Role Players Make the Difference

With Green and Dragic’s stellar play as of late; it may look like the Suns don’t need anybody besides those two on the court at all times, but in yesterday’s win against the Celtics their role players stepped up. P.J. Tucker came up with big contributions in multiple ways. He finished with a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards. Tucker also passed the ball well, having 6 assists and no turnovers. Defensively, he also picked up 3 steals. Miles Plumlee also contributed defensively with 3 blocks and a steal. Dragic also picked up 6 dimes and had himself a couple blocks while he and Green each scored 17 points. If either of them called their game “subpar” it was only from the vicious standards they’d set for themselves this season. Markieff Morris led the team in scoring with 18 points, one of six Suns in double figures against the Celtics. Channing Frye scored 15 points while making 4 of 6 from beyond the arch. The role players on the Suns forced turnovers and held a Rondo led Celtics team below 40% field-goal percentage and below 30% from downtown. Rondo didn’t disappoint in what very well may have been his last game as a Celtic with the trade deadline closing in fast. Rondo scored 18 points, dished out 10 assists, and gathered up 7 boards. Even though the Suns remain in the playoff picture in the Western Conference, there’s a great deal of buzz surrounding them approaching the trade deadline. Will they end up with Gasol? Or Rondo? Or even Spencer Hawes? We’ll see tomorrow when all is said and done. Thankfully, though, Phoenix fans can fall asleep and have dreams of their 100-94 defeat instead of worrying all night about the trade deadline.