The Phoenix Suns are averaging 97 points through two games against Denver in the Western Conference semifinals after racking up 122 a game in eliminating the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round in five games.
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are accounting for 59.2% of their points against the No. 1 seeded Nuggets.
Couple that with Chris Paul expected to miss the next two games with a strained left groin suffered in Game 2’s 97-87 loss, Suns coach Monty Williams is looking to find some points production off the bench.
Phoenix had just four bench points in Game 2.
“I can do a better job of putting more scorers on the floor and living with whatever warts may come with that just to free those guys up so they don’t have to do it every single time down the floor,” Williams said after Wednesday’s practice. “We’ll make those adjustments accordingly.”
Enter Terrence Ross and TJ Warren.
Both bucket getters who’ve averaged double figures in points for their respective careers, Ross and Warren have seen limited action in the playoffs, but Phoenix enters Friday’s must-win Game 3 down 2-0 to the No. 1 seed Nuggets.
No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
“Those are two guys that could see significantly more time,” Williams said. “Those kinds of decisions only hurt you when you have an injury. Then you wish you could’ve got those guys a bit more reps to prepare for that. We have these days to get ready for that and the guys who play. We were in a good rhythm right before Chris got hurt.”
The Suns shot 70% in the third quarter of Game 2 when Paul shot 3-of-3 from the field before suffering a groin injury with a little under five minutes remaining in the quarter. Phoenix led by as many as eight points in the third, when into the fourth up three, but shot 7-of-25 in the fourth quarter.
Going 0-of-9 from 3, the Suns were outscored, 27-14, in the fourth quarter of their 10-point loss, 97-87. That’s Phoenix’s lowest point total in the playoffs so far.
The 107 points the Suns scored in Game 1 is the second-lowest.
Now Phoenix will try to recapture that third-quarter magic of Game 2 with Cameron Payne likely getting the start for Paul, who sources have informed The Republic on Tuesday will be out at least a week with the injury.
“We just have to adjust,” Williams said.
Ross and Warren have only played two games in the playoffs this season as they’ve had their share of defensive struggles with Phoenix.
The Suns acquired Warren in the Durant deal right before Feb. 9 trade deadline.
Phoenix traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first round picks and a pick swap for Durant and Warren, who played his first five NBA seasons with the Suns.
The Suns later acquired Terrence Ross on Feb. 14 after Orlando bought out his contract.
Have an opinion about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Terrence Ross, TJ Warren possible answer to Suns lack of scoring