PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer subbed out his starters with around five minutes left in a 111-104 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Bradley Beal led Phoenix with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field in his return to play from a nagging calf injury. The Suns were without Nick Richards and Grayson Allen due to injury and lost Mason Plumlee, who was ejected for an altercation with Steven Adams, in the second quarter, leaving Oso Ighodaro as the only remaining center on the roster.
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each had 19 points behind Beal. Rockets guard Jalen Green erupted for 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Alperen Sengun added 20 points four rebounds and seven assists while shooting 7-for-7 from the field.
Phoenix (30-36) loses another game in its quest for the 10th seed and final spot in the Western Conference play-in. The Dallas Mavericks (33-34) lost also, keeping the Suns 2.5 games behind them for the coveted position in the conference.
Durant, green battle in 3rd quarter
Kevin Durant scored nine of his 18 points and Jalen Green scored 14 of his 29 points in the third quarter as the Rockets held on to the lead entering the final quarter, 88-79.
Bradley Beal continued to lead the Suns with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field. Devin Booker only shot nine times through three quarters and scored 13 points and four assists. Oso Ighodaro picked up his fourth foul in the quarter, making Bol Bol the closest thing Phoenix has to a center for the remainder of the game.
Along with Green’s 29 points, he had seven rebounds and four assists on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Alperen Sengun followed Green with 17 points, four rebounds and six assists and was yet to miss a shot in six field goal attempts.

Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) scores a basket as Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Tensions rise, Suns lose Plumlee in 2nd quarter
Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams got into a wrestling match near the end of the second quarter and both got ejected, making Oso Ighodaro Phoenix’s only true center left in the game with Nick Richards out with injury.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 13 points in the first half but took a five-point deficit into the break, 57-52. Devin Booker followed with 10 points and three assists and was the only Sun with a positive plus-minus (+6) in 18 minutes. Kevin Durant didn’t have a single shot attempt in six minutes in the second quarter. Ighodaro blocked three shots in 10 minutes.
Jalen Green continued to lead the Rockets with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. Alperen Sengun followed with 13 first-half points and had a game-high plus-12 plus-minus. Dillon Brooks added 10 points; he and Sengun shot a combined 8-for-8 from the field and 3-for-3 from deep in the first half.

Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) controls the ball as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Rockets stabilize Suns run to end 1st quarter
Jalen Green scored 11 points in the opening quarter to stop a 16-6 Suns run towards the end of the period, giving the Rockets an early 32-27 lead.
Royce O’Neale and Mason Plumlee joined Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant in the starting lineup with Nick Richards out and Bol Bol moving to the bench. Kevin Durant led Phoenix with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting in all 12 minutes of the first quarter. Devin Booker had a better start to the game than recent opening quarters, scoring five point and two assists while being a plus-3 in nine minutes.
Green added four rebounds and two assists to his game-high 11 points. Dillon Brooks followed with eight points on two made 3s in as many attempts.

Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) brings the ball up the court during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Injury report
After getting Bradley Beal (left calf) back in the lineup from an ongoing calf injury, Nick Richards (right ankle soreness) and Grayson Allen (left foot soreness) showed up on the injury report Wednesday morning listed as doubtful and later deemed out ahead of tipoff. Monte Morris (low back injury management) was also out.
Rockets wing Amen Thompson was the only player in Houston’s active roster out with a left ankle sprain.
Devin Booker could net Suns massive return, should they trade him?
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Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenoNBA, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
