Key Highlights
The Unsung Heroes of Phoenix Suns
You might think this is new, but… the Phoenix Suns have always been about more than just their star players. Grayson Allen knows well that the emergence of young talents like Oso Ighodaro and Rasheer Fleming has been key to the team’s recent success.
Defensive Versatility and Pressure
Allen tells Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo, “It’s his pressure defensively, his versatility and us being able to throw in trapping lineups, switching lineups or playing in our normal coverage.” This defensive intensity has been on display for the Suns early this season, and now it’s paying off with more numbers in the stat sheet.
Rasheer Fleming’s Breakthrough
Fleming is another unsung hero. He scored eight points (tied career high) and collected six rebounds (career high) in each of his team’s two recent wins against the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. Allen notes, “He’s always been a guy you could just like plug in right away and he’s defensively disruptive just because of how good he is and how versatile he is.” Fleming’s confidence has also improved, as evidenced by his ability to make extra plays and add rim pressure.
The Suns’ Depth and Resilience
While the Suns started the season blowing all expectations out of the water, they hit a bit of a rut heading into the All-Star break and immediately afterward. With injuries to their stars, Phoenix had to lean on depth and young talent, and that’s when Fleming began to shine. The Suns lost four of their last six games before the All-Star break and three of their first four games out of the break.
Phoenix lost a combined seven of 10 games over that stretch before its current two-game winning streak.
Allen concludes, “With all the shooters we have, that’s something that’s extremely helpful too to get some pressure in the paint so that we can get up and finish at the rim.” Fleming has played at least 12 minutes in six straight games, with at least 20 minutes in three of those. The Suns rookie is getting the most playing time of his rookie season right now.
So, as you read about the Phoenix Suns’ success this season, remember that it’s not just about Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks. It’s also about Oso Ighodaro and Rasheer Fleming, who have been essential to the team’s gritty performance.
