Sometimes, the Phoenix Suns play like the scrappy, potential-playoff caliber team that GM Ryan McDonough and coach Earl Watson envisioned this summer.
Free agent signings Jared Dudley and Leandro Barbosa provided huge contributions to a competitive win over a playoff-caliber team, and the three top guards closed out the game while top rookie Dragan Bender made his usual great contribution on defense and ball movement without filling the stat sheet.
Coming into Wednesday night’s game, the Phoenix Suns were reeling at 5-13. Since looking quite good against the Detroit Pistons three weeks ago, the Suns had scuttled to 7 losses in 9 games, including ugly losses to the Nets, 76ers and Wolves plus two more to the equally inconsistent Nuggets.