NBA Power Rankings: The Grizzlies are in trouble

26. Phoenix Suns

Last week was a brutal week for the Suns, who went 0-3 with losses to the Bucks, Timberwolves and Pelicans. The loss to the New Orleans stood out in particular, as the Suns lead early before the Pelicans went on a run, took a 10 point lead and never looked back. The team, after one punch, broke.

“I honestly think it’s a mental toughness thing. I told them at halftime, ‘They’re not going to continue to shoot like that,’ and sure enough they go 0 for 12 in the second half. But we’ve dug too big of a hole,” interim coach Jay Triano said after the loss, per azcentral.com.

The Suns’ struggles also served a learning experience for Devin Booker. In a post Eric Bledsoe world, teams are keying in on him more than ever. Before he missed the Wolves game with an injury, Booker was 17-54 from the field over his last three games, including a 4-13 night against the Pelicans. On a nightly basis, he’s seeing double teams, traps and basically every other defense designed to force the ball out of his hands and dare the other Suns to beat them.

“Book is going to see physicality, he’s going to see more than one body, he’s going to see everything,” Triano said, per azcentral.com. “He’s going to have to figure it out, we’re going to have to figure it out, his teammates are going to have to figure it out.”

The good news: The Suns still have the fifth best odds of landing the No. 1 pick, and more losing will only give them a better chance of finding a partner for Booker.