The Phoenix Suns got off to a perfect start before the season with a 103-81 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James and Luka Donsic were not in the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Phoenix Suns were still impressed by the mandatory victory. They were led by Devin Booker’s 24 points in 25 minutes.
Dillon Brooks made his Suns debut after being traded by the Houston Rockets on Kevin Durant’s contract. He chipped in on a solid first outing with 10 points and 22 points.
The Suns offseason turned their roster around by swapping Kevin Durant and buying Bradley Beale, and Brooks then gave them an idea about the new unit’s first game.
Booker, who received a two-year, $145 million extension with the Suns this summer, tasted the first taste of running the show as a solo act in the preseason. The Phoenix lonely star struck a string impressively from the point and handed out seven assists.
Brooks went from 3-4 thanks to Booker’s playmaking, and praised his teammates for making him an open shot.
He told reporters, “He’s watching the film, so he’s going to find a way to score and how to involve the guys. He’s our point guard so he’s watching a lot of movies. I think he found me in my three.
The Suns’ offense looked fluid in the presence of Durant and Beale, and Brooks said it was a perfect start to the preseason on that side of the ball.
He continued. “I feel like there are a lot of translations. I might have missed many of our offensive schemes that we’ve made it completely. We got to the middle of the floor.
“When it comes to defense, we may have to foul more, but I would rather have it than drive what they like.
Brooks has established himself as a defensive specialist in the league and is the team’s defensive leader as he enters his ninth NBA season.
He gave this idea about the Suns’ defensive efforts and identified key areas for improvement.
Brooks said, “The pressure on the ball was good. We have to do it with intelligence. The pressure on the ball, the pressure on the ball navigated the screen. We had good rim defenses, received lots of stealing and pushed a break.
“It’s hard to find a solution just by running around, but we’ll get better.”
That’s what Brooks thinks he can’t improve in the game. So it will be a tough week of practice on the defensive side to address these issues before the season.