The 2026-27 season hasn't been especially kind to the Phoenix Suns (1-3) to this point.

Phoenix began the season with a tragic 41-point loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, with uneven results coming their way since.

The up-and-down play came to a head on Friday night, when the Suns lost to the Denver Nuggets. in a 127-120 effort.

While on-court issues are to blame for the slow start to an extent, there are other hurdles to overcome as well.

Franchise player Devin Booker made it clear that the Suns need to gather together to overcome inconsistencies on a minute-by-minute basis (quote via Duane Rankin).

"We've been preaching we need to put a full game together. We've played well in spots. I think if we can put together 4 quarters, or even 3, it'll put us in a better situation."

One of the biggest hurdles to climb is the defensive challenges the personnel groupings face. The starting lineup doesn't feature a strong rebounder, while lapses in communications and rotations have led to a higher volume of quality three-point looks given up than one would like.

It hasn't been a help to Phoenix that the opening stretch of the season is more challenging than the average squad faces. However, they must figure out the current issues that are plaguing the early stages of the season in the near future.

There are three clear steps the Suns can take to remedy the lack of a "complete game" in the near future. 

The three steps are as follows.

Phoenix's starting lineup must set the tone at the onset of games. This is easier said than done, as the fit between the various members of the starting unit is dicey. In particular, it doesn't appear that Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks fit the best as a duo. Do the Suns look to start Jordan Goodwin or perhaps even Ryan Dunn to satisfy needs on the defensive side of the ball - particularly against elite offenses?

In an extension of the starting lineup is the bench unit - head coach Jordan Ott must figure out how to incorporate difference makers such as Goodwin into higher firepower offensive structures.

The final hurdle to climb is simply in-game management. The usage of timeouts, challenges, and rotation patterns need to be smoothed over in the next few weeks in order to maximize the roster.

The Suns return to action on Monday night against the Golden State Warriors.