An in-depth look at the offense for the Suns prior to Game 3

Coming into Game 3, the Phoenix Suns have compiled an offensive rating of 100.0, third worst in the playoffs. They’re also 4th worst in the halfcourt at 86.7. They’re spending 83.8% of their possessions in the halfcourt and against Minnesota’s set defense — which isn’t ideal.

Additionally, they have just 35 assists on their 68 field goals made, with 34 turnovers and 19 of the live ball variety.

Execution and ball security in being better, are the chief entities for any adjustments spoken on. They simply have not had fun up against Minnesota’s defense, as the Timberwolves have stamped their identity all over the series through their two games at home, holding serve.

The onus is now on Phoenix to return the favor.

Here is just a tidbit of what I’d like to see, as an answer to break Minnesota’s scheme some and enable the Suns more comfortability, space, and flow. Mentioned in my series preview was a need for a handful of non-negotiables in the process for the Suns, as well as how sledding in the halfcourt would not be easy against the Timberwolves.

It would be muddy, the work would be more arduous/meticulous, and take an uptick in nuance to organize. We’ve certainly seen the demand. When they’ve gone to movement, they saw a higher volume of switching to flatten the movement and actions out, but that doesn’t mean going away from it.

Playing off of Nurkić is important to note, firstly. As their pressure release and connector, anytime he touches the ball, it means movement is triggered.

Regardless of who is in movement and where the action is occurring, this is always A+ in process for them because it’s going to always force a defense — whether directly in the moment or over the course of a game in scheme — to make decisions.

Off the splits, Allen ghosts off-ball while Booker cleverly re-spaced, to open the middle third for the Durant middle pindown.

Phoenix got a late switch (great screen from Allen) with Conley now responsible for Durant in movement and below the free throw line. Durant off the zero dribble pull-up too, quality doesn’t get better.

I mentioned coming into the playoffs how Phoenix has had a back-and-forth with movement versus matchup hunting and when processed well, they can marry the two, and optimize both layers.

This is an example of just that, also with another point of emphasis in Nurkić handling in the slot area KD the floor — either dragging x5’s away from the porch, or generally shifting the angle at which they will have to attempt to recover to the basket at, in rim protection.

Now, yes, it ends in a turnover, but notice the location of action (middle third), the switch that occurs in “rip DHO,” and who’s now brought into action (as well as who’s detached from primary action) and forced to defend Booker in movement.

This is a silly turnover from Nurkić as this is clearly flowing into a handoff, but he throws a pass. Nonetheless, this is extremely good in process — getting to their matchup hunting, detaching Booker from original matchups with early offense screens, and then flowing into primary action off movement.

Nurkić initiating in Delay. Then, rather than the small screening on the pindown for Durant, Nurkić pitches to Beal, then Nurkić screens for him.

Notice the advantage created on-ball as Durant touches on movement, as well as how quickly (!) he gets off it to maintain the advantage — all before the lowman can rotate.

Restricted area catch for Nurkić ends well this go around.

Booker is in a Durant set ATO here, with Durant initiating in a sense of role reversal.

Predicated again off movement (this is the dynamic, ATO, where I feel Kevin Young’s offensive stamp and desired action shines through most) we see Booker receive the middle staggers.

Alexander-Walker is top-locking Booker, but that’s tough to do from this particular screening angle, again the perks of middle-third actions location-wise.

Booker gains leverage then uses another great Nurkić screen, and look what’s again manipulated – a late-switch with Towns.

With the right wing cleared, he can work in space as McDaniels isn’t leaving Durant who’s a pass away to the left.

It ends in an isolation, but again it comes from movement and is cleverly located from dynamic set up into it.

This is a wrinkle and counter in their Flex action.

Beal typically flows into a screen for whoever is in the corner, who cuts to the strong side block, then flows off a pindown from Durant that can lead to a catch for Beal opposite slot, a curl, or flow into a handoff from Nurkić.

Here, in read and react, the Timberwolves' adjustment in game two of applying on-ball pressure to Nurkić in his playmaking spots, renders the paint unaccounted for.

