Record hitting, but a positive for the Suns

Fifteen point difference after twelve minutes, then 26 twelve minutes later… And so until the maximum difference of 53 points. This NBA Cup quarterfinal between the Thunder and the Suns turned into a slaughterhouse.

With the expected victory of the current champion facing a Phoenix team still without Devin Booker, not forgetting Jalen Green, who could already be congratulating himself for being there.

« First, let’s pay tribute to them. It’s a very good team that played an amazing match. It’s normal to be disappointed. We didn’t play at our best level, but we were there », Jordan Ott reacts fiercelywhose team ended up losing by 49 points (138-89) without ever leading.

Unheard of in franchise history. The old mark was -48, set twice in losses to the Spurs and Blazers during the 2017-18 season. Despite this very difficult setback, which the technician specifically attributed to his players’ inability to stay in contact with the opposing ball carriers, Jordan Ott is therefore positive.

Colin Gillespie misses

« We were in this environment, with a lot going on in December, against a very good team. And now we have to move forward. It doesn’t change. This message does not change, win or lose. We all know we have things to improve “, he advocates.

For his part, Dillon Brooks, clearly the best scorer on his team (16 points on 4/16 shooting), thinks he and his team should have played harder. ” It does not represent who we are as an organization, as a team, as a coaching staff, as players. It’s not us », a Canadian judges.

A collective message that encompasses the sum of individuals who missed the moment. Like Collin Gillespie in great form of late, limited to 2 points on 1/5 shooting in this game.

« Colin is only a small part of this. He had a great streak. It is clear that it is in the priorities of the ‘scouting report’. And that’s good. It shows the huge progress he has made this season. And this kid will answer. He will recover and be better for it », assures the son coach.

An insignificant final difference

The latter also believes that the final result is not significant for the actual gap between the two teams. After all, this same Phoenix formation just lost four points on the same floor, end of November.

« But tonight he (holiday) was. We’ll have a chance to answer the next time we play. Next time we face these guys “, projects the coach whose team will welcome the Thunder, ” benchmark in the NBA for several reasons “, at the beginning of January.

While Jordan Ott wonders how far this OKC team will go, the coach will continue his journey with his Suns, a surprising 7th in the West (14v-11d). The Suns who, according to him, preferred to play ” games like this in December, not in April or May, when you have to go home. Now we know which direction to go and how we need to improve. »