The Suns' unlikely hero that deserves more minutes over Tyus Jones

03/07/2025 07:05 PM

The Phoenix Suns’ home arena became unglued on Tuesday after Collin Gillespie drained his eighth, ninth, and tenth points of the night with almost 30 seconds left. That 3-pointer sealed the 119-117 win, as Gillespie was in for point guard Tyus Jones.

During the game, it seemed likely that Gillespie would receive any playing time. Once Suns guard Bradley Beal aggravated his left calf that forced him out of the game, however, the team needed a spark.

After being outscored 41-19 in the second quarter by the Los Angeles Clippers, a change had to happen. The Suns started to claw their way back, but it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Gillespie made his presence known.

The former Villanova basketball standout was great on both sides. He had the tough task of guarding James Harden, who still had his way as a playmaker.

Still, offensively was where Gillespie shined. He ran the offense but, most importantly, showed the hustle, grit, and feistiness that the Suns needed. Numerous times, he was wrestling with Clippers center Ivica Zubac for a rebound. Moments like those truly inspired the team to crank it up another gear.

However, 19 fourth-quarter points from Kevin Durant didn’t hurt either. He had his way with the Clippers, making them look silly. Regardless of his performance, the focus was on Gillespie during the game’s final moments.

His 3-pointer had the Suns’ bench hyped, Durant hyped, and the fanbase as ecstatic as much as they had been in weeks, if not months. Following the game, the Gillespie had plenty of praise from Durant.

However, Jones remains the de facto point guard moving forward. Despite head coach Mike Budenholzer saying that a game like that won’t make him a starter, he’s earned a place in the rotation.

Can Collin Gillespie get more run than the Suns’ Tyus Jones?

A great performance is a great performance. Still, Budenholzer hasn’t been afraid to give players an opportunity if they’ve been on a roll. For instance, Bol Bol became a starter because of some legitimate performances off of the bench.

The same could happen for Gillespie. Again, the head coach shot down the idea of Gillespie starting, but providing quality minutes off the bench is a good start.

The efficiency, defense, and hustle have been a major point of emphasis. Not to mention his size. The 6-foot-2 guard is bigger than Jones and less of a defensive ability.

While the latter is more offensively sound, the Suns have been getting killed defensively when he’s on the court. Bringing someone like Gillespie to play meaningful minutes can establish some consistency on that side of the ball.

With all of the experimental rotations this season, now might not be the ideal time to try another lineup. There might be a chance for Gillespie to make a statement.

Collin Gillespie has proven to be a part of the Suns’ rotation

In the last two games, he’s played 18 minutes or more, and he’s shown elite efficiency. When the Suns were losing to the New Orleans Pelicans on February 27, the guard had a quality game.

He had nine points while shooting 80% from the field. He also had four assists, a steal, and a +9 rating in the box score. The statistics are fun to take a gander at.

However, Durant brought up something interesting in Tuesday’s press conference. He mentioned how furious his teammate was at the loss to the Pelicans. That alone can be a spark for a team like Phoenix. Capitalizing on that might be the key.

Jones himself has been consistent and has filled his role perfectly. Still, the Suns have dug themselves into a hole. Even with the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks fighting for that play-in spot, Phoenix is trying to get into the mix.

Plenty of teams have isolated Jones on defense and have made it a point to attack him. Despite moving to the bench, Gillespie might’ve been a better fit, at least for Tuesday’s game.

The Clippers weren’t able to single him out at any point, even with Harden being matched up with Gillespie. The schedule isn’t in the Suns’ favor by any means. Defenses will continue to be tough, and  Jones might be the odd man out. With being a defensive liability, his offense isn’t elite enough to keep him on the floor. As a result, maximizing Gillespie’s skill set and hot hand could be essential.

Gillespie might not start, but increasing his minutes is a must. Then, Budenholzer and the rest of the Suns coaching staff can make a determination from there.

The post The Suns’ unlikely hero that deserves more minutes over Tyus Jones appeared first on ClutchPoints.