The Phoenix Suns Are Inventing New Ways To Lose Late

The general theme to most of the Phoenix Suns losses this season have been that one, or two plays that went the other way, against the Suns.

So far this season the team is 6-11 in games decided by 10 points or less and 4-5 in games that ended within one possession or less. Down the stretch the Suns have not been able to find the right combination of players to make plays when they really mattered.

At the beginning of the season the concern was heavily weighed to fixing the starting line-up that was getting the team off to bad starts. Now the team is getting itself into the same problems, but down the stretch at the end of games.

Against the Golden State Warriors it was missed shots by Luis Scola, Jared Dudley, and a split at the free-throw line from Goran Dragic.

On the road playing the Philadelphia 76ers the Suns stormed back, but were a missed Beasley jumper (where he might have been fouled) away from tying the game on the road and forcing overtime.

During fan appreciation night O.J. Mayo gave the Suns exactly what they are missing with a game separating jump-shot that gave the Dallas Mavericks the lead and the win. Travel north to the Portland Trail Blazers where the team played hot potato with the ball in the waning moments causing the loss.

The most recent example of late game depreciation came as the team fumbled away four turnovers in the final five minutes to create the opportunity for the New York Knicks and J.R. Smith to make a game winning jumper.

It never seems to be the same thing, but it always comes down to something with the Suns down the stretch. Missed shots, fear, defending, turnovers, or anything else that can go wrong -- goes wrong.