 season restart voted for these awards to honor top performers for the seeding games played from July 30 – Aug. 14. Booker was a unanimous selection to the First Team and he was the runner-up to Portland’s Damian Lillard for Kia NBA Player of the Seeding Games, earning second-place votes on 19 of 22 ballots. Williams garnered 20 of 21 first-place votes for NBA Coach of the Seeding Games balloting.

Booker led the Suns by averaging 30.5 points, tied for fourth most in the league after the restart. Booker scored exactly 35 points in four of the eight seeding games as he became the Suns’ all-time leader in career 30-point games on Aug. 11. On Aug. 4, he made his third career game-winning buzzer-beater to beat the Clippers and keep the Suns’ perfect record alive. During the seeding games, Booker increased his scoring average for the season to a new career high of 26.61 points, the second-highest single-season mark in Suns history.

Kia NBA All-Seeding Games First Team: Devin Booker

Under Williams’ direction, the Suns were the only undefeated team in “the bubble” as their eight-game winning streak put them on the brink of a play-in berth. The Suns ranked first in the league in Net Rating for the seeding games, outscoring their opponents by 12.9 points per 100 possessions. The eight-game winning streak is the longest season-ending streak by any team not to make the playoffs in NBA history.

Kia Coach of the Seeding Games: Monty Williams

devin-booker-named-to-nba-all-seeding-games-first-team-monty-williams-named-nba-coach-of-the-seeding-games

DEVIN BOOKER NAMED TO NBA ALL-SEEDING GAMES FIRST TEAM, MONTY WILLIAMS NAMED NBA COACH OF THE SEEDING GAMES

When everyone counts you out, what do you have to lose?

The Phoenix Suns were the youngest team to enter the bubble, but you would never be able to tell by their dominating run against the league’s premiere competition under the bright lights in Orlando. Despite all of the odds stacked against them, the Suns shocked the basketball world with an undefeated 8-0 record while leaving every last ounce of sweat and effort on the hardwood.

“It's been fun,” Devin Booker said. “We’ve been playing very good basketball. We’ve been having fun on and off the court together. We’re becoming closer. We’re learning from each other and we’re communicating with each other. We’re taking it one game at a time. That’s been our mindset since we’ve got here.”

The Suns locker room heard all the chatter, or lack thereof, when entering the bubble. Instead of allowing these voices to get them down, the Suns used that negativity and ‘impossible’ odds as motivation to show that they belonged.

“I just think that we have a group that wanted to come here and wanted to prove to the world that they were worthy of being here,” Head Coach Monty Williams said. “They heard a lot of the stuff being said. When people say stuff about you, you want to prove them wrong. This is who we are. We’ve been this competitive all year. We’ve been a scrappy team. We play hard. We share the ball. We’ve tried to stick to our DNA.”

Finishing as the only undefeated team throughout the seeding games, there became a complete shift in their narrative. From virtually no mention besides the occasional, ‘Why are they invited?’ to becoming the leading story in the bubble, the Suns carved their place in underdog history joining the likes of the 1976 ‘Sunderella’ Suns, the 2004 Detroit Pistons and the 2007 ‘We Believe’ Warriors.

“They didn't have expectations entering the bubble or even a remote chance at cracking the play-in tournament and postseason,” Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale said. “To be here at all, in position to even dream about the postseason, is an enviable feat and not to be taken lightly. It doesn't matter what happened before or that it has taken an unprecedented playoff format amid a global pandemic to get the Suns this opportunity…They have it, they're making the most of it, and in doing so, they've left a lasting impression that, small sample in mind, feels more like a manifestation than a stopgap.”

The Suns have taken tremendous strides throughout Williams’ inaugural coaching season with the franchise. His impact on the court and in the locker room have inspired the Suns to unite together, grow together and shine together. But despite all the accomplishments the team has reached along the way, Williams knows this is not the end goal.

“What’s working for us is that we’ve committed to a style of play,” Williams said. “We’ve been able to adapt to different situations. We scrapped all year long, we won some games, but it’s been an uphill battle for us. We’ve done a good job of getting to this point. No one knew we were going to be here, but we’re here and we’re thankful for that.”

The Suns have gained the respect from their NBA peers, the media and fans of all teams across the league, providing a heart-warming story of resiliency. Their success on the court has proven that not only did the Suns belong in the bubble, but they have the ability to compete with anyone. 

“That's huge for us as an organization,” Williams. “It's huge for us as a team. There was some sentiment before this that we didn't belong. I think we've changed that sentiment.” 

“That shows our growth,” Booker said. “Our ability to lock-in and understand when we aren’t doing something right.” 

Booker reached out to his coach immediately when it was first announced that the NBA season would resume and that the Suns would be invited into the bubble. 

“He was the first text I got from a player,” Williams said. “He was excited about being in the bubble. He put a ton of work in. That’s been the most impressive aspect about this. Obviously, his production on the floor, but he put the work in. When I talked to our strength guys, they showed me his numbers, how they had improved as far as his strength and conditioning goes. That’s a sign of a guy that wants to get better and prepared for this opportunity. He’s making the most of it.” 

