PHOENIX — Mason Plumlee played 26 minutes off the bench in Monday’s home win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Two days later, after the Phoenix Suns had finished practice, the backup big man was asked if he knew how many shots he had put up over that stretch.
Plumlee laughed.
“I don’t think I took a shot,” he said.
With Jusuf Nurkić struggling, coach Mike Budenholzer leaned on Plumlee against the Lakers, and in the final minutes, Plumlee made one of the night’s bigger plays. With the Suns leading 105-104 with 90 seconds left, Devin Booker squared from the left corner for an open 3-pointer. He missed.
Plumlee pulled down the offensive rebound over the Lakers’ Anthony Davis, an extra possession when Phoenix needed it most. The Suns moved the ball around the perimeter until it reached forward Royce O’Neale on the right wing. O’Neale pump-faked and dribbled into the lane, throwing up a soft runner that swished.
This is how this year’s Suns are different. Last year’s bench* struggled to make an impact. This year’s bench is helping the Suns (3-1) win games. In last Saturday’s win over Dallas, it was O’Neale making a layup and racing down to block a layup just before the third-quarter buzzer, a bang-bang play that ignited his team. Monday, it was Plumlee grabbing a key rebound.
(*At this time last season, Phoenix’s top reserves consisted of Eric Gordon, Chimezie Metu, Jordan Goodwin, Josh Okogie, Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop, Yuta Watanabe and Nassir Little. Of that group, only Gordon, Okogie and Eubanks started this season on an NBA roster.)
Against the Lakers, Plumlee didn’t attempt a field goal or free throw but he grabbed 10 rebounds. The Suns outscored Los Angeles by 23 when he was on the court. Last season, only Golden State’s Draymond Green and New Orleans’ Naji Marshall played 26 minutes or more without attempting a shot. Both did so in losing efforts.
“Basketball, I think that’s what makes it a beautiful sport,” Budenholzer said. “There’s so many ways to impact winning. (Plumlee’s) rim presence. His verticality. Defensive rebounding. Communication. Getting to screens. In and out of screens. Being a threat. All of that without a field-goal attempt.”
O’Neale has made an even bigger impact. Phoenix acquired the 6-foot-6 forward at last season’s trade deadline, but O’Neale had an inconsistent second half. (He shot 1 of 18 over one three-game stretch). The start of this season has been different. O’Neale has been outstanding. Per Statmuse, he is plus-71 over four games, tied for the highest total for any bench player in the league. Plumlee is ninth at plus-37.
“We have a lot of great basketball players and a lot of high-character guys who are fine being stars in their roles,” point guard Tyus Jones said. “They’re fine doing the dirty work. When you get a group 1 through 15 that just wants to win, that on any given night they’re going to do whatever is asked, whether it’s scoring, setting a screen to get somebody open, getting on the floor for a loose ball, cheering from the sideline … That’s how you create a winning culture.”
Phoenix’s “Big Three” has played well, but the team’s production has gone deeper. Its most valuable players through two weeks:
5. Ryan Dunn. The first-year forward has had rookie moments, but he does not look like a rookie. Dunn shoots with confidence. He defends without fear. “He has a mature lifestyle,” Booker said. “His body is developed. He’s not scrawny. He doesn’t need to put on weight or get stronger. His athleticism is already at a top NBA level, and he’s using it. He’s going to learn some things along the way that will make things easier, but having the competitive fight to fight over screens and just wanting to compete, that’s Step 1, and he has that.”
4. Booker. He had 33 points in the win over the Lakers, but overall, Booker, who turned 28 on Wednesday, has yet to shoot like he is capable. No one on the Suns is worried.
3. Bradley Beal. Although he missed one game with an elbow issue, Beal looks comfortable, a state he seldom reached last season, his first in Phoenix. He’s played well and has room to grow. “Brad’s had a positive impact for big stretches,” Budenholzer said. “He’s just so versatile and so capable. Defensively, he can take on some tough matchups, use his athleticism, his strength. So, yeah, we need to just keep getting more and more great possessions for him.”
Royce O’Neale defends Anthony Davis during Monday’s win over the Lakers. O’Neale is plus-71 in four games, per Statmuse, tops for a bench player. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
2. O’Neale. An eight-year veteran, O’Neale’s value has been off the charts. He has given Phoenix whatever it’s needed. In Monday’s win, he teamed with Beal and Dunn to hold LeBron James to 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting. He finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. He’s made similar contributions every night.
“He’s playing hard-nosed, winning basketball,” star forward Kevin Durant said. “Undersized, but being able to guard 1 through 5. Being able to get into the paint. He handles it more, shooting the floater. He’s shooting 3s, obviously. Rebounding. Blocking shots. … Guys are starting to understand what they need to do to help us win.”
1. Durant. At some point, the 36-year-old Durant will show his age. This is not that time.
Phoenix’s long-term success ultimately will fall on the production and availability of Booker, Durant and Beal. That’s how the team is built. But a stronger bench — which also includes guards Grayson Allen and Monte Morris — means the Suns are better equipped to handle adversity. An off night. A hamstring injury. Budenholzer has options. Against the Lakers, that meant playing Plumlee deep into the fourth quarter, and the reserve big man grabbed the game’s biggest rebound.
“Especially for the length of this season, you got to have contribution from everywhere,” Plumlee said. “Royce has been amazing in four games. We have a deep team, so I think you’ll see even more guys step up throughout the year.”
