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PHOENIX — In the four-plus months since his hire, Jordan Ott has been asked several times what this has all meant, a grinder from small-town Pennsylvania climbing his way up the NBA ladder. Throughout, the Phoenix Suns head coach has kept these emotions mostly to himself.

At his introductory press conference, Ott said he had too much appreciation for the profession to believe that his path was guaranteed. He discussed the steps he had taken as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, and the experience he had last season on the bench with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Since then, the 40-year-old Ott has focused o

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