From day one, Booker and the rest of the Suns were locked-in and ready to attack the daunting task that lied ahead.

“Coach said the way we navigate uncertainty is how we're going to turn out down here,” Booker said. “I know it's a different situation, different formats, but we came in with the right mindset. We didn't come in here saying we wanted to win eight in-a-row. We just wanted to win one game eight times.”

Their odds to advance were less than 0.1 percent. Their situation in the bubble was unorthodox. Their playoff caliber competition was intimidating.

Instead of allowing these distractions to discourage a young team, Williams kept them focused the same way he had all year and preached the importance of breaking everything down step-by-step and not looking too far ahead. 

“We're not going to change our approach,” Williams said. “You want your guys to have a bar. Once we started to play a certain way, I was able to hold them to something and that's what we've done here. We've raised the bar and now I have another reference point for these guys. You can always refer to this time. Every one of our games was a game seven and our guys brought it every single night. We didn't make it really hard for them. We just asked them to do a few things and let the chips fall. It takes time to get to a point like this. I'm not saying we're there, but we're at where we are right now. It's pretty cool with a young team like we have.” 

The success of the Suns was a shock to many, especially those who predicted the team could potentially go 0-8. However, none of this came as a surprise to Booker who saw his teammates rally together and focus from the time their plane first touched down in Orlando. 

“From the moment we got down here, it’s been high energy and competitive,” Booker said. “I know we’ve got some guys in this locker room that won’t back down from any matchup or any competition. We’re having fun with it. The way we are communicating, helping each other out and holding each other accountable is the reason for our success.”

Booker continued his dominant season that earned him his first All-Star appearance, but that might not be the only hardware he takes home this season. 

The 23-year-old averaged 30.5 points on 50.3 percent shooting to go along with 6.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds in the bubble. Add in the undefeated record and Booker looks to be the well-deserved frontrunner for the Kia NBA Player of the Seeding Games as well as a spot on the Kia NBA All-Seeding Games Team.

“I'm sure he's got to be in the conversation for that,” Williams said. “What we've been able to do and how he's played, I would have to say he's certainly got to be in that conversation at the top of that list. That's a good thing for him and for the organization.”

While Booker has led the way, he would certainly be the first to credit his teammates around him for rising to the occasion and stepping up when needed. Through their ball movement, defensive tenacity and lights-out shooting, the Suns quickly proved to be one of the deepest teams in the bubble as the development of their youth continued to be on display.

It’s been an electric start to Cameron Payne’s Suns career as he’s provided a key spark off the bench with 10.9 points per game on 51.7 percent three-point shooting. Dario Šarić found his groove, impacting all facets of the game while averaging 14.8 points on 57.4 percent shooting (52.4 percent from deep) and adding 7.6 rebounds per game.

Mikal Bridges and Jevon Carter wreaked havoc on both ends of the court, dominating defensively while showing their growth on the offensive end. Both players notched their second-best scoring outings of their careers while in the bubble, Bridges with 24 points against the Philadelphia 76ers and Carter with 20 points against the Miami Heat.

While it’s technically still his rookie season, Cameron Johnson appears to have taken tremendous strides on the court and was clearly working on his game during the four-month hiatus. Johnson upped his scoring average from 8.1 points per game during the regular season to 13.0 points per game during the reseeding games while also doing his work on the glass, averaging 5.9 rebounds.

Deandre Ayton continued to dominate inside for the Suns averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Ricky Rubio tied all of these pieces together from the point guard position with 12.9 points, 7.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.

“It’s very encouraging,” Booker said. “We’re just all hoopers. Any night can be somebody’s night if we are playing the right way, sharing the ball like we do. That’s obviously big help for me when teams are throwing a jump defense at me and making them pay for it. We always say they are going to make a decision. With the spacing we have out there, the concepts and the basketball actions that we run, it forces defense to have to pick and choose.”

At 8-0, the Suns gave themselves every opportunity possible to keep their playoff hopes alive. From the legendary game-winning buzzer-beater against the Los Angeles Clippers to dominating 20-point victories against both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks, the Suns consistently showed their resiliency and continued to battle against the odds until the final clock struck double zero.

The NBA gave the Suns an opportunity by inviting them to the bubble, but the effort displayed on a nightly basis by each and every player is what truly gave them the chance.

“Nobody would have guessed the Phoenix Suns would be in this position before all of this started,” Williams said. “Our guys have just battled, executed and made the plays necessary to give us a chance.”

While this is only Williams first year with the team, this is far from his first rodeo. The 48-year-old head coach has spent over 25 years in the NBA, but few moments resonate more throughout his storied career than the memories he gained in Orlando.

“It's probably been the highlight of my head coaching career or at least one of them,” Williams said. “Just how much fun I've had here with our guys. It has been a blast. We got here and went right to quarantine for 48 hours. Then we just went to work and we didn't hear any complaining. Our team didn't complain. We just came to work and our practices were fun, but they were intense. It's just been a blast from watching movies together to watching the guys play spikeball, fishing, trying to teach Mikal how to fish. The different things I've learned about our team. I've learned so much about our guys. It's been a really fun, fun ride.”

