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The Phoenix Suns walked into Thursday night battered and bruised, injury report reading like a CVS grocery list that got out of hand. You glance across the floor, and there stand Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. It’s a trio that makes you check the clock before tip-off and wonder how long the evening is about to feel.
And it felt long.
There were stretches where the offense stalled into a quiet panic as possessions dissolved into late-clock heaves. Phoenix could not buy a clean look for chunks of the night, and when they did, the rim treated them like strangers.
Being a fan does strange things to your brain. It turns you into a ritualist, a believer in invisible levers. On Thursday, I found mine.
My wife was behind me in the living room, puzzle board out, building a 1000-piece octopus with the calm of a surgeon. The Suns were down 10 in the third quarter, and she asked if she could put on music. Neil Diamond. Holly Holy filled the room.
The Suns started scoring.
Song Sung Blue. Another run. Cracklin Rosie. A three from Grayson Allen that felt pre-ordained. You Don’t Bring Me Flowers. Collin Gillespie rises and buries one from deep like he has been waiting for Neil to give him permission. You can break down the rotations. You can analyze the shot profile. You can talk about the 22 made three pointers, which is usually the recipe when half your firepower is in street clothes. All of that is fair.
I am giving Neil Diamond credit.
The rhythm shifted the moment his voice hit the speakers. The ball moved with purpose. The shots came in flow. The house felt different through a television screen and a living room octopus.
It was a big one for Phoenix. They are staring up at the Lakers in the standings, chasing ground, measuring margin. This win mattered. The fan base needed it. The offense has looked rough lately, heavy and unsure. Last night had those same ugly stretches.
They survived anyway. And it felt…so good, so good, so good!
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Collin breaks into double digits, joining Devin Booker as the only two Suns to do so thus far this season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 60 against the Lakers. Here are your nominees:
Grayson Allen
28 points (9-of-24, 6-of-16 3PT), 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, -14 +/-
Collin Gillespie
21 points (7-of-13, 6-of-11 3PT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 0 +/-
Royce O’Neale
13 points (4-of-7, 3-of-6 3PT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, -4 +/-
Ryan Dunn
10 points (4-of-7, 2-of-3 3PT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, -20 +/-
Oso Ighodaro
8 points (4-of-5, 0-of-0 3PT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 0 +/-
Rasheer Fleming
8 points (3-of-5, 2-of-3 3PT), 6 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, +19 +/-
Who you got?