Coverage after the 83-124 loss at Portland has settled on three themes: the shock of the opener, the thin front line and the cost of the supporting cast. The club's own facts back the thin front line and the bill, and say little about the bigger verdicts.
Opener fallout. Phoenix lost 83-124 at Portland, and Bright Side of the Sun has not moved on. Brandon Duenas wrote that the Suns are on the wrong side of history, and Kevin Humpherys argued they are not an ascending team. One game is a small sample. The margin is not.
Slapped in the mouth. Arizona Sports ran a piece on Dillon Brooks and why the opener might have been good for Phoenix, while Bright Side of the Sun's John Voita asked what comes next. The facts support the sting, not the silver lining yet: Booker scored 23, Brooks 10, and the Suns sit 0-1.
Center scramble. Voita listed four free agent centers the Suns could target after Oso Ighodaro's injury. Arizona Sports' Damon Allred reported the Suns feared a more serious back injury. Our injury list shows Ighodaro out with an oblique issue and a listed return of Oct. 26.
Thin up front. Williams, out with a left shoulder issue, carries a Feb. 3 return listing. Hoops Rumors reported Phoenix claimed Drew Timme off waivers and is converting Duop Reath to a two-way deal. Khaman Maluach, 20, is the other center. The facts back a thin front line, not a crisis.
Bridges and the bill. Valley of the Suns' Ben Leibowitz wrote that the Suns are between a rock and a hard place with the Miles Bridges contract. Bridges makes $22.8M, third on the payroll, after 17.1 points in 77 games last season. Payroll is $213.8M, above the first apron. The cost worry holds up.
Warriors running thin. Arizona Sports' Dylan Kane reported Stephen Curry is 'probably not' playing tonight. Golden State lists Curry out for rest, plus Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis, Brandin Podziemski, Al Horford and Moses Moody. The Warriors are 0-2 and play on no rest. The Suns had two days off.
Is Oso Ighodaro playing against the Warriors?
No. Ighodaro is listed out with an oblique issue, with a listed return of Oct. 26.
Is Stephen Curry playing against the Suns tonight?
Golden State lists Curry out for rest. Arizona Sports reported he is 'probably not' playing.