Williams was able to share this sentiment with his team just moments after they clinched their eighth-straight victory.

Head Coach Monty Williams: Postgame Speech

“It has just been an unreal ride,” Williams spoke to his team in the locker room. “This was therapeutic for me to be around a group like this. I’ve got to tell you guys, I love you. I do. I don’t care what happens tonight. I know what I’ve got in this room. It has been cool for me to be with y’all every day; to watch you guys work and battle and gain the respect of your peers the way you have on this trip. We’re not the Suns of old. It’s hard to play the way you’ve play every single night and not get the respect that you deserve. Guess what? You’ve got it. God knows I hope we get a chance to keep shocking the world because that’s what you did. Nobody believed we’d come here and go 8-0 and beat the teams we beat. Just know, this is special. Don’t let anybody take this away from y’all. You gained the respect of the league. Now, we’ve got to build on it.” 

Instead of being disheartened by the fact that they did not control their own destiny late Thursday night, Williams wanted to focus on the room of guys that sat before him who trained, battled and clawed their way as a historic underdog.

“I'm just really grateful for the effort and the growth of this team,” Williams said. “I just wanted them to know how much I love them and how much I appreciated them allowing me to be a part of a special period in our franchise.”

No matter how the playoff scenario ultimately unfolded, the Suns gained every right to hold their heads up high, knowing that while so many didn’t believe in them, they gave everything they had and battled until the final buzzer. 

“I'm proud of my guys, regardless,” Booker said. “We came in here with the right mindset. It could have been different. People could have been frustrated coming out in the middle of a four-month hiatus straight to basketball and leaving your family. But, we came in, we locked in and we made the sacrifice that we need to make. So, I don't think there's going to be any sad faces around here. Whether we leave here in the playoffs or not. We've put the work in and we've grown as a team. We've taken tremendous strides that I think will build for us for continuing years to come.”

The future is clearly bright in Phoenix. This opportunity gave the Suns a platform to prove themselves across the NBA as well as provide the team will invaluable playoff-like experience that can translate into next season and for years to come.

“I'd like to get away from here and reflect,” Booker said. “Let's see how we come into next season. I think we just figured out if you come in and play every game, the right way, communicate with each other, that we can win basketball games. There's a thin line between winning and losing and you can't skip any steps. We haven't done that down there. We've had goals, we've had tasks, things that we had overcome since we've been down here. We understand the steps to get through it. We haven't been taking any shortcuts. That's been the reason for our success.”

For a more in-depth visual inside inside the bubble, tune-in this Sunday on the Suns YouTube Channel at 11 a.m. PT as we take you behind-the-scenes in this week’s episode of “Don’t Sleep on Basketball.” 

proving-they-belong

Proving They Belong

“This is a get to, not a got to,” Head Coach Monty Williams continues to preach to his team.

The Phoenix Suns entered the Orlando bubble with nearly insurmountable odds to advance past the seeding games and into the postseason. Entering into play as the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference, the Suns had little room for error in order to keep their playoff-hopes alive.

With four of eight games played, the Suns are not only gaining valuable experience on the court, but have joined the defending champion Toronto Raptors as the only undefeated teams in the bubble. Sitting at 4-0 to restart the season, the Suns have brought the Arizona heat to Orlando as arguably the hottest team in the NBA.

While some other players and teams may feel trapped inside the bubble, the Suns have instead instilled a competitive mentality and are quickly seizing the opportunity that was granted to them.

“We can complain about it or we can look at what we get to do,” Williams said. “We’re here. There are teams that aren’t here. We worked our way into this bubble and we want to take advantage of that. The good thing is we get to hoop and we get to compete. We’ve got a small shot at making the playoffs and that’s something that we are grateful for.”

The Suns were the youngest team invited to the bubble and have been able to use this time to accelerate their growth on the court as well as build stronger relationships with each other off of it.

“This has the potential to be so much more valuable for us than any other team here,” Williams said. “Because of the experience, because of the games, because we have a chance to just be together without a lot of distractions. We’re going back to the hotel together. We eat together. The guys watch games together. That time spent is probably worth two training camps for a team like ours. It’s been huge for us to be in this environment.” 

Suns Senior VP of Basketball Operations Jeff Bower believes that regardless if the Suns are going to be playing for two weeks or two months, these games are crucial for the development and future of the organization.

“The importance is in many different ways and in many different areas,” Bower said. “We're playing the games to compete and to win - is what our objective and our goal is for each and every game. Obviously, our first objective for being here is to try and chase that playoff spot. That is the target. Now moving beyond that, our objectives are deeper in terms of growth, development and the progress that we can continue to build on during this season and the momentum that is generated into the future.”

The bubble has provided the Suns a platform to prove themselves across the league as well as commit all their focus on one thing, basketball.

“It's a totally immersive basketball experience for everybody associated with it,” Bower said.“There's no travel time. There are no distractions. We've got a three-hour block of practice during the day and then we have an additional two-hour block of time in the evening for individual work and shooting fundamentals. The combination of those timeframes have put our guys in position for an increased number of reps and an increased amount of time to be on the floor together. We have seen great growth coming at a fairly rapid pace. When you add in games now to provide that extra and immediate feedback, you're able to see the results of your labor and you're able to see the areas that need further attention, further growth and further concentration.”

