Suns survive Wizards comeback, Ryan Dunn dominates with 1st NBA double-double

Jan 16, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) drives to the basket against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Phoenix Suns narrowly escaped with a 130-123 victory over the Washington Wizards, returning to .500 in a nail-biter without Bradley Beal.

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Devin Booker led all scorers with 37 points, while Kevin Durant added 23. Grayson Allen came off the bench with 21 points, and rookie Ryan Dunn recorded his first NBA double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Kyshawn George had 24 points, Jordan Poole tacked on 18 and Bilal Coulibaly finished with 13 for the Wizards (6-32). The worst team record-wise in the league, Washington lost its eighth consecutive game.

Key Takeaways:

• Beal Out: Despite traveling back to where his NBA career began, Beal was ruled out with a left ankle sprain suffered in the previous game against the Hawks.
• New Acquisition: Nick Richards, recently acquired from the Charlotte Hornets, did not travel with the Suns. He was traded for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks.
• Fast Start: Phoenix jumped to a quick lead, outscoring the Wizards 34-21 in the first quarter, with Booker and Durant leading the charge.

-Off the bench, Wizards rookie Kyshawn George was 6-for-8 (75%) from 3 and 8-for-10 (80%) from the field, scoring 12 points in the first half. The No. 24 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft contributed with 24 points, four assists and three rebounds overall.

-With Beal out, Allen had the scoring touch and played a big role for the Suns. In 28 minutes, Allen notched 21 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

-One of the stars on the rebuilding Wizards, Jordan Poole was fearless when driving in the paint and drew contact to head to the free-throw line. Showing relentless energy on offense, the 25-year-old put up 18 points, four assists and four rebounds.

-Getting into a rhythm in the second quarter, Dunn scored 12 of his 18 points in the period alone. Starting in his eighth straight game, Dunn continued his remarkable rookie season defensively with 11 rebounds.

-Not going down without a fight, Washington went on a 9-0 run to shrink a 20-point deficit to 11, 64-53. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 draft Alex Sarr had 10 first-half points.

-Dominated and punished by being cleared on the boards significantly over the past few games, Phoenix made the proper adjustments and was rewarded. The Suns out rebounded the Wizards 48-44.

-Not used in the last six games, Suns fan-favorite Bol Bol made his first appearance since Jan. 4 and scored three points. Though he has been available, Bol has only played in nine games as he has been benched for the majority of the year.

-Scoring 30-plus points in five of the last six games, Booker continued his recent tear with 37 points, five assists and three rebounds. Phoenix’s superstar shot 10-for-24 (41.7%) from the field, 4-for-10 (40%) from deep and went 13-for-15 (86.7%) on free throws.

31 PTS for Book ???? pic.twitter.com/6jDqu3Megl

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 17, 2025

-Trailing by 22 in the fourth quarter, the Wizards refused to give up as they took advantage of the Suns resting Durant. Once the Wizards were within 10, Durant checked back in and Washington still poured it on. Five of the Suns’ 16 turnovers came in the fourth quarter.

-In a game that looked all but over at one point, the Wizards fought hard to be down by just three, 120-117. Booker made a 3-point dagger to stop Washington from coming back. Phoenix gave up 40 points in the final frame.

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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, ASU Athletics and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini