PHOENIX — Even in the NBA, where so many games are decided in the final minutes, signs often surface early that suggest this isn’t a team’s night. This was the case for the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Bradley Beal, who a day earlier had told reporters his body felt fairly fresh because he had missed so much time this season with injuries, played just five minutes before injuring his left hamstring. He did not return.
Devin Booker missed six of his first seven shots, walking to the locker room at halftime with five points. After a turnover that led to an easy Sacramento basket, the Phoenix guard barked at officials as he walked to the bench during a timeout, his frustration clear.
Kevin Durant would finish with 28 points, but for Durant it was a quiet 28. Nothing MVP-caliber like he has done so often throughout this season.
All this while De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis fueled the Sacramento Kings in impressive ways. Fox had 40 points, while Sabonis dominated all facets, finishing with 35 points, 18 rebounds and 12 assists, his league-leading 18th triple-double of the season.
And, yet, the Suns prevailed 130-125 at Footprint Center.
If it wasn’t their most encouraging win of the season, it was close, another sign this team is headed in the right direction. The Suns had hurdles Tuesday night. And against a playoff team, they cleared them all.
“It’s a good win for us, man,” Durant said. “We needed this one.”
The Suns (32-22) do not lack offensive firepower. It’s their strength. The questions have surfaced elsewhere. Their defense. Their ball security. Their supporting cast, which was addressed at last week’s trade deadline. All are works in progress, but Tuesday’s win showed promise.
Beal subbed out in the first quarter and headed to the locker room, never to return. Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said Beal would miss Wednesday’s home contest against Detroit, but added that the medical staff didn’t think the hamstring injury was serious. The All-Star break begins Thursday.
The Suns haven’t always handled adversity well this season. Seven weeks ago, with rotation players missing because of injuries, Phoenix was 14-15. This night was different.
With Beal out, Eric Gordon scored 23 points off the bench, 20 in the first half. Grayson Allen added 19 on 7-of-10 shooting and recently acquired Royce O’Neale did everything the Suns expected when they acquired him from the Brooklyn Nets last week.
Most nights, the Suns don’t win without Booker or Durant. On Tuesday, they don’t win without O’Neale or Gordon.
A versatile forward, O’Neale looks like a perfect fit. A low-maintenance vet who communicates defensively. Someone who doesn’t need the ball but can make the right play when he gets it. Since Tuesday was O’Neale’s second game with the Suns, Vogel had planned to keep him around 15 minutes. Instead, O’Neale played 30, making an impact on both ends.
He hit one of the game’s biggest shots, a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left that gave Phoenix a 122-118 lead. He also defended 6-foot-11 Sabonis when the Suns went small, showcasing his defensive versatility.
ROYCE WITH THE HUGE TRIPLE pic.twitter.com/MOlBpzbfQO
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 14, 2024
But that’s not what stood out most to Booker and Durant. “How many assists did he have?” Booker asked reporters after the game, looking for a stat sheet.
O’Neale finished with nine points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals and was a team-high plus-13.
“Five?” said Durant, who played with O’Neale last season with the Nets. “I got the ball in my hands all game and I didn’t get five assists.”
“Immediate impact,” Vogel said of O’Neale’s contributions. “I mean, he made some big-time plays. It was clear. He battled. We needed that other guy, especially with Brad going out.”
Late in the first half, O’Neale threw a soft lob toward the rim. Durant wasn’t sure for whom the pass was intended — until the 6-foot-3 Gordon jumped up and threw it down. It marked the 35-year-old’s first dunk of the season, and only the fifth of his last three seasons. It also served as a reminder: With consistent shots, Gordon can be great in this role, providing instant offense off the bench.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 14, 2024
“You can’t ask for more than that,” Vogel said of Gordon’s performance against the Kings. “Eric’s been there all year. When healthy, he comes in and plays a role. Sometimes he gets a few touches, sometimes he doesn’t get a lot. … He’s underrated defensively, too. He’s a tough son of a gun.”
In the second half, Booker finally got going, a closer in rhythm. He didn’t miss a shot in the fourth quarter, hitting all three of his attempts. Twenty of his 25 points came over the last two quarters. In doing so, Booker passed former Suns forward Alvan Adams for second on the organization’s career scoring list. With 13,918 career points, Booker is 1,748 from leader Walter Davis.
Vogel said Booker has a unique knack for feeling the game out, staying patient through double teams and getting teammates involved. It’s how Booker has played throughout his nine-year career in Phoenix, but it’s always easier when the supporting cast delivers.
That’s what the Suns got in Tuesday’s win. And it’s what they’ll need in the second half of the season.
“We know there are two portions of the season,” general manager James Jones recently told reporters. “One is trying to figure out who you are and the other is doubling down on what you are. We’re in that second stage with a new team.”
(Photo of Devin Booker celebrating during Tuesday’s win: Kate Frese / NBAE via Getty Images)