The results are surely paying off as the Suns are making headlines by showing a glimpse into what the future of this team may hold. The entire roster is rallying together as one cohesive unit and are quickly developing into a squad that competes night-in and night-out due to their high energy, tenacity and pure determination to not back down from anyone.

“We're seeing good play from the younger players that are helping the more established guys,” Bower said. “The progress that Mikal has shown in these games and Cam Johnson. Cam Payne has been a nice addition for us here. Those are all real bright spots. Overall, probably the greatest thing to see is the collective spirit that our guys play the game with on the court and the support they show each other off of the court. That sense of team and that sense of carrying the load to help your teammate out is something that's very real and is very needed to be successful over the course of an NBA grind. Not only are we seeing our players exhibit that naturally, but it's authentic and it's real. It's built by the times that they've shared together.”

The Suns have caught the attention from around the league due their resilient play in their victories against the Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers. The team has taken this situation seriously and has embraced the opportunity to compete with open arms in order to prove that they belong. 

“As a group, our collective mindset is not that we're stuck in the bubble - it's that we have an opportunity to be here together, to grow, to learn and to improve as a team,” Bower said. “Because of that mindset, we've been able to attack each day and we've been able to spend incredible amounts of time at both high levels of intensity and then total levels of relaxation. The guys eat together. They fish together. They play various games together. Players, coaches, staff, it's been an experience that everyone has been able to learn a little bit more about their colleagues. They've had to rely on them for companionship as well as competition to be better. As an organization, it's an opportunity for us to grow, to improve and to establish who we want to be moving forward.”

This camaraderie has ventured far beyond just the players as Bower has seen the entire staff working together, learning from each other and growing as one. With this still being the inaugural season for Williams and the rest of the Suns staff, this opportunity gives them the chance to experiment with new techniques as well as build a more united club from the top down.

“Many of the same things that we've said about our team and our players applies to our staff as well,” Bower said. “The interaction between the coaching staff, the training staff, the player development staff and the strength and conditioning staff, it's all integrated. The connectedness that they're functioning with every day is a great example for our team to see.”

The Suns have dramatically shifted their playoff odds and turned many heads throughout the first half of the seeding games, but Williams is trying his best to keep the team as grounded as possible, knowing that there are much higher goals to reach for.

“The excitement level is obviously pretty high, but at the same time you have to temper it because there is so much at stake and your focus has to be at a place where emotion doesn’t take over,” Williams said. “It’s one practice at a time, one video session at a time, one game at a time. That’s how we are going to look at it. We know we have eight games in fourteen days, but we are more than prepared for it. We’re excited about the ability and the chance to compete against the best teams in the league.”

The road that lies ahead will be challenging for the Suns as the remaining schedule features four teams that have already clinched a playoff spot (Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks). But instead of backing down, the Suns are accepting the task at hand in order to cement their place in the league.

“Our schedule here is incredibly difficult when you see the quality of the teams that we have in front of us,” Bower said. “If we can continue down this path and make it to the play-in games or the playoffs, we will certainly have earned it. We would have done that through outstanding play with some consistency habits that we're going to be able embed in us as a core group moving along into next year.”

With four games remaining, the Suns join the Toronto Raptors as the only two undefeated teams in the bubble. Phoenix currently sits just 1.5 games out of the No. 9 seed and a chance at the play-in matchup between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds. As six teams are battling it out for the final two spots in the Western Conference, the competition level is at an all-time high and the Suns have their focus set on making history.

“We’re playing in a highly intense environment against the best teams and players in the world,” Williams said. “That’s something that our fans, I hope, appreciate. I hope that we make our fans happy with how we play.”

For a more in-depth visual inside inside the bubble, tune-in this Sunday on FOX Sports Arizona as well as the Suns YouTube Channel at 5:30 p.m. PT as we take you behind-the-scenes in this week’s episode of “Don’t Sleep on Basketball.” 

against-the-odds

AGAINST THE ODDS

The Phoenix Suns will take the court this Friday for their first official game in over four months. While players and coaches are excited for play to finally return to the hardwood, they first wanted to ensure they weren’t creating a distraction for the larger issues occurring in society.

Head Coach Monty Williams has been outspoken about racial injustice over the last few months, starting with an open letter and leading through his teachings in Orlando. Despite the season restart just around the corner, Williams feels his forthright stance against social injustice is beginning to highlight a crucial moment in his career.

“I think it’s one of the most important things I’ve done in my coaching,” Williams said. “When I look at the history of our country, the history of my family, I look at where we are and where we need to go. The platform that we have to talk about the ills and wrongs of our society are the utmost importance.”

The Suns feature a diverse roster with players from different origins and backgrounds coming together to form one team. Williams has preached for his team to not only embrace who they are, but to learn about their ancestors as well as each other’s.

