Recap: Durant masterclass not enough, Suns lose fourth straight against Houston Rockets 119-111

Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

PHOENIX – A shorthanded Phoenix Suns team loses gas in the clutch, getting outscored by 16 points in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in a 119-111 loss. Wednesday’s game was the second night of a back-to-back, and Kevin Durant’s 37-point and nine-assist masterclass was not enough to lift a tired Suns team from its fourth straight loss.

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Durant was 15-of-22 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. In the eight-point loss, the 36-year-old was a +5, showcasing Phoenix’s struggle to hold off Houston when Durant was off the floor. Durant was one of five Suns in double figures, including Bol Bol’s 15 points and a Nick Richards double-double, 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Despite a strong offensive showing, Durant and the Suns made too many mistakes with turnovers and controlling the glass. Phoenix allowed 17 offensive rebounds for 19 second-chance points. Durant and Tyus Jones struggle to navigate through the Rockets’ on-ball pressure with a combined 13 turnovers.

Tari Eason led Houston in scoring with 25 points. He was one of five Rockets players in double figures. Amen Thompson had an all-around performance of 18 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, and four stocks. The duo headed Houston’s defensive attack that forced 17 turnovers, leading to 25 fastbreak points.

Phoenix enters the All-Star break 26-28, losers of its last four games, and the 11th seed in the Western Conference. The Suns hope the break can get the roster healthy and bounce back into a play-in spot, which they are currently 1.5 games out.

Durant magic gives Suns double-digit lead over Rockets in 3rd Quarter

Durant came out of the break hot, knocking down two straight jumpers to extend the Suns’ largest lead at 11. It looked like the Suns were about to blow this game open, but then the fourth-ranked defense in the NBA woke up.

After falling down double digits, the Rockets went on a 13-1 run in under two minutes, started by forcing three Suns turnovers. Eason and Thompson were hounding Durant in the post, leading to his seven turnovers. Houston took back the lead, and Phoenix needed to respond.

Its response was to keep feeding Durant the ball, and it worked. Durant took the challenge of Eason’s physical defense to heart, and despite being on the second night of a back-to-back, the 17-year NBA veteran energy was at 100. Durant was talking to Eason and the crowd. He was taking the final game before the NBA All-Star break to empty the tank.

12 3rd quarter points on 5-of-6 shooting for Durant gifted Phoenix back the lead. Two-way guard Collin Gillespie didn’t waste his minutes, scoring five straight points in the 3rd quarter’s final minute to fuel an 11-2 Suns’ run.

Suns late run gifts them lead at the end of 2nd Quarter

Suns struggle in non-Durant minutes early, allowing the Rockets bench to go on a 13-4 run. Houston’s pace was hard to stop in the open court. Phoenix did well in the half-court, forcing consistent stops, but seemed a step behind early on. Eason’s defensive presence stumped the Suns’ bench during this run. He finished the half with 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists, an all-around performance from the 23-year-old.

After the Rockets’ run, Durant returned immediately to alleviate the offensive struggles. The 15-time All-Star made all the right decisions with the ball, finding the open man and finishing the first half with five assists. It didn’t matter if Durant was double team, hand in the face, or shot-clock running down. He was finding the bottom of the net. Durant finished the half with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting.

Outside of Durant and Eason, points became a rarity with the defense starting to pick up. Suns shot 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, while the Rockets were 2-for-13 during the second quarter on 3-point shots. After Durant leveled the Rockets’ run, the big man duo of Mason Plumlee and Bol Bol dominated the interior in the final stretch, leading to a 13-3 for Phoenix that gave them the lead entering the break.

Rockets keep it close despite Suns’ outside shooting in 1st Quarter

Royce O’Neale started the three-point barrage early, swishing three straight shots from beyond the arc and scoring nine of the Suns’ first 15 points. In the first quarter alone, O’Neale extends his streak of six-straight games of 3+ made 3s.

Regardless of O’Neale’s hot shooting, Durant still leads the Suns in first-quarter points with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. The Suns finished the quarter shooting 56.5 from the field and 66.6% from the perimeter.

Despite Phoenix’s hot shooting, Houston kept it close because of on-ball pressure and offensive rebounding. The Rockets recorded three offensive for five second-chance points and three steals, leading to six easy fastbreak points, which fueled a 14-4 run to gift them the lead.

Jalen Green led Houston in scoring with 11 points, 4-of-8 from the field. The Rockets played with immense pace, which caught the Suns on the second night of a back-to-back lacking.

Before the game got away from Phoenix, two-way guard TyTy Washington Jr. brought much-needed energy in the final minute. Washington Jr. recorded a steal and four crucial points to take back the lead for the Suns.

Injury Report:

Devin Booker (Back) joined the injury list with Bradley Beal (toe) and Grayson Allen (knee). Beal missed his fourth straight game, while Allen after one game return last night found himself back to being out. New Suns Cody Martin (hernia) and Vasiliji Micic (ankle) are still out dealing with injuries and haven’t seen the floor for their new team. The Rockets have been without Fred VanVleet (ankle) and Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) and it was the same for tonight.

Phoenix Suns shorthanded against Houston Rockets in final game before All-Star break

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports