Phoenix Suns and their big three - Durant, Booker, and Beal - can start planning their early vacation now, as the Suns were surprisingly swept out of the playoffs by the Timberwolves in the first round this year. The Suns, ranked sixth in the West, looked completely outmatched by the third-seeded Timberwolves, who won all four games with an average margin of 15.5 points per game. When the Suns faced the Timberwolves in the first round, many people believed an upset was possible.
According to odds from betting sites, despite the Suns' lower ranking, they were favored to advance. In the regular season, the Suns won all three games against the Timberwolves, but they quickly realized the playoff scenario was entirely different.
The Timberwolves suddenly raised their defensive intensity to a level the Suns' big three could not overcome, while the Suns lacked a defensive stopper to contain superstar guard Edwards. Throughout the series, the Suns' lack of depth in the lineup was glaring.
Next, the Suns management must reflect on how to get this team back on track. According to ESPN's reporter Woj, Suns head coach Vogel's position was already in jeopardy before Game 4 of the series.
What went wrong for the Suns in the playoffs? Kyle Irving of the SportingNews website pointed out three reasons for the Suns' sweep.
The Suns' high-powered offense was stifled by the league-leading defense of the Timberwolves. In the regular season games where the Suns swept the Timberwolves, two of the games scored over 125 points. However, in the first round of the playoffs, the Suns didn't even score 100 points in two games. The Suns' playoff offensive efficiency of 103.5 ranked third-worst among all teams, with the Grizzlies having a higher efficiency of 105.8, the lowest in the regular season. The Timberwolves' defense deserves credit as they have been one of the league's best all season. Rudy Gobert, the reigning defensive player of the year, is a pillar of the Timberwolves' defense, with plenty of help on the perimeter.
Edwards proved that when he is focused on the defensive end, he is one of the strongest two-way players in the league. McDaniels and Alexander-Walker successfully limited the performances of the Suns' stars for most of the series.
In Game 4, Booker averaged only 20.3 points before finally breaking free to score 49 points, but it was too late. Early in the series, McDaniels and Alexander-Walker never let him find his rhythm, and the superstar guard looked frustrated in the first three games. Even when Booker broke through their defense, Gobert was waiting in the paint.
Beal had similar struggles, averaging only 16.5 points in the series, with more turnovers (6) and personal fouls (6) in the last game than made shots (4). Despite Durant's efficient scoring averaging 26.8 points per game, it was still his third-lowest playoff scoring in his career.
Edwards had once said before the series, "They have Durant, but we have McDaniels." This statement initially seemed like irrational trust in a teammate, but McDaniels proved it true.
The Suns struggled to find a solution to stop Edwards on the defensive end. Nobody on the Suns could contain Edwards on the defensive end. The 22-year-old superstar showed that his time had come, single-handedly leading the Timberwolves to sweep the Suns. Vogel initially assigned Beal to guard Edwards, but it didn't work. Booker, Durant, and O'Neale took turns defending Edwards, but to no avail. Apart from these four, the Suns had no other viable options.
In Game 1, Edwards exploded in the third quarter, turning a close game into a blowout. Durant tried to step up to stop him but couldn't contain Edwards. Edwards made his idol hear his voice, hitting shot after shot against the defense. In Game 3, Edwards scored 36 points on 23 shots, scoring 20 points in the second half, once again sealing a decisive victory. In Game 4, Edwards made a bold statement, delivering a masterful performance on both ends by scoring 40 points. Edwards' block on Booker's dunk, as well as his dunk over Durant, were the brightest moments of the first round of the playoffs.
Defense has never been the Suns' strong suit, and their playoff defensive efficiency of 120.6 ranks last among all teams. Coupled with their offensive struggles, the Suns put on their worst performance of the season at the worst possible time.The Suns' roster structure and lack of depth have always been their biggest problems. In this series, Coach Vogel essentially only played seven players and trusted them. Durant, Beal, O'Neale, Nurkic, Grayson Allen, and Eric Gordon were the only players averaging over 20 minutes per game.After Allen's ankle injury in Game 2, Vogel had to bring in Jones and Okogie to the rotation. The lack of offensive help around the big three, combined with Nurkic and O'Neale being the only defensive stalwarts, made it difficult to gain an edge against a Timberwolves team with significant depth.Last offseason, the Suns realized that building around a big three would be challenging when they acquired Beal from the new owner Ibáñez. This season, the Suns spent $131 million on Durant ($47.7 million), Beal ($46.7 million), and Booker ($36 million), trading for Nurkic and Grayson Allen, leaving almost no room to sign free agents.Therefore, the Suns are filled with players on the minimum salary level, with Eric Gordon being the only rotational player to make it to the playoffs. This issue will not be resolved in the short term as Durant (expires in 2026), Beal (expires in 2027), Booker (expires in 2029), and Nurkic (expires in 2026) are all under contract for the foreseeable future. The Suns will have to find ways to make trades and be creative with salary space to make the Suns a championship-caliber team again in the offseason.
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