“To be able to watch movies and talk about not just African American history, but Croatian history, Serbian history, how the slaves got to the Bahamas and other islands in the Caribbean, all of that is important,” Williams said. “Knowledge, to me, in these situations, is key. As I’ve said to the guys, knowledge takes away assumptions. We just tried to use this time to educate ourselves and educated the players and have authentic conversations in a safe place. To me, this is one of the most important things that I’ve ever been a part of. As an African American Head Coach in the NBA, I’m thankful I’m a part of it all.”

The NBA saw the concerns that players had about the potential distraction that return to play could cause. So, working with the Players Association, the league announced that each player will have the option to rep a social justice message across their backs when return to play tips-off.

“The league and the players are uniquely positioned to have a direct impact on combating systemic racism in our country, and we are committed to collective action to build a more equal and just society,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “A shared goal of our season restart will be to use our platform in Orlando to bring attention to these important issues of social justice."

The 29 different statements are intended to help keep the focus on topics such as police brutality and systematic racism and provide an additional voice for each of the players.

“I think that was really good,” Devin Booker said about the opportunity to include messaging on his jersey. “The Players’ Association fought very hard for that. Being probably the most viewed sport coming up soon, I think it’s a perfect platform for all of us to take a stand and give our word. We’re all coming up with something to put on the back of our jersey, which is going to be great for the NBA and for this movement.”

The Suns are embracing this opportunity to speak out against the social injustice throughout society as the entire roster has elected to wear a powerful message on the back of their jersey.

Each player sought out a phrase that they felt impacted by and that most closely resembled the message they are looking to personally convey.

“I chose to wear ‘ENOUGH’ on the back of my jersey because systemic racism and systematic oppression have existed in this country for as long as it’s existed,” Ty Jerome said. “Some people may think, ‘Racism doesn’t exist in my world’ or ‘White privilege doesn’t exist anymore.’ They’re so wrong. We’re nowhere we need to be as a country. We’re not even close. I think it’s time for people to understand that. Everyone needs to come together and we have to make change.” 

Even as just a rookie, Jerome is using this platform to take a stand against racial injustice and provide a voice for the voiceless, including those within his own family. 

“The Black Lives Matter movement really hits home for me,” Jerome said. “I think about it all the time because many people may not know, but I’m Black. My dad’s side of the family is all Black. If I get pulled over by a cop, police brutality may not happen to me, but it’s happened to my dad. It’s happened to my uncle. It could happen to my cousins. It could happen to my grandma. It’s a powerful movement. Trying to make change. We all need to help anyway we can.” 

Kelly Oubre Jr.’s status is still up in their air whether he’ll be physically cleared to play, but that’s not holding him back from using his platform to make his message heard. Whether it’s on the court or on the sidelines, Oubre is taking his message of ‘PEACE’ and making it seen worldwide. 

“It’s what I stand for,” Oubre said. “I just have the simple message of ‘PEACE’ on the back of my jersey. It’s very simple and straight to the point. I definitely encourage everybody to seek peace and to have peace in their lives, so that we all can just help each other be better.”

While some players such a Jerome are doing it for family and others like Oubre are keeping it simple, Suns center Deandre Ayton elected to go in a slightly different direction. Still keeping the strength of the message, Ayton chose a phrase that could interpreted in multiple ways.

“I’m planning on putting ‘RESPECT US,’” Ayton said. “It goes two ways. Respect what’s going on, everybody respecting each other, and the Phoenix Suns in the league. Us being respected. Us showing what we have and people respecting what we’ve worked for. It just goes a long way with the ‘RESPECT US’ phrase. It goes on and off the court. That’s why I chose that one. A lot of people chose ‘EQUALITY.’ I want that, but I wanted to go both ways, off the court, but on the court as well.”

Each player on the Suns roster took the time to thoroughly decipher through the options of approved statements and choose the one they felt most impacted by as the fight for justice continues outside of the Orlando bubble. Williams has seen the importance of continuing these tough conversations with his players through a hard-hitting movie night, personal reflections and consistent and open discussions.

“I’ve asked myself a lot of the questions internally and have had these discussions in my home for years, but it was just in my house,” Williams said. “I’ve always asked myself, ‘Why does the neighborhood I live in now differ from the neighborhood I grew up in as far as the quality of schools, the quality of the grocery store? Why are there so many police in my neighborhood as it relates to the war on drugs and then you look at college campuses where there are a ton of drugs and a ton of stuff going on and you don’t see police like that?’ Now, we are in this period in our country and all of those questions are being thrown out and are talked about in a way that’s totally different than I ever imagined.” 

Head Coach Monty Williams: Social Injustice Jersey Messaging

Williams never expected to be in a leadership role when it came to social injustice, but he’s willing to do what is necessary if it helps spark progress and generate a more equal society in the future.

“The reason why I want to do it is because I want to make the world a better place for my kids and my grandkids,” Williams said. “If I had to pinpoint one thing that needs to improve in our country, it’s that we have to educate everybody on everyone’s backgrounds and we have to be able to tell the truth, so we can have a form of reconciliation. If we don’t talk about the real truth of our country, it’s going to be hard for us to have the reconciliation that needs to take place. I think our kids growing up need to know the real truth about the history of our country as it relates to African Americans, Native Americans, the Irish, Asian Americans and white Americans. I think it’s important.” 

