The Phoenix Suns Are ANNIHILATED By The Celtics At Home Leaving Some To Question Their Team Identity
Phoenix Suns face a harsh reality after a brutal home blowout by the Boston Celtics, igniting urgent questions about their offensive struggles. Can the Suns fix their broken identity and lack of ball movement, or are excuses masking deeper issues? Benjamin Garcia doesn’t hold back, calling out Jalen Green’s inefficiency, Mark Williams’ underwhelming performances, and the team’s alarming rebounding woes as the losses pile up.
Garcia scrutinizes Jordan Ott’s coaching adjustments, substitution patterns, and the Suns’ refusal to embrace a team-oriented approach in the absence of stars like Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks. With the Suns slipping in the Western Conference standings and their half-court offense stagnating, listeners get a brutally honest assessment of what must change for Phoenix to rediscover its winning edge. Will roster tweaks and a renewed identity be enough to steer the Suns’ season back on track?
00:00 Suns Fan Frustration Explodes
03:42 Celtics Dominate Suns After Slow Start
09:39 Evaluating Coaching and Player Sustainability
15:24 Fit Over Talent Debate
20:50 Jalen Green Accountability Discussion
25:38 Suns’ Fading Identity Amid Injuries
28:48 Suns’ Rebounding and Offense Issues
📲 Follow Locked On Suns on TikTok
Locked On Suns https://www.tiktok.com/@lockedonphxsuns
📲 Follow Locked On Suns on Instagram
Locked On Suns https://www.instagram.com/lockedonphxsuns/
📲 Follow Locked On Suns on X
Locked On Suns https://x.com/LockedOnPHXSuns
Ben Garcia https://x.com/BenGarciaShow
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-suns/
Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/nba
Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Turbo Tax
For a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 — all in, if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. Just file by February 28. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life.
Visit https://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today.
DoorDash
From tipoff to overtime, stay in your bag and order on DoorDash.
Get snacks, drinks, gear — whatever gets you through the season — delivered right to your door.
DoorDash. In your bag all season long.
PrizePicks
Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA
5-Hour ENERGY
Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It’s party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon.
Indeed
Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast
Gametime
Today’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.
FanDuel
Use your Profit Boost on an NBA future and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals.
Play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
10 Comments
I ask that you please pardon my frustration on todays show, like you all, I'm pissed off with these uninspiring Suns performances…
THESE GUTLESS PIECES OF TRASH QUIT ON US TONIGHT! That's now SIX losses in our last EIGHT and it all began with the COWARD COLLAPSE vs the Warriors. THIS…TEAM…SUCKS!
Bro where is the team we've been cheering and excited about all season. Where is it?!?!?!?!?
I think injuries definitely played a role, but they don’t explain everything that’s been going on. I also don’t think it’s as doom and gloom as Ben is saying. The bigger issue to me is something we’ve seen pretty much all season. The role players just haven’t consistently had it together offensively. Defensively they actually showed up and played a really strong game, so I don’t think effort or defensive ability is the problem at all. It’s mainly the offensive execution and consistency that keeps hurting them.
One small silver lining was seeing Maluach and Brea look solid late. They brought good energy and made a case for at least getting a bit more rotation time.
As for the scoring hierarchy, this game kind of reinforced something I’ve been thinking. Jalen Green is really good, and honestly I rate him above Beal at this point, but performances like this also show he’s best as a second option rather than the primary one. He seems to thrive more when the defensive focus isn’t entirely on him and he can attack within the flow instead of having to carry every possession.
If they can stabilize the role player offense and figure out the right scoring balance, this team is still dangerous. The defensive foundation is clearly there. Now it’s about getting the offense to match it.
Why every offensive possession starts with oso or mark getting ball at the top pivoting around to get it back to the same guy they got it from , ball only gets touched by 2 or three guys , we not getting no hockey assist or any assist . Our guards get in lane but have no vision , you see other teams guards get in lane and find open shooter, ours shoots or stops in lane looking for a pass . Poorly ran offense lately and poor defense . I don’t wanna hear cause we missing players, plenty teams missing top guys but still getting job done . Let’s go suns gosh dangit!!
MALUACH NEEDS TO PLAY
Suns having trouble adjusting to not having Book and Dillon.
Man ist gnädig mit den Suns. Der Gegner gewinnt sehr ökonomisch und bläst ein offensivschwaches Suns-Team nicht vom Platz. Green erneut mit sehr vielen Fehlwürfen. Statt Dunn hat diesmal Allen nix getroffen. Oso beharrt auf seine 5 Würfe pro Partie. Mark Williams nur 3 Würfe. Maluach in 6min 2/3 FG. Fleming hat dreimal Otts Lieblingswurf, den Dreipunktewurf, vergeigt. Wäre ich Trainer, hätte ich Maluach und Fleming schon längst unter den Korb gestellt. Aber Ott hat dieses Spiel nicht. Man sieht es an den 8 FGA von Oso und Williams. Herausgesprungen sind 6 Punkte. Das ist kein erfolgreicher Basketbsll, wenn du auf Green wettest und er dir 5/18 gibt. Aufgeschlüsselt sind das 1/8 3P und 4/10 2P. Mit 5/8 und 9/10 wären die Suns auf 98 Punkte gekommen. Ich bin mir sicher, dass die Celtics dann 99 Punkte erzielt hätten. Fazit: Ott hat nicht die Wurfqualität von draußen, die er aber immer wieder erzwingt und er nutzt Punkte unter dem Korb praktisch gar nicht. Vielleicht setzt man Ott mal Oso, Williams und Maluach in die Startformation. Dazu Green und Gillespie.
Booker & Brooks are the engines for Phoenix.
the Suns are definitely sputtering without high output motor
Ben let’s be honest the referees have targeted the Suns all season they can’t even play without the referee calling a foul now it has took it’s toll because the NBA can’t be wrong that the Sun’s will finish in last place and gambling is involved .