The Phoenix Suns managed to squeak by the Kawhi Leonard-less Los Angeles Clippers last night in overtime 116-113, despite 29 points and 12 assists from James Harden. Kevin Durant (25 points) and Bradley Beal (24 points) led the way, coming up with big baskets throughout the game to sneak by with a victory in a game they probably should have lost (trailing 99-90 before scoring 11 straight points to go on top).
The Suns did not quite show that they are ready to be the favorite in the Western Conference, but to get a big victory early in the season will raise confidence, especially in a game where Devin Booker did not shoot the ball enough. Let’s break down each Suns player’s grade in the hard-fought victory over the Clippers.
Bradley Beal: B+
Stats: 24 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 8-12 FG, 4-6 3-PT FG, 38 mins
Bradley Beal was efficient and effective, shooting 67% from the field and knocking down 4-6 from beyond the arc. His scoring kept the Suns in the game when they were struggling, and he hit several key baskets to shift the momentum in Phoenix’s favor. While Beal’s playmaking was limited (only 1 assist), his scoring was invaluable in securing this narrow victory. It was great to see Beal show comfort on the court and that he can still be a primary scorer, meaning the Suns will look to build off their Big Three all season.
Kevin Durant: B
Stats: 25 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 8-17 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 44 mins
Kevin Durant had a solid night, leading the Suns in scoring with 25 points and contributing on the defensive end with 3 steals and a block. However, his impact was slightly diminished by his lack of playmaking (no assists) and long stretches where he seemed out of rhythm offensively. Add in the fact he turned it over seven times and it wasn’t the best game the future Hall of Famer has played. Durant still hit some crucial shots down the stretch, helping the Suns complete their comeback, but there were moments where he could have taken more control of the game, especially when the Suns were trailing. Overall, it was a strong but not dominating performance from KD.
Tyus Jones: B
Stats: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 5-10 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 35 mins
Tyus Jones was steady at the point guard position, dishing out 8 assists and controlling the tempo of the game, though his shooting (1-5 from three) left something to be desired. Defensively, Jones contributed with 2 steals and a block, showing his ability to be disruptive on that end of the floor. He provided just enough scoring to keep the Clippers’ defense honest, and his playmaking helped the Suns stay organized offensively. While he wasn’t spectacular, Jones was reliable and helped guide the Suns to a victory in his debut with the team.
Jusuf Nurkic: B-
Stats: 11 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 2-5 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 22 mins
Jusuf Nurkic had a decent outing, nearly securing a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds. His size and presence in the paint helped Phoenix compete against the Clippers’ frontcourt, though he did not have a significant impact defensively with no blocks and only 2 steals. His 1-4 shooting from three was a bit concerning, as the Suns would prefer Nurkic to focus more on dominating inside rather than stretching his game to the perimeter. The fact that Nurkic took too many threes in only 22 minutes of play lowers his grade.
Devin Booker: B-
Stats: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 5-9 FG, 4-5 3-PT FG, 32 mins
Devin Booker had an efficient night shooting the ball, especially from deep, where he hit 4 of 5 attempts. However, he didn’t assert himself as much as the Suns would have liked, particularly in crunch time, and only took 9 shots in the entire game. Booker did contribute 6 assists, showing his ability to make plays for others, but the Suns will need him to be more aggressive offensively moving forward. On a night where Durant and Beal led the scoring, Booker was rather reserved and we don’t expect to see that often this season.
Grayson Allen: C+
Stats: 8 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2-7 FG, 2-6 3-PT FG, 21 mins
Grayson Allen had a mixed night, contributing 8 points but struggling with his shot (28.6% from the field). His defense was solid, with 1 steal and 1 block, but offensively, Allen couldn’t find much rhythm and missed several open looks from deep (2-6 from three). While Allen did provide some secondary playmaking with 3 assists, his shooting struggles limited his overall impact. However, we cannot knock Allen forcing a turnover in the Clippers’ last shot at tying the game which boosts his grade.
Royce O’Neale: C+
Stats: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 2-5 FG, 1-3 3-PT FG, 24 mins
Royce O’Neale had a relatively quiet night, providing some decent defense and rebounding (5 boards, 1 block), but he didn’t do much to stand out offensively. O’Neale hit 1 of his 3 attempts from beyond the arc and did a little bit of everything, but his contributions were more complementary than game-changing. His ability to defend multiple positions is valuable for the Suns, but they will hope for a bit more offensive output from him as the season progresses.
Mason Plumlee: C
Stats: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 1 block, 2-2 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 14 mins
Mason Plumlee had a decent showing in limited minutes, scoring 8 points on perfect shooting from the field. While he didn’t provide much in terms of rebounding or defense (just 2 boards and 1 block), Plumlee was efficient in his short time on the court. His role off the bench is to provide energy and solid backup minutes, and he did just that in only 14 minutes of action.
Monte Morris: C
Stats: 5 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 2-5 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 13 mins
Monte Morris struggled to make much of an impact in his 13 minutes of play. He managed 5 points and 2 assists but missed both of his attempts from three-point range and didn’t contribute much defensively. Morris will need to be more effective as a backup guard, especially in terms of playmaking and shooting, if he’s going to carve out a bigger role in the Suns’ rotation.
Oso Ighodaro: C
Stats: 2 points, 6 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 12 mins
Oso Ighodaro had a quiet night offensively but contributed on the boards, grabbing 6 rebounds in his 12 minutes of play. He made his only shot attempt and provided some solid interior defense with 1 block. While Ighodaro didn’t light up the stat sheet, his energy and rebounding off the bench were helpful in limited minutes, though he’ll need to continue developing to have a larger impact.
Ryan Dunn: N/A
Stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 1 block, 1-5 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 9 mins
Ryan Dunn played just 9 minutes and didn’t have enough time on the court to significantly impact the game. He made 1 of his 5 shot attempts and missed both of his threes but grabbed 2 rebounds and had 1 block. Dunn is still working his way into the rotation, and this game was more about giving him some experience than expecting a big contribution.
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