When it rains, it pours.
A fitting way to describe the past month or so for the Phoenix Suns.
The squad has gone 5-15 over their last 20 games, highlighted (lowlighted?) by a 111-104 loss to the 2-30 Philadelphia 76ers. Many questioned how if head coach Jeff Hornacek would have a job entering this week. As of Monday evening, the answer is he would…for now.
There was a shakeup on the bench, though, as assistant coaches Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi were fired after Saturday’s loss. Back-row assistants Earl Watson and Nate Bjorkgren have been promoted to the front row.
Hornacek doesn’t have much time to think about his future, though.
“Whatever,” Hornacek said when asked about if he could be the next domino to fall. “That’s the business. We have to try to get things changed around. We’re not quitting on anything, and we’re going to continue to work and try to implement a couple different things and see if we can get that going. Whatever happens after that, you can’t be concerned about that.”
The Suns don’t catch any breaks, as they take on the Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder this week, all without their star.
Eric Bledsoe tore his meniscus in Saturday’s loss and will have surgery on Tuesday. There is not a timetable for his return, but Suns GM Ryan McDonough is hopeful he can return this season.
Regardless of these struggles and sitting at 12-20 on the year, McDonough believes the Suns can find their way into the playoffs.
“To sit here today and look at the standings, the middle and bottom of the Western Conference is really struggling, it’s not just us,” McDonough said. “Despite all our struggles and disappointing play lately, we are two games out of the playoffs with 50 games to go, which certainly isn’t insurmountable.”
Jeff has every opportunity, will continue to have every opportunity, as we all will, to work ourselves out of this hole and get back on the right track.”
Suns fans are hoping the rest of the season has a little more opportunity and a lot less obstacle.
