It positive wasn’t fairly however the Phoenix Suns clawed by means of one other wonky fourth quarter to win in additional time over the Denver Nuggets 117-107, with the victory on Tuesday approaching the evening Phoenix was the most important underdogs it had been in Vegas all season (+9).
With out Devin Booker (proper ankle sprain) once more, the Suns had been in an amazing place to win after an impressive second quarter however there wasn’t sufficient execution within the second half to totally down a weak Denver squad after main by 15 on the half.
Tuesday’s fourth quarter was certainly not a basketball clinic however Phoenix simply missed a ton of pictures earlier than the same old lack of tempo throughout the offense by way of attacking the protection too late within the shot clock resulted in dangerous possessions. The Suns shot 5-of-24 (20.8%) and the mixture of Kevin Durant (2-of-9) and Bradley Beal (2-for-7) made up for many of that on pictures they’ll look again on within the movie and largely be OK with. Denver wasn’t buying and selling baskets, both, producing simply 21 factors to maintain leaving the door open.
The script was actually trending towards a Nuggets win for many of the second half however Durant nailed a bail-out 3 with 26 seconds left to tie the sport and ship it to OT. Critically, Jusuf Nurkic fouled out late within the fourth quarter, placing Drew Eubanks in opposition to Nikola Jokic in additional time.
However Durant and Beal responded emphatically, with Durant pulling down all three of his makes an attempt within the further interval whereas Beal was 2-for-2 as effectively.
Durant was 14-of-34 in 44 minutes for 35 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists whereas Beal shot 6-for-18. Phoenix successful this recreation regardless of that tells you ways bizarre this recreation was when you weren’t capable of watch it your self.
Phoenix discovered a stage defensively it hasn’t reached within the final handful of video games at an ideal stretch of the sport, leaping throughout a sluggish Denver with a 23-1 run throughout 6:16 of the second quarter. For no matter motive, the Nuggets had been able to fold when offered with the stress, wanting fully disoriented whereas Phoenix commanded the sport. You don’t want two fingers to rely what number of occasions the Suns have hit that gear defensively this yr, however within the theme of the season to date, it once more exhibits they’re able to reaching it.
The Suns had been up 15 at halftime with 18 assists on 23 made area objectives and simply 4 turnovers. Once more, which was largely arrange by the protection letting them play off giveaways and misses.
From this level on, although, the evening can be decided by if Phoenix may keep away from its deadly flaw of both one or a number of terrible stretches of solely only a few minutes that may submarine its possibilities of successful a recreation.
For essentially the most half, the third quarter prevented any of that. However on the 3:23 mark, Nurkic picked up his fifth foul after doing an superior job on Jokic and as soon as once more functioning as the important thing cog throughout the Suns’ offense. He went to the bench with Phoenix up 13 and returned at 5:02 remaining and the lead lower to 6.
That was after a weird three minutes when each groups repeatedly missed attractiveness from 3-point vary over a stretch that made up a few of the 4:14 Phoenix was scoreless for.
After which after Beal knocked down a 3 with 3:54 remaining to place the Suns up 9, each Suns possession after that besides the final one of many interval ended with both a miss or turnover by Beal or Durant. That allowed a 12-0 Denver run earlier than the aforementioned Durant 3.
It was certainly not a very good evening for Beal, however for the second straight recreation he was actively attempting to get to the paint each time he was touching the ball. That’s the stress on the protection Phoenix not solely wants with out Booker however particularly when he’s again. It’s a distinct ability set that makes the offense that rather more harmful.
Grayson Allen snapped out of his capturing funk in a big-time method by pulling down the primary eight 3s he tried and completed with 25 factors. Eubanks performed a few of his greatest minutes of the season as an lively physique on the glass, with eight rebounds, a number of of which had been pivotal tip-outs to increase offensive possessions.
This was a nasty Jokic outing to his requirements, with seven turnovers to only 5 assists. He nonetheless managed 25 factors, 16 rebounds and 5 assists. Jamal Murray was the man for Denver with 28 factors.
Phoenix solely had 10 turnovers. A number of of the sloppy ones past the 3-point line that roll out the purple carpet for the opposition’s transition offense had been nonetheless there, significantly within the second half when the sport started to barely unravel, however the quantity was progress after a tough weekend in Phoenix.