The Phoenix Suns have the best record in the NBA this season at 48-10, which is 6.5 games ahead of the second-place Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, the Suns recently lost star guard Chris Paul for 6-8 weeks with a right thumb fracture. He has been integral to their success, so losing him will be tough.
Yet, Phoenix still has a very talented roster that should be able to fill in for him and help secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Without further ado, here are three Suns players who must step up in the wake of Chris Paul's injury.
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Suns players who must step up with Chris Paul out
The Suns forward has been doing well this season. Bridges' top concerns are to be a wing stopper and to score on open shots, but with Paul now gone, he will need to take a step forward and become a bit more prolific offensively.
Bridges is averaging 13.4 points, 4.3 boards, and 1.2 steals this year. He is also shooting 53.0% from the field and 36.5% from behind the arc, both solid numbers, especially for a small forward. The Suns wing shot better percentages both from the field and from 3-point range last season, but this drop in efficiency has not really been a problem. However, Phoenix would like to see him perform at a higher level again with Paul out, or at least increase his volume while maintaining his current efficiency.
Bridges will still be expected to play great defense on some amazing wings in the Western Conference. Now, he will also be expected to take on some of the offensive load, which could impact his effort and stamina levels on the defensive end. With Paul gone, the defense of the Suns will also suffer, and with Devin Booker and Cameron Payne expected to start for the rest of this season, there will be even more defensive work to be done. With all of that taken into consideration, Bridges will be an important part of the Suns going forward — and he needs to step it up.
Cameron Payne
Payne has been a great story for this franchise since he arrived a few seasons ago. After his stint playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier in his career, Payne bounced around the league until he landed in Arizona, where he found a home. He was rewarded with a new contract in August of last year and has done a solid job leading the second unit when healthy. He has missed the last month with a wrist injury, but the point guard is expected to be ready after the All-Star break. With Paul out, Payne will need to inflict some pain on his opponents.
Payne is averaging what effectively amounts to a career-high 10.5 points in 40 games this season, though his efficiency has dipped in a big way from last season. The guard is shooting just 40.4% overall and 33.6% from 3-point range after shooting 48.4% from the field and 44.0% from 3-point land last season. The Suns need Payne to get back to last season's levels when it comes to shooting the ball.
With Paul out, Payne also needs to help with that key playmaking role. Payne is more of a score-first guard, but he has shown flashes of impressive ability with his passing with 3.6 dimes per game, which is what he also tallied last season. While Payne won't be able to replicate CP3's passing wizardry, he must keep things under control and get his teammates involved while also looking to score himself.
The first pick of the 2018 NBA Draft has been excellent for the Suns, but they will need even more from him now. Ayton is averaging 16.5 points and 10.3 boards while shooting 63.3% from the field. While those are stellar numbers, Phoenix wants to see him be even better as he plays for a max contract.
The Suns and Ayton could not agree to a contract extension last offseason because they did not want to pay him a full max deal. To prove to Phoenix he is worth that max money, Ayton will need show he can excel with CP3 out of the lineup. Without Paul to facilitate, getting points will be a bit tougher for the entire squad. Devin Booker should be fine, as he can create for himself, but the Suns will need easy points from Ayton in the paint.
Generally speaking, when it comes to centers who have played with Paul, most of them get points by Paul bringing the ball inside and passing it off, mostly through pick-and-rolls. Now, Ayton will need to get the ball from one of the other perimeter guys and show that he can dominate, even if he is not included in a two-man game with Chris Paul. The Suns, as said above, need some easy offense, and getting the ball to the big man in the paint should help with that. If Ayton wants the max money in the offseason, he will need to step it up and get the Suns what they need with CP3 out.
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