The Los Angeles Lakers have dropped down to fifth in the Western Conference standings after losing their last two games in a row. Now, the Phoenix Suns are just half a game behind the Lake Show, and they're exposing one very uncomfortable truth: that good vibes and team chemistry are every bit as important as raw talent.
This Lakers team certainly has a talent advantage over the current iteration of the Suns. But Phoenix has a clear, undeniable upper hand when it comes to looking like a team that enjoys playing together and performing with the kind of passion and joy that creates and sustains energy.
LA might have a slightly better record this year, but the wins have felt more difficult and less inspired than Phoenix's. Luka Doncic has been a tough watch recently, with the box scores not matching up with the product we're seeing on the court.
Meanwhile, the Suns have been basketball joy personified this season. Dillon Brooks has injected a sense of grittiness and hard work that's been infectious to their entire roster. This is a squad that's playing like a team on a mission, and it might be only a matter of time until they overtake the Lakers in the standings.
The Suns play more inspired basketball than the Lakers
The biggest problem with the Lakers right now is that watching them can feel exhausting at times. Doncic's play has been very uninspired as of late, with bad shot selection abound and possessions feeling unnatural.
Phoenix feels totally different. The Suns play like a group that knows what kind of night they want to have. Their effort carries over possession to possession, and when something breaks down they recover together instead of pointing fingers. It’s not perfect basketball, but it’s honest basketball.
And it's their togetherness that keeps them together when things aren't going perfectly. When the Lakers hit a rough stretch, the body language can change fast. Defensive effort can slip, and you can feel the frustration creeping in. It turns every game into a dice roll, because you're not sure which iteration of the team you're going to get.
The Suns don’t have that weight hanging over them. They play loose and hard while looking like they actually enjoy competing together. Over time, that matters quite a bit more than name value.
Right now, Phoenix looks like a team on the upswing, while the Lakers look like a squad trying to hold it together. If that doesn’t change soon, the standings won’t stay this close for long. No one could have pictured this happening before the season started, and yet here we are.