It is done ! Chris Paul’s gang has just erased the prowess of their predecessors Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire and the others from the Suns history books, who had won 17 in a row in 2007. By fending off the Pistons, the Suns version 2021 just seized the franchise record with 18 consecutive wins.
Like other meetings in this crazy series, it was necessary to fight to get the “W”. Deprived of Devin Booker, the locals, both supported by their holders and their replacements, have yet made an authoritarian start to the meeting.
A first quarter largely dominated (30-18), then a second in the same register with 76% of success (69-51) could let fear the worst for the visitors. But the latter responded. Led in particular by their rookie Cade Cunningham, the Pistons went 17-0 in the following period to return to the score (80-79).
This return, not necessarily expected, forced the Suns to be applied in the final period. Which they did, without trembling, relying on their playing master, Chris Paul.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The effectiveness of Suns. Visitors will be able to congratulate themselves for having limited the breakage by seeing the address percentages opposite. The Suns have indeed shot with 54% success overall, including a very clean and “reasonable” ratio of 12/21 behind the 3-point line. Maximum efficiency only undermined by the few free throws left along the way by the interiors of the Suns.
– The Pistons’ 17-0. The Pistons clearly could have let go after the break. They did the opposite by taking advantage of the Suns’ fall asleep to stick them a 17-0 in the third quarter. On this streak, Cade Cunningham scored 10 of his 19 points, varying between 3-point shooting and near-circle finishes.
– Chris Paul’s “money time”. Without his friend Devin Booker, “CP3” again made the difference in the last minutes of the match. His team leading only five points three minutes from the end, it is he who will return his traditional “pullup” in the heart of the racquet, before fixing to find his shooters Landry Shamet then Cameron Johnson, and finally a lobed pass to Deandre Ayton.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ The Suns bench. While all the incumbents responded (despite a Jae Crowder more behind), the Suns were able to count on the outside address of Cam Johnson, the inside presence of JaVale McGee and the multiple attacks from the circle of Cameron Payne. At all good for the Suns bench.
✅ Jerami Grant. Second outing in three matches ended with 30 points or more for the strong winger who finished top scorer in the game. Not always comfortable with his shot from the periphery, he hurt the Suns a lot by going into contact to afford 14 free throws.
⛔ Saddiq Bey. Another small evening for the Pistons winger who, despite 31 minutes of play, found the sights only twice behind the arc. He was also well imitated by a Frank Jackson not much more inspired in terms of address. For four matches, Bey has been averaging 6 points with 23% success on shots …
LAW OF SERIES
We will obviously remember this 18th consecutive victory for the Suns more easily than this eighth consecutive defeat conceded by the Pistons. The latter had still not experienced such a bad dynamic since January 2018.
THE FOLLOWING
Suns (19-3) : back-to-back trip to the Warriors
Pistons (4-18) : reception of Thunder, Monday.
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