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Before the Phoenix Suns game against the New York Knicks, they are riding a five-game losing streak. It hasn't pleased point guard Tyus Jones and head coach Mike Budenholzer at all.
Following Friday's game, Jones thinks that his team has a ways to go to get back to winning ways.
"We were obviously trying to run them off the 3-point line, trying to make them play inside the 3-point line, but we just ended up just giving them straight lines to the rim, too many layups."
Tyus Jones after Suns 20-point loss to Celtics.
On play-in chase: "We can't afford… pic.twitter.com/22pYVc8A8c
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 5, 2025
“We can't afford to lose any games to moving forward honestly when you're playing catch up,” Jones said via AZCentral's Duane Rankin. “But we've been saying that for a couple of weeks now. Something has got to change.
“We've got to play better ball on both ends of the floor. The level we're playing at right now just isn't cutting it.”
Meanwhile, when Budenholzer got wind of that word, he didn't see eye to eye with his point guard.
“Don't know if I agree with him,” Budenholzer said before Sunday's game via Rankin. “I think we just got to play with each other. We've got to get in and out of actions. We've got to move together, we've got to cover for each other, do other things.”
That sentiment has been some of the same coach speak the entire season. There hasn't been much consistency on the court. However, the answers by Budenholzer have been.
He's talked about playing better, but his players might've had enough of that talk. After all, Devin Booker was somber about the Suns losing record for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
The losing ways, with as talented of a team as they have, don't make too much sense.
Suns' Tyus Jones and Mike Budenholzer don't see eye to eye
It's often for a player and a head coach to disagree on a point. However, if anyone has a right to complain, it would be Jones. After he was promised to be a starter, Jones was benched in favor of Bradley Beal, and then for Collin Gillespie.
While there were strategic basketball moves behind it, it wasn't a good look for the team. The point guard himself said that this has been the most challenging season of his career.
Even after Jones got real about the Suns playoff chances in March, that seems to be a distant memory.
Regardless, he wants to win and is a winner. In his lone season with Duke basketball, Jones hoisted the 2015 national championship trophy. Since then, he hasn't won an NBA title yet but is a valuable asset many teams would want.
"Don't know if I agree with him."
Mike Budenholzer when told Tyus Jones said the Suns having been lacking in terms of energy and focus and was asked how can the Suns get back to that.
"I think we just got to play with each other. We've got to get in and out of actions. We've… pic.twitter.com/wFlTtdjEVV
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 6, 2025
With five games remaining in the season, now is the time for that change to take place. Still, a difference of opinion this late in the season is a microcosm of what has transpired this season.
Either way, the Suns will take on the Knicks and hope to snap their five-game skid. If not, their 2024-25 season might officially come to a close.
