For the first time this month, the Phoenix Suns played a complete 4 quarters of well-rounded basketball, resulting in a 129-113 win over the Houston Rockets to snap a three-game losing streak.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Not only did the Suns win every quarter besides the 4th, but they also held a double-digit lead for the entirety of the 2nd half. Every time the Rockets attempted to go on a run, a player stepped up for Phoenix to shift the momentum back in their favor.
In the 1st half, it was the Eric Gordon show. Gordon, who played 7 seasons with the Rockets, scored 21 points in the first two quarters on a dazzling display from beyond the arc. Eric ended the night with a season-high 27 points on 10-15 shooting.
Kevin Durant, responding to recent criticism surrounding his effort, took control as a leading playmaker for the Suns as he tied a career-high with 16 assists. Durant also had a very efficient night shooting the ball, recording 24 points on just 14 attempts. All of this, plus 10 rebounds, led to his first triple-double of the season.
Udoka Azubuike also had an outstanding game. Off the bench, Azubuike scored 11 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The Suns held a +15 advantage in Udoka’s 15 minutes on the court. This was especially crucial as Jusuf Nurkic encountered early foul trouble.
Phoenix had five players finish in double figures, highlighting the team effort it took to get back into the win column.
It should also be pointed out that the Suns managed a 16-point win despite committing 19 turnovers. They were able to make up for these turnovers by winning the rebounding battle by a large margin. Phoenix also shot 57% from the field, scorching Houston’s defense.
The Suns obviously looked like a completely different team tonight than they have over the past couple of weeks. They played with much more aggression than usual, resulting in a team that did not let up for the full 48 minutes.
Next up for Phoenix is a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