Ricky Rubio has taken these words to heart and dedicated his time to educating himself and grasp a deeper understanding for all that is taking place. It’s due to this education that Rubio ultimately decided the message he’s repping on the back of his jersey.

“We have been having a lot of calls to educate ourselves, to really know what’s going on,” Rubio said. “I’m really thankful for that. I was on the call with Breonna Taylor’s attorney and her mom and a lot of other players. It’s really important for us to speak up. Sometimes we’ve been a little quiet just because sometimes it’s better to be quiet when you don’t have the full information, but the NBA has given us enough information to talk about it and talk about what you are thinking and bring your perspective. I put ‘JUSTICE’ because I feel like there has to be justice, especially for all of those who have been affected, Breonna Taylor for example. Hopefully, we see justice.” 

Williams is proud of each and every one of his players for electing to choose a statement, take a stand and speak out for what they truly believe in.

“For our guys to make a statement with their expressions on their jerseys, we support them and I’m proud of them,” Williams said. “I think it represents who we are as a country. The ability to freely speak and express yourself, to peacefully protests, to defend those who can’t defend themselves, to continue the discussion of equality for everybody in our country. At the same time, bringing attention to Breonna Taylor and that situation. Making sure that that does not die. Everything that the players are doing allows for those conversations to continue in an organized, professional, precise manner. Hopefully it leads to progress for all people. I’m proud of them.” 

Without an assist from the Suns seamstress, none of the players would be able to display these powerful messages on their jerseys. Patsy Elmer of Big Time Jerseys has been in charge of stitching names and numbers on Valley sports teams’ jerseys for over 25 years. 

The Suns are sporting three different jerseys in Orlando, all of which contain the personalized messages that were precisely added by Elmer. However, this isn’t the only impact Elmer is having on Orlando. To help with COVID-19 precautions, Elmer cut up and spliced together former Suns warmups to transform them into customized masks for the players, coaches and staff to help protect themselves and others.

For a more in-depth visual inside the mask making as well as what life has been like inside the bubble, tune-in this Sunday on the Suns YouTube Channel at 1 p.m. PT as we take you behind-the-scenes in this week’s episode of “Don’t Sleep on Basketball.” 

beyond-basketball

BEYOND BASKETBALL

Who’s invited: The teams with the top 22 records across the entire NBA have been invited into the Orlando bubble with a chance to compete for a spot in the playoffs. This includes the 16 teams that would currently qualify for the playoffs plus one additional team in the Eastern Conference (Washington Wizards) and five additional teams in the Western Conference (Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns), totaling nine teams from the East and 13 from the West.

Where are the games: All of the games will take place on the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus in Orlando, FL at three different venues: The HP Field House, Visa Athletic Center and The Arena.

How many games: Each team will play eight seeding games leading into the postseason, closely resembling their remaining regular-season matchups before play was paused.

Who advances to the playoffs: Each team’s eight-game record will be added to their regular season record prior to the season being paused. Following the eight games, the top seven teams in each conference will automatically advance to their normal playoff seeding. However, the eighth seed in each conference will be determined by a potential play-in tournament before the traditional playoff system begins.

The eight seed tournament: If the team with the eighth-best record in its conference is more than four games ahead of the team with the ninth-best record in the same conference, no play-in tournament would be necessary. The final playoff berth would simply go to the team with the eighth-best record (regular-season games plus seeding games) in the conference.

If the team with the eighth-best record in its conference is four games or fewer ahead the team with the ninth-best record in the same conference, then there will be a battle for the final spot between those two teams.

The tournament would be a best-of-two series, where the No. 9 seed would have to win two head-to-head matchups to take over the No. 8 spot. If the current No. 8 seed wins just one of the two games, they advance to the playoffs.

How can the Suns advance: While a daunting task lies ahead, the Suns can defy the odds and advance to the postseason. The Suns will have to be nearly perfect as they currently sit six games back of the current No. 8 seeded Memphis Grizzlies. If they’re able to power themselves to the No. 9 seed, within four games of the No. 8 spot, they would enter the play-in tournament with a chance to make history. If they win both games as the No. 9 seed, they would officially take over the No. 8 spot and advance to tip-off against the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket.

THE MATCHUPS: Phoenix Suns vs Washington Wizards

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Cam Johnson vs Rui Hachimura

Only five of the top twelve players selected in the 2019 NBA Draft received an invite to the NBA bubble and two of them will go head-to-head in the Suns matchup against the Washington Wizards. Cam Johnson and Rui Hachimura will have a chance to prove their worth as lottery selections as the two rookies battle it out on the prominent NBA stage. The two teams have yet to see each other since last November, in a game where Johnson provided a nice spark off the bench with 17 points.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Deandre Ayton vs Luka Dončić

