PHX is/was a better built team than Utah. I just have never liked that Utah team construction as they’re more built for the regular season and not the playoffs. It’s just something missing with that team.
They got no perimeter defense that's what's missing and why Clips without Kawhi embarrassed them. Rudy got all the blame and he deserve a lot but mostly for not abusing Batum/Mann in the post or glass and having a dusty offensive game with no moves.
Defensively their perimeter players can't stop anything. Rudy the backline but you need some resistance. Rudy just got no good perimeter/wing defenders. He has his faults as a defender but he get too much blame compared to other great defensive bigs
Giannis has Jrue, Khris, Pat, Donte
Draymond had Klay, Iggy, KD, now GP2, Wiggins, JTA
Bam had Jimmy, Crowder, Iggy, now Tucker, Lowry
Ayton has CP3, Bridges, Crowder
AD had Jrue/Rondo in NOLA the only season he did shyt. Had Caruso, KCP, Bron, Danny in LA. Lakers defense this season after giving up their perimeter defense is
There was a stat they had the worst defense by a mile without Rudy and they 1-8 now.
Conley was a good defender in his prime but he
now and in hindsight was probably overrated on defense since he played on the same defense as Tony and Marc. Ingles and Bojan don't D up. Mitchell and Clarkson damn sure don't. Royce I think supposed to be that guy but he not it I always see him getting torched.