The weekend was almost perfect for the Suns. The best team in the league, the Phoenix franchise was very well represented in Cleveland for the All-Star Game, since Monty Williams was at the head of the victorious Team LeBron of the game, whose Chris Paul was part, while Devin Booker shone in Team Durant.
Unfortunately, the announcement of the injury of the “Point God” came to taint the weekend of the men of Arizona. Hit in the right thumb, the leader suffered from a bone tear and he will be absent for at least a month and a half. He will return at the earliest at the end of March, or in mid-April, for the start of the playoffs, if his recovery requires the full eight weeks.
Despite the bad news, Monty Williams was confident for the rest of the season, and explained that the absence of the Suns conductor would logically require significant adaptation. ” Naturally, we will have to adapt. I have already organized a few meetings with my staff to discuss the rest. Different player combinations, different rotations, different way of playing” details the tactician. ” Chris is a huge part of our success. We are not going to try to replace him, simply to maintain our level of play, which is high, without him. It is in these moments that I am satisfied to have such a wealth of staff.“
Same story with the other All-Star of the “backcourt” of the Suns, Devin Booker, who is aware that the absence of “CP3″ will require more effort from the rest of the group. ” We have to withstand the shock without him. I’m sure Coach already has a plan in mind to make it work without him with us on the court.” […] We have to figure out how to do without him. Everyone will have to redouble their efforts. But I see a positive in it. Chris will be able to rest, and prepare for a playoff run that we hope will be long.“
In the absence of Chris Paul, it is Cameron Payne who should inherit the lead in the 5 major. Arriving in Phoenix at the “deadline”, Aaron Holiday should also get more playing time, off the bench. But above all, it is certainly Devin Booker who will have to raise his level of play, already very high, to make up for the absence of his friend.
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Devin Booker | 51 | 34.1 | 44.6 | 36.9 | 86.3 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 25.5 |
| Deandre Ayton | 37 | 29.1 | 63.3 | 22.2 | 72.8 | 2.6 | 7.6 | 10.3 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 16.5 |
| Chris Paul | 58 | 33.0 | 48.7 | 33.0 | 84.3 | 0.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 14.9 |
| Mikal Bridges | 58 | 34.8 | 53.0 | 36.5 | 84.0 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 13.4 |
| Cameron Johnson | 55 | 26.0 | 46.0 | 43.0 | 84.6 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 11.9 |
| Frank Kaminsky | 9 | 20.1 | 54.5 | 33.3 | 90.0 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 10.6 |
| Cameron Payne | 40 | 20.4 | 40.4 | 33.6 | 86.4 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 10.4 |
| Javale Mcgee | 52 | 16.1 | 65.7 | 33.3 | 68.3 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 9.9 |
| Jae Crowder | 48 | 28.2 | 39.5 | 33.7 | 81.0 | 0.5 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 8.9 |
| Bismack Biyombo | 17 | 18.1 | 61.5 | 0.0 | 52.9 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 6.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 8.5 |
| Torrey Craig | 3 | 19.6 | 58.8 | 37.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 7.7 |
| Landry Shamet | 45 | 19.8 | 37.0 | 35.3 | 85.2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 7.4 |
| Aaron Holiday | 3 | 13.2 | 69.2 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 7.3 |
| Jalen Smith | 29 | 13.2 | 46.0 | 23.1 | 76.9 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 4.8 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 6.0 |
| Elfrid Payton | 38 | 11.7 | 39.4 | 28.6 | 39.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 3.3 |
| Paris Bass | 2 | 3.7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Abdel Nader | 14 | 10.4 | 34.3 | 28.6 | 60.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| justin jackson | 6 | 5.8 | 35.7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Ishmail Wainright | 29 | 7.4 | 36.2 | 29.0 | 42.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
| Chandler Hutchison | 6 | 3.7 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| Emmanuel Terry | 3 | 6.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| MJ Walker | 2 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