In another youthful matchup, two of the most thrilling players from the 2018 NBA Draft take the court as the Suns tip-off against the Dallas Mavericks. While Deandre Ayton and Luka Dončić may not be directly matched up, all eyes will be focused on the number one and number three selections from just two years ago. Ayton scored a career-high 31 points to go along with 9 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in the Suns 29-point win over the Mavericks in their last matchup on Jan. 28.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Mikal Bridges vs Kawhi Leonard

A lockdown matchup. Two of the league’s most elite wing defenders will have a chance to shut the other one down as Mikal Bridges lines up opposite of Kawhi Leonard. As Bridges’ offensive game continues to improve, similarities between his growth and the two-time Defensive Player of the Year’s career path seem to continue to align. The Suns will look to even up the season series as the division rivals go head-to-head.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Devin Booker vs Victor Oladipo

The battle of the shooting guards. Two of the league’s most premier two-guards will lead their teams onto the floor in the Suns matchup against the Pacers. All-Stars Devin Booker and Victor Oladipo will prove why they’re two of the most elite at their positions as the go-to players on their respective rosters.  The Suns will be seeking payback after falling to the Pacers in their lone matchup this season.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Deandre Ayton vs Bam Adebayo

Arguably the two most talented young bigs will take center court to tip-off Suns vs Heat. Deandre Ayton and Bam Adebayo have quickly proven to be dominant forces on each ends of the court, despite both being only 22 years old. Ayton will look to control the paint against his counterpart after missing the first and only matchup between the two teams this season.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Ricky Rubio vs Chris Paul

Few define the point guard position and create more for their teammates better than Ricky Rubio and Chris Paul. Two of the league’s most elite playmakers will lead their teams against each other as the Suns and Thunder battle it out on the hardwood. Rubio currently ranks third across the entire NBA with 8.9 assists per game as he continues to make a tremendous impact on the Suns roster in just his first season with the team.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Ricky Rubio vs Ben Simmons

Although there may be a six-inch, 50-pound difference between the two, Ricky Rubio and Ben Simmons are two of the best in the league at getting the most from their teammates. Whether it’s distributing or causing deflections, don’t let the lopsided size fool you, they both are equipped with some of the best hands in the league. The question comes down to who can lead their team to the advantage as the Suns vs 76ers tip-off.

POTENTIAL KEY MATCHUP: Devin Booker vs Luka Dončić

All-Star vs All-Star. NBA fans will have a glimpse into the future as two of the league’s brightest stars in Devin Booker and Luka Dončić battle it out in a playoff-like scenario. In what could be the deciding game for either of the teams to advance to the actual playoffs, what better matchup is there than two of the most unstoppable offensive forces around. Launching from deep, pulling up from midrange or taking it to the glass, Booker and Dončić will showcase their elite offensive skillset as the Suns and Mavericks meet for the second time in Orlando.

back-to-basketball-how-return-to-play-works

Back to Basketball: How Return to Play Works

Picture this: You awaken in what has become your new home over the last few weeks. Welcome to ‘Groundhog Day’.

The first step each morning is to face-scan into the NBA My Health app in order to lift the restrictions and begin your day. The in-app questionnaire is simple and only takes a few minutes to complete, but the data tracking is crucial to the health of others and ultimately, the success of the NBA bubble. 

The questions begin. “Have you experienced any of the following symptoms? Please select all that apply. Do you have a cough? Shortness of breath? Fever and chills? Muscle and body aches? Headaches? Sore throat? Loss of taste or smell? Diarrhea? Nausea? Vomiting? Fatigue? Congestion? Runny nose?”

All clear? Next up is the temperature and oxygen saturation level check. The NBA has supplied everyone with an under-tongue thermometer as well as a pulse oximeter in order for you to check your vitals and ensure you can safely go about your day. Temperatures that read too high or oxygen saturation levels that are too low can serve as early indications that someone who may have contracted COVID-19.

Your morning symptom check is complete and you can begin gearing up for the remainder of the day. While pregame fits and designer fashion have become a staple of the NBA community in recent years, new accessories have been added to the mix.

The mask is clearly an essential part of the look, as to be expected, but it’s just the beginning of the many precautions and protocols the NBA has in place to keep everybody safe within the bubble. Get married to the game with the Ōura ring that tracks your sleep, physical activity and heart rate in order to provide an early detection tool for potential COVID-19 cases. Add some Disney magic to your style with the Mickey Mouse bracelet around your wrist that doubles as the ultimate gate keep to decide who enters and leaves all locations. You must scan the bracelet at all entrances and exits for hotels and gyms. If it’s green, you’re good to go. If it’s blue, the person at the door will stop you for either not filling out your morning questionnaire or because of a potential positive COVID-19 test. Lastly, throw on your credential that is paired with a sensory dongle that will loudly alert you if you come within six feet of any ‘resident’ not in your party.

Congratulations! You’re now officially able to leave your room and begin your day.

If you’re hungry, now is probably a good time to get a bite to eat. Following the first few days after arrival, the food hall opened up, providing a two-hour window to grab some grub, sit and converse with one another or take the food back to your room. While most meal plans are based off the individual team’s recommendations, if that doesn’t interest you, you have the option to order room service instead for an additional fee.

