Sturdier Suns will look to ease Brandon Knight back in
PHOENIX -- Even when things are going well, an NBA coach usually can run into a predicament around the next corner.
For Jeff Hornacek -- whose Suns have won four in a row -- an extended run of better days may be on the cusp of colliding with another adjustment-related issue.
But before digging into that, let's start with the impetus for those recent better days.
The Suns are playing much better defense.
Still sitting at 17th in defensive efficiency (points allowed per possession) among NBA teams for the entire season, Phoenix is sixth in that category since the All-Star break and first over its last three games.
So, tactics and effort have risen exponentially, right? Actually, the code may be far easier to decipher.
"Well, we're bigger," Hornacek said after Tuesday's practice.
Have key Suns players physically grown over the last few weeks? Not exactly. But, due to circumstances, the starting cast has. In the absence of injured 6-foot-3 guard Brandon Knight (ankle), 6-9 Marcus Morris has opened games, sharing wing-area duties with usual starter P.J. Tucker.
"Between Alex (Len) and Markieff (Morris), Marcus and P.J. . . . obviously, Eric's (Bledsoe) long and an elite defender," Hornacek said, "it's more of a defensive team out there than the offensive squad we had prior."
Right, bigger players can translate to more consistency in rebounding and turning foes away at the rim. This additional size also has enabled the Suns to streamline certain concepts.
"We've done some different things," Hornacek said. "Also it's because of being bigger that when we're in trouble, we can switch a little more, too. If Marcus has to step off on P.J.'s man, it's not a big difference, so we've able to do that a few times, too. You know, even if it's just five or 10 possessions a game, that can make a difference.
"Because of that group that's out there, they feel very confident that they're going to be able to get stops. Right now, they're in a mindset that when it comes down to that last five or six minutes in a game, that they're pretty confident that they can stop guys. That's a big deal."
Here's what some observers might consider a potentially bigger deal: Knight, whose teammates have won five of six in his absence, could be able to play in Wednesday's home date with the Sacramento Kings.
Before exploring the ramifications of reinserting Knight back into the rotation, let's check in with the troublesome left ankle of the player in question.
"Felt a lot better," Knight said after Tuesday's workout. "So, hopefully, it feels good tomorrow."
As for lingering issues, the 23-year-old playmaker had a response similar to what we hear during the recovery phase of most ankle injuries.
"Just explosion . . . explosion and landing," Knight said. "The biggest thing is getting back comfortable with the everyday motions in basketball."
And if the Suns were one day away from an actual playoff game, the restricted-free-agent-to-be still would be in a wait-and-see situation.
"Tough to say," Knight said. "If you're out there and can't make regular basketball motions, you're putting yourself at risk."
Speaking of risk, Hornacek isn't worried about how Knight's return might affect chemistry in general . . . and, in particular, that livin'-larger defensive presence.
"He practiced today," the coach said. "What level he can actually play the games in, I guess we'll see more tomorrow."
Regardless of how frisky Knight appears to be Wednesday, the Kings should expect to see the Suns' jumbo lineup when the game begins.
"Right now, I'm leaning to leaving it the way it is," Hornacek said. "Just because (Knight) hasn't played in two or three weeks, to throw him out there . . . might be better to get him a few minutes here and there to get back acclimated.
"Either way, if he's back it just gives us another weapon. We can always go to the big lineup later on. He'll be a big part of what we do moving forward. There's times when we can spread it out on teams, too. We need to get him back as soon as we can."
Knight, whose numbers with the Milwaukee Bucks (17.8 points, 44 percent shooting overall, 41 from 3-point range) this season have dipped in 10 games as a Sun (14.4, 37 and 34), being eased back into the fold is understandable.
"The team's playing well," Knight said, "so for myself, it's about being able to help the team and make sure I'm protecting myself at the same time."
And what has he witnessed from his new teammates over the last six games?
"(They're) just playing hard," he said. "You know, guys have a will to win right now. That's the biggest thing. Guys have a will. They're believing and it's showing in our play and in our efforts."
Tucker, Phoenix's designated stopper on the defensive of the floor, has some theories on why this improvement has occurred.
"Our communication is better," Tucker said. "(Center) Brandan (Wright) has been really good on the weak side. He's been awesome, weak side, helping out. I really like our lineup with me and Marcus (Morris) at the two and three.
"I don't think we've lost a rebound battle against any team since we went to that lineup. We communicate better, so I really like that lineup."
Archie Goodwin inspired considerable goodwill by providing five clutch points in Sunday's triumph over Dallas.
But his work on defense seems like the main reason why he received that fourth-quarter burn.
"Defensively, I thought he was good," Hornacek said. "He battled Chandler Parsons, didn't let him score there at the end. He challenged shots . . . that was huge for us."