Suns at Timberwolves: Game #42

Suns at Wolves
2:30 pm CST
FS North

Two teams in complete disarray meet today at Target Center when the Suns visit the Wolves for a 2:30 matinee. The Suns come in having lost 11 of their last 12, and are a complete mess. Things were already going bad before the season ending injury to Eric Bledsoe sent the Suns into free fall.

They play at the 3rd fastest pace in the league and give up the highest opponent eFG%, a combination that has teams putting up ridiculous point totals against them. They have held one opponent under 100 points in their last 13 outings (the Lakers scored 97 while blowing the Suns out by 20 a couple of weeks ago).

What a difference a year makes. After having an embarrassment of riches in the back court 12 months ago, the Suns are down to a struggling Brandon Knight and rookie shooter Devin Booker, and...yeah. Meanwhile, the Markieff Morris situation has been so toxic that Jon Leuer--yes Jon Leuer, has started 22 games at power forward for the Suns. Meanwhile, their big off-season signing that was supposed to shore up the interior defensively, Tyson Chandler, looks about 10 years older than he did two years ago, and the Suns are giving up an astounding 51% FG% on two pointers to their opponents (who are also shooting 38% beyond the arc).

Despite an equally poorly rated offense (25th in the league), the Suns are dangerous, particularly from beyond the arc where they shoot over 37% good for 3rd in the league, and are 9th in attempts. Losing Bledsoe (as well as the also injured Ronnie Price) hurts them from three, but they still feature several guys--Booker and Leuer, as well as Mizra Teletovic and T.J. Warren who are shooting better than 40% from long range. It's something the Wolves are going to have to pay attention to.

Meanwhile, the Wolves have lost 13 of 14, and I'm not sure what more needs be said about things at this point. They have reached the half way point of the season in hugely disappointing fashion, a young team that was supposed to get better has instead looked worse as the season has worn on. Hopefully the start of the 2nd half--with games against the Suns followed by the Pelicans, the two teams just in front of the Wolves in the Western standings, can jump start them to some better performances.

After today, seven of the next nine for the Wolves are on the road, starting Tuesday in New Orleans.

Expected lineups

Suns

Brandon Knight
Devin Booker
P.J. Tucker
Markieff Morris
Tyson Chandler

Wolves

Ricky Rubio
Andrew Wiggins
Tayshaun Prince
Kevin Garnett
Karl-Anthony Towns

Our blogging buddies are over at Bright Side Of The Sun. Be nice, we all suck.

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