Each team is granted a three-hour practice time slot earlier in the day, followed by an option shootaround and open gym later in the evening. Outside of players being spaced apart on the bench and the coaches being equipped with masks at all times, it’s business as usual once the team hits the hardwood.

Practice is followed up by the daily COVID-19 tests. Both nasal and oral tests are given each day in order to ensure that all players, coaches and staff are free to roam around the campus without putting themselves or others at risk.

In between basketball sessions, you receive full reign over how you’d like to spend your day in sunny Orlando, Florida. While many players take shelter safely in their own rooms playing video games, the Disney World campus is equipped with spike ball, fishing, cornhole, ping pong, golf and much more to keep all entertained while also allowing natural bonding moments for teams.

Feel free to return to the gym for a late-night session or hit the hay early in order to make sure your body is well rested. Either way, we start at the top again tomorrow. 

Phoenix Suns Sr. Director of Health & Performance Brady Howe is tasked with sending the daily texts every morning to remind all the Suns personnel to check their vitals, fill out their app and equip themselves with the necessary devices to begin their day following accordance with NBA protocols. 

“It's all for the greater good in the grand scheme of things,” Howe said. “There's a bunch of hoops to jump through every day. For me personally, I've had to take a deep look into this because it's my responsibility to assure that everybody's health and safety is first and foremost being taken care of.” 

Normally more focused on the training and performance aspects of his job, Howe’s role dramatically shifted the moment that the season was put on pause. Howe’s focus turned to the medical side, researching ways to combat the virus, educating the team and preparing for the elaborate guidelines inside the bubble.

“The protocols the NBA has in place, they're extensive, but rightfully so,” Howe said. “This is an overwhelming and confusing virus that we still are learning so much about that you have to be overly precautious and you would rather be on the safe side of a pandemic than the gambling side. What the NBA has done is phenomenal. They've set up a lot of safety measures that benefit us.”

Working with the teams and health experts to carefully plan each piece of the bubble, the NBA did their due diligence in order to provide the safest solution to carry out the remainder of the season. Just as the planning on the NBA’s side was extensive, the individual teams each had to prepare to enter into a world of unknowns.

“It's probably been the most challenging part of my career, honestly,” said Jay Gaspar, Suns Manager of Equipment Operations who has been a part of the franchise for over 30 years. “You're packing as if it's a training camp or even a Summer League on steroids because you technically could be here until October. That's what you're hoping to do. So, you're sending stuff way ahead, pallets of gear, pallets of training supplies to the hotel. It's not like a normal road trip.”

Just about two hours South at IMG Academy in Bradenton, the Phoenix Mercury find themselves in a very similar situation. The WNBA has set up identical protocols in their bubble, affectionately known as the Wubble, as they prepare to tip-off their 2020 season.

It has been a big adjustment for All-Star Brittney Griner to get situated in her new home for the next few months, needing to adapt to the unique environment that surrounds her. 

“You go from being in your home and being able to do normal things. Now, you have masks everywhere, literally everywhere,” Griner said. “There are protocols with everything. Just adjusting to living in the bubble. We are practicing and the other teams are on the other courts. You can hear them. We’re sharing weight rooms with other teams, training rooms. So, it’s just a different adjustment, a different mindset, but with that being said, I definitely feel like I can play basketball here, easily.” 

Back in Orlando, the Suns All-Star also understands the guidelines in place and is willing to play his part in order to keep others safe and get back on the court. 

“My job is to keep my head down and keep working, tunnel vision for me,” Devin Booker said. “I am praying for everybody’s safety, their health, for them and their families. Let’s make sure that everybody’s safe and take the actions that we need to do.” 

While there has been plenty of speculation when it comes to bubble-life and the worry that some may feel ‘trapped’, the Suns are simply relieved to get back to basketball with a chance to prove themselves on the world wide stage.

“Being back on the court, we feel unleashed,” Booker said. “That’s always going to put a smile on my face, getting a chance to compete. I haven’t seen a lot of the guys in a long time. This is our catching up time. We’re getting a lot of time together. It’s been fun.”

The daily routine has set in for Booker and his teammates as they inch closer and closer to resuming play.

“Days just consist of practice and getting to know yourself,” Booker said. “A lot of down time in the room. Practices are three-hour slots with the option of coming back later at night. It’s real training camp vibes. Just practicing and hanging out in the room for me, a lot of Call of Duty.” 

This time of seclusion may not be a typical aspect of these players’ schedules, but the Suns are embracing it with open arms knowing it provides them the opportunity to once again come together to battle on the hardwood.

“I like being inside anyways,” sophomore swingman Mikal Bridges said. “Besides going outside to work out, I’m always inside. I don’t really have a problem with that. I’m used to going out to dinner. I love Chipotle. I’m used to getting that all the time. So, that’s a little bit of an adjustment, but it kind of reminds me of college. You stay at a hotel after every game. You get closer together, just be together at all times.”

Whether it’s teaming up and going head-to-head against each other in spikeball or sitting down for a team movie night, the Suns are using this opportunity to help build team chemistry. The quality time has not only brought the team closer together, but has allowed new signee Cam Payne to get acquainted with his teammates quicker than in a normal situation.

2019‑20