Three thoughts on Kevin Durant’s Suns debut, a breezy, 105–91 win for Phoenix over the Hornets …
KD looked like KD
Durant picked up right where he left off in his first game for the Suns, which was also his first game since injuring his knee Jan. 8. Durant scored 23 points in 27 minutes on 10-of-15 shooting, adding six rebounds, two assists and two blocks for good measure. He looked fluid and showed no ill effects from the injury. Perhaps most impressively, he was flying around on the defensive end as a helper off the ball and also offering rim protection. In one impressive sequence in the first quarter, Durant blocked a shot in the paint then ran the floor and hit a left-wing three.
Offensively, Durant was his typical efficient self. With Devin Booker also cooking and Deandre Ayton putting up an efficient 16 points of his own, KD never had to go into takeover mode. His offense came within the flow of Phoenix’s normal attack, and the ball never seemed to stick. The Hornets provide an easier tune-up than most, but the early returns would indicate it will not be difficult for the Suns to weave Durant into what they’re already doing offensively. Oftentimes offenses can look clunky when integrating a star of Durant’s caliber. There didn’t seem to be any of that Wednesday.
The playoff rotation will have to wait
Phoenix had Durant on a minutes restriction against Charlotte, which means it remains a mystery how the rotation will tighten. Monty Williams also played some all-bench lineups, so we don’t know how he will break up his stars in the future. One of the advantages of adding Durant means the Suns can keep at least one of him, Booker and Chris Paul on the floor at all times, and perhaps even one of them and Ayton at all times. Williams will have options on how to stagger his stars, and keeping at least two of the big names on the floor should help mitigate some of the depth lost in the trade for KD. That will be especially useful in the playoffs, even though all the stars’ minutes should go up. The biggest beneficiary should be Paul, who has been inconsistent this season when called to carry role players. Keeping him attached to a starter whenever he’s on the floor should help CP3 stay fresher in the event of a long playoff run.
This is a big moment for Josh Okogie
There was a little mystery as to who would be the Suns’ fifth starter next to KD, Paul, Booker and Ayton. Okogie, the fifth-year man out of Georgia Tech, got the nod Wednesday. He will be an important piece down the stretch this season. Okogie will have to be Phoenix’s three-and-D replacement for Mikal Bridges. He will be asked to guard the opponent’s best player, and he’s going to have to take open shots with confidence.
Okogie took only two threes on Wednesday, but he picked up three rebounds, two steals, and a block. If he continues to make those energy plays, he should receive significant minutes in the postseason. That’s a big deal for someone whose minutes were dwindling over the last few years of his career. Though the game wasn’t especially close, Okogie closed the fourth quarter vs. Charlotte, taking those minutes off veterans T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross. As great as the Suns are at the top, they cannot afford to have a glaring weak link in their starting five if they have title aspirations. For now, the opportunity is Okogie’s to prove he won’t hold the team back.
