Why Suns' coach Jay Triano benched No. 4-overall draft pick Josh Jackson

DENVER – There was an interesting disconnect Tuesday regarding who didn’t play in the Suns’ 104-103 victory over the Atlanta Hawks and what interim coach Jay Triano said after the game.

First, Triano’s comments. Asked about the Suns’ defense, Triano said, “I don’t think we have a lot of really good individual defenders. We just don’t.”

And yet rookie forward Josh Jackson, who was drafted in large part because of his defense, got his first DNP-CD (Did Not Play-Coach's Decision) of the season.

Triano’s decision to leave Jackson on the bench continued a trend in which Jackson has become a less vital part of the Suns rotation. Jackson hasn’t played more than 12 minutes in a game since Devin Booker’s return to the starting lineup after missing three weeks with a strained left adductor muscle.

“It just didn’t fit rotation-wise,” Triano said. “He’ll be back soon but right now he just didn’t get in.”

Jackson’s reduced playing time is tied to his offensive struggles. He’s shooting 37.8 percent from the field, 23.9 percent from 3-point range and 56.4 percent from the free-throw line. In the three games before his benching Tuesday, he made just 5 of 19 shots (26.3 percent), including a 2-for-10 performance in the Suns’ loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.

Those 10 shots came in 12 minutes.

Phoenix’s bench was just 8 of 26 in that game and struggled again against the Hawks, scoring just 15 points with Isaiah Canaan, Troy Daniels and Dragan Bender going 1 for 13 from the field. Triano referenced the bench’s lack of productivity in explaining why Jackson didn’t play, saying, “I tried to get that second unit going if I can a little bit.”

“The second unit hasn’t been jelling like they were, that’s for sure,” Triano said before Wednesday’s game against Denver. “That’s not to put the blame on him. Individually, a whole group of them hasn’t played well for a couple of games.”

Jackson said Triano talked with him about his reduced minutes.

“His message was not to worry about (my offense) as much,” Jackson said. “But I’m going to come out and shoot the same shots. I’m going to play the same offensively.”

Triano doesn’t mind Jackson’s aggressiveness. He just wants Jackson to not force shots because he’s playing at such a frenetic pace.

“He’s going too fast,” Triano said. “He’s going faster than he can control right now. That’s the only problem. I like his aggressiveness. We just have to harness it. We’ve said that from the beginning. He plays at one speed and it’s fast. He needs to change that up a bit.”

Triano said Jackson likely will play against Denver given the Suns are on the back end of a back-to-back and Booker (42 minutes) and T.J. Warren (38 minutes) logged a lot of time against the Hawks. But Triano also won’t hesitate to pull Jackson if he thinks his offensive issues are hurting the second unit.

“(Tuesday) was just a feel thing,” Triano said. “I’m sure he’ll get his minutes.”

"No one was happy," Nelson said. "You don't like to wait out there for a few hours and then find out you can't fly out."

By Wednesday, the Suns had dismissed the delay with a shrug of their shoulders.

"It is a little bit frustrating sitting in a car, waiting to get on an airplane, getting off, going home and then coming back and doing it again but stuff happens," Triano said. "You can't control it so you have to move on."

The good news: Phoenix is staying in Denver after Wednesday's game and will have the day off Thursday. The Suns will travel to San Antonio for Friday's game against the Spurs.

Reed debut

Rookie shooting guard Davon Reed made his NAZ Suns debut Tuesday, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal in 20 minutes. Reed, who had offseason knee surgery to repair torn cartilage, is expected to play at least two more games with the Suns' G League affiliate.

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