Suns Week 17 Stock Exchange: All-Star Weekend, official egos, and James Jones’ legacy

The Phoenix Suns played just two games last week, and both of them ended in victories. Significant victories, too. Every victory matters. Recall the first few games of the season.

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Suns twice in a row at home. The games wouldn’t count toward the standings if they weren’t significant. However, they did and still do. If the Suns had taken care of Wemby and the Spurs, the score would have been 35–20. and one match away from the fourth spot.

Ah, the game of “what if.” It everything balances out over an extended period of time. To justify early-season mistakes, that is, at least what we claim it does. That’s how we at the Suns Stock Exchange work to identify trends, provide you with information, and offer our opinions on what’s hot and what isn’t.

Statistics are unassailable, so here’s what happened last week:

Record for Week 17: 2-0
OFFRTG for Week 17: 117.8 (9th)
DEFRTG for Week 17: 114.5 (14th)
NETRTG for Week 17: +3.3 (10th)
The 130-125 victory over the Sacramento Kings in that game had significant implications for the standings. Phoenix’s victory put them up to sixth place in the Western Conference. They would have plummeted to eight if they had lost.

Then it was Detroit and Monty Williams. Though the Suns won by only 16 points, it wasn’t close. It was, at least from a viewing standpoint, the easiest game we’ve seen this year. Phoenix was without Bradley Beal, who suffered a hamstring early in the Kings’ game, and Devin Booker, who was ejected early from the game.

Hmmm. Early ejection? Sounds like a topic for the SSE (a.k.a. my weekly rant).

CEO James Jones: Equities ↑
The arrival of Royce O’Neale has gone well, and the value he has brought to the club has strengthened it—a point that you have read about throughout the week and have seen discussed from a variety of perspectives right here on Bright Side. Though he has only played in three games, his two appearances in Week 17 demonstrated his physicality, confidence, and perseverance.

Before his arrival, all three of these characteristics were conspicuously lacking. The actual impact of O’Neale will become evident over the course of the following three to four weeks. We’ll find out if his performance and addition since coming are sustainable.

James Jones has clearly won by adding a player that will be in your postseason rotation at the trade deadline. We may not have given him enough credit for it, as well. Jones has taken action when Phoenix has had the opportunity to purchase players, and those actions haven’t always been limited to supporting roles. Torrey Craig was included in that postseason rotation after he was added twice. Two times.

All-Star Weekend. It’s a celebration of the sport and an opportunity to honor the past. But the Dunk Contest is lame and the game itself is boring. Ooooo. And LED court! The bright green fluorescent reflection doesn’t make me squint while I try to watch neon basketballs go through the hoop. Eyeroll.