Pair that with the aggressive off-ball coverage of the Timberwolves, with Alexander-Walker squeezed to the hip of Beal and anticipating action in the screen navigation, Beal’s able to steal back leverage into the unoccupied space, for an easy pressure release to break scheme.

Look at the tons of movement in Delay again here. Also, the flow as they transition from one action to the next.

The strong side defended well so Nurkić flips the play. Beal with an astute 45-cut to re-space now creates an empty corner scenario.

Durant’s garnering another dynamic touch, and as he comes off the handoff Booker is a pass away so there’s zero nail help, as he exploits the movement and space.

This is really good initially. Booker with an early offense hunt screen for Durant, to bring Towns into action. The problem is, after that, they do nothing with the advantage created.

What should have happened was either a quick attack from Booker on the catch to put pressure on Towns, especially with Durant a pass away right & Gobert left of the paint.

Or — it should’ve been Phoenix re-spacing, and Nurkić flowing into pick-and-roll. Gobert has to be at the level, Towns has to navigate, their rim-protecting pieces are far away from the porch now as the paints are unoccupied, and Phoenix can play even more extreme advantage ball there.

Instead, it ends in a contested, static Nurkić post attempt against the Defensive Player of the Year.

Staggers for Durant, this is as great as it gets.

They get another late switch, with Gobert now on Durant after the dynamic touch, from movement.

He attacks with Booker a pass away, and just smokes the layup.

Nurkić grabs the board and goes, initiating play in Delay.

Strong side defended well, but because it’s a secondary break, matchups aren’t set.

Booker has Towns already, so as he makes himself available, he attacks off the catch (!), Doesn’t let Minnesota off the hook, and is able to draw the low help.

Notice the reaction it gets as Beal is now wide open for three, but why did it work so well?

Decisiveness vs the mismatch from Booker, off movement for a dynamic touch. Then, Nurkić initiating and the Game 2 adjustment of Gobert aggressive on-ball with him renders the paint unaccounted for + changes the angle for him to recover from. Also, O’Neale spaced so high makes the rotation Edwards should’ve made to help the helper, longer in distance.

This and the next, between Beal and Nurkić are *it* for them and the Suns — leaning more into this tandem’s dynamic play in read and react is important.

Quick handoff in early offense above, then a Gortat screen from Nurkić, creates leverage uptop to get downhill then a crevice at the cup for the finish.

Here, it’s the pressure-releasing, connecting nature of Nurkić again.

Looks a lot like HB dive, set up cleverly by the screen from Booker, on the inbounder, Beal, to pin his man behind just enough. Tons of pace and pressure were applied after.

Another ATO where the decisiveness and detail can be felt, with tempo.

Suns go Horns Out. Durant catches and flows into a handoff with Beal. Beal then looks for the kick to Booker and they typically get a step up screen from Eubanks, sometimes even an Angle step up, or if it goes to the center here the backdoor is there off leverage foor Booker (Blind Pig) or the corner guard.

This time, however, stemming from early movement, they flow into more with movement off the High Splits.

That now becomes a handoff with Booker with an isolated, low tag for Alexander-Walker off Durant.

Eubanks is into the roll ahead of steam.

Finding the multi pockets to mix the movement — regardless of result in how the play finishes — is the discipline for Phoenix this series. The key to the series will be out-executing Minnesota’s defense, with their offense.

The compilation of plays above spotlights how they can manipulate their defense when decisive and sharp with the offensive process in contexts that tug at the strings of Minnesota’s principles, but also make them make quick decisions, and shift off their defensive base.

I’ve spoken ad nauseam regarding this entity of their process with PHNX on the Take that for Data podcast, and Locked on Suns.

A question in process for Phoenix’s offense in my series preview was do they lean into their movement, or go against the grain with the static and sticky possessions that bail a defense out?

There’s a tug of war at play as they search for their footing. If they blend the movement and counters in it as illustrated above, with their pick-and-roll play (especially in Spain Pick-and-roll), they have a template that’s both sustainable in windows and repeatable across games.