Teams Want To "Knock Our Head Off Our Body": Star Laments Team's Slump

Despite many offseason and training camp challenges, things started out just fine this year for the team with the best record in the NBA last season. But the Phoenix Suns are currently skidding with a 5-game losing streak, and their big man, Deandre Ayton, laments that other teams seem to want it more than they do. 

“The teams we see on film aren’t the teams we play — they’re playing harder and with a chip on their shoulder against us.”

- Deandre Ayton

(Via @TheAthleticNBA ) pic.twitter.com/2QoX8HsuGt

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) December 14, 2022

“The teams we see on film aren’t the teams we play — they’re playing harder and with a chip on their shoulder against us," said Ayton. 

"We just gotta approach these games knowing that teams are coming to knock our head off our body."

The exclamation point of that "knock their block off" mentality came a few days ago, when Zion Williamson delivered the ultimate punctuation mark on a New Orleans Pelicans win over the Suns. 

THE SUNS: We give up.

ZION:https://t.co/lvI3b5u0sd pic.twitter.com/vxcz5Q2XAp

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 10, 2022

That play, in the game's final few seconds, led to a bench-clearing incident between the teams, illustrating what Ayton was referring to with teams having a chip on their shoulder against them. 

After starting the year 16-7, the Suns have lost five straight by a combined 76 points. In their most recent embarrassing loss, to the Houston Rockets, Ayton went 2-for-10 and suffered an ankle injury. Certainly being without Devin Booker hasn't helped in the last two games, and of course Cam Johnson has been out for weeks. But the Suns need to figure this out in a hurry.