I’m not gonna lie, there was a little bit of anxiety creeping in on Monday night as the Phoenix Suns battled through the first three quarters against the Memphis Grizzlies. Devin Booker was cooking. He was hyper-efficient, dropping 36 points through three quarters without taking a single free throw. Jalen Green looked right there with him, adding 21. Together, they had 57 of the Suns’ 91 points.

And yet, Phoenix was only up two.

So yeah, that is where the concern set in. Not about how they were playing, but about how it would be perceived. Because you know how it goes. People check the box score, see the scoring totals, see the narrow lead, and the first reaction becomes that the offense is the problem. Too much isolation, not enough ball movement, not enough guys involved. We have seen that narrative before when both Booker and Green go off and the team still comes up short.

But that was not the story here.

The offense was fine. It was flowing, it was producing, it was doing exactly what it needed to do. The issue was on the other end. Defense, or more specifically, what was happening in the paint.

With Oso Ighodaro at the five, you are going to give some of that up. He brings a lot to the table. Connectivity, playmaking, switching. But rim protection is not his calling card. That is part of the equation, and Memphis knew it. Their plan was simple, and it is one we have seen teams lean into against Phoenix. Beat the initial defender, get downhill, and attack the interior. Over and over again.

Through three quarters, it worked. The Grizzlies had 46 of their 89 points in the paint, living at the rim, forcing rotations, and keeping the game tight despite the offensive output from Booker and Green. That is what kept it close. Not the shot diet, not the scoring distribution. It was the inability to consistently deter what Memphis wanted to do inside.

The fourth quarter saved everyone from that conversation, at least for a moment. The Memphis Grizzlies showed their hand, drifted away from what was working, stopped living in the paint, and the game flipped. At the same time, Collin Gillespie found his stroke, the Phoenix Suns found their rhythm, and suddenly it was a 40–16 quarter that turned a tight game into a 26-point win.

It matters. Win number 42 locks in a winning season. No matter what comes next, another small milestone in a year built on progress.

But it circles back to the original concern. There are times when frustration with the offense is warranted. That is part of the deal. More often than not, though, when things tighten or slip away, it traces back to what is happening inside. Interior defense, rim protection, and the ability to deter those downhill attacks. That is the pressure point.

And as the postseason gets closer, that is where the focus will be. Because once the games matter a little more, teams will lean into that weakness until you prove you can stop it.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

Jalen’s efficient night against the Jazz moves him up the standings.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 75 against the Girzzlies. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
36 points (16-of-24, 4-of-6 3PT), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, +5 +/-

Jalen Green
21 points (9-of-18, 3-of-7 3PT), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 turnover, +1 +/-

Oso Ighodaro
11 points (5-of-9), 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block, 0 turnovers, +12 +/-

Collin Gillespie
11 points (4-of-16, 3-of-11 3PT), 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 turnovers, +14 +/-

Rasheer Fleming
11 points (5-of-11, 1-of-4 3PT), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 steals, 0 turnovers, +25 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
9 points (3-of-9, 3-of-8 3PT), 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, 1 turnover, 1 block, +22 +/-

Feel free to cast your vote as appropriate.