Balance Leads The Suns Past The Dirk-less Mavericks

This is what the team envisioned or at least I imagine what they envisioned when they brought in all of these pieces in their "transition" season. Through three pre-season games the team is averaging 28.6 points per game in the first quarter including winning two of three games including against the Dallas Mavericks last night.

It is still a work in progress, but the first unit is playing some really good basketball on the offensive end. The balance on offense is what is creating a flow and a rhythm early in the games.

Getting the first unit into that flow is the key as the bench is currently lacking play-makers and go-to scorers right now. There is potential to develop guys like Markieff Morris and Kendall Marshall into those type of players, but for now the pressure is on the first unit to go out there and get the points on the board. Through three games the bench is averaging 4.6 points per game on one assist in about 13 combined minutes in first periods.

The starters are another story especially the newcomers which is a major positive to see.

Michael Beasley has been a spark leading the team in the first period at 7.3 points per game and dishing out a total of four assists. His scoring early has been a key for the team because to be quite honest, this team is offensively challenged without him. Scola gets buckets in the paint and Dragic can creat, but neither has the one-on-one ability of Beasley. Seems like the team knew what they were doing with Beasley, or at least through three pre-season games it appears that way.