Nets rookie Mason Plumlee is having a lot tougher time of it than his older brother Miles Plumlee of the Suns. Going into the season, everyone thought it was the inverse. But the Suns — after their 117-91 win over the Lakers on Monday night, in which the elder Plumlee had 20 boards and 17 points — have won three straight and eight of their last nine. They also currently hold the No. 5 seed in the tough Western Conference.
Plumlee is a large reason why. He’s been crushing it this season for a Suns team as hot as the Mojave in mid-July. After averaging 1.6 rebounds and just 0.9 points in 3.8 minutes per game during his rookie year in Indiana, Miles is averaging nearly a double-double (9.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks) in 28 minutes this year with Phoenix. He shot a dreadful 23.8 percent from the floor in his rookie year, but in the dry desert heat of Phoenix this season, he’s shooting 50.8 percent for a team that’s two games back for homecourt advantage in the Western Conference!
Plumlee’s double-double in the first half was marked by an alley-oop from Eric Bledsoe which forrced him to reach way, way back to grab before thrusting down.
Listen to the Suns’ announcers, Steve Albert and Eddie Johnson wonder at the extension Miles exhibits to collect the ball before the flush.
The dunk helped send the Lakers to the locker-room trailing Phoenix by 13, and the Suns never let up in the dominating win with Pau Gasol back in the lineup for the Lakers.
The Suns are what make the NBA so amazing. Jeff Hornacek should have Coach of the Year locked up if the Suns go into the All-Star break above .500.
What a start for a team many of us believed would be historically bad headiing into the season.
What do you think of Phoenix’s hot start?
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