Game Recap: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker can’t save Suns from rebound collapse, lose 122-117

On By Littum

The Phoenix Suns put on a master class in how not to rebound, continuing their dismal streak of futility in Atlanta with a 122-117 loss. For those keeping track, the Suns haven’t won in this city since 2014. That’s almost old enough to start high school.

Rebounding was the story and the Suns were the punchline. Even with the Hawks missing their top rebounder, Jalen Johnson, they handled Phoenix on the glass. Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta’s backup big man, decided it was a career-high night, posting a monstrous 22 points and 21 boards. Yes, reserve Onyeka. He beat the entire Suns front court by himself.

Devin Booker (35 points) and Kevin Durant (31 points) did what stars do and combined for 66 points. But the scoring wasn’t the problem. Phoenix was bullied on the boards and lost the rebounding game 54-37. Atlanta converted 17 offensive rebounds to 27 second chances, while the Suns managed just nine.

Trae Young, meanwhile, dropped a cool 43 points, and with that, the Hawks moved to 20-19 on the season. For the Phoenix, the loss snapped their three-game winning streak and brought them to 19-20. So much for starting their five-game road trip off on the right foot. It’s hard to go far when you can’t grab a rebound to save your life.

Game Flow

First half

Ryan Dunn started the game guarding Trae Young and looked sharp. Despite getting into early foul trouble against Young last Thursday, Dunn appeared to have learned from the experience. He made an immediate impact with an early steal that led to a quick dunk and a block, showing his defensive focus right from the first quarter.

However, the Suns’ struggles on the defensive glass, a concern heading into this game, quickly became apparent. Without Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix’s lack of size allowed the Hawks to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.

On the offensive end, Devin Booker added some flair, breaking the ankles of Vit Krejci during the first quarter, giving Suns fans a moment to cheer.

Kevin Durant reached the 3,000-point milestone as a member of the Phoenix Suns during the first quarter, accomplishing the feat in just his 111th game with the team. This broke the previous record of Tom Chambers, who hit the mark in 117 games.

Meanwhile, Trae Young did what he does best. Lights it up from beyond the arch. He scored 13 of the Hawks’ first 24 points and shot 3-of-5 from deep in the opening period. After playing all 12 minutes of the quarter, Young was well on his way to an impressive stat line.

The Suns gave up 30 points in the first quarter – something that has become a trend for Phoenix – but managed to stay competitive and scored 31 themselves. However, a Bogdan Bogdanovic three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left put Atlanta ahead 33-31 after one.

The Hawks came out to start the second quarter as Phoenix struggled to find its rhythm. A 10-2 run gave Atlanta a 10-point cushion early.

With injuries plaguing Atlanta, the Hawks found a spark in Gary Matthews, who went 4-of-5 from deep and poured in 14 early points, setting the tone in the second. Onyeka Okongwu was another key contributor, tallying 11 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in the first half. Even when Trae Young wasn’t on the floor, the Hawks kept up their scoring pace and extended their lead.

Phoenix’s bright spot was Devin Booker, who kept the Suns afloat with 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half.

Live-ball turnovers continued to plague the Suns, leading to easy transition points for the Hawks. Atlanta capitalized on 11 points off eight Phoenix turnovers in the half. Trae Young led all scorers with 20 points, while Kevin Durant added 13 for the Suns, who trailed by eight at halftime.

Second half

Phoenix came out of the break with renewed defensive intensity, quickly erased their deficit and tied the game with 69 (giggity). A 10-0 run, fueled by Kevin Durant’s mid-range brilliance, swung the momentum in their favor. Durant scored 10 early points in the quarter and outscored the entire Hawks team alone with 7:21 left in the third.

Midway through the third quarter, Bradley Beal landed awkwardly on the foot of his former teammate, David Roddy. Clearly frustrated by the incident, Beal left the game and went straight to the locker room.

Beal would return later in the quarter.

As Phoenix built their lead, Trae Young shifted into his signature “foul-baiting” mode, deliberately making contact in a way that feels far removed from the natural flow of basketball. This is exactly why I’m not a fan of his style. It’s blatantly, blatantly, and frankly frustrating to watch. Of course, the officials bought into every exaggerated move, sending him to the line repeatedly. The Hawks capitalized and cut the Suns’ advantage to 9 points with a steady stream of free throws.

Kevin Durant continued his offensive brilliance as the quarter progressed, showcasing his full arsenal to keep Phoenix in the game. He finished the period with an impressive 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting. However, Trae Young chipped in with 10 points of his own, while Onyeka Okongwu dominated the glass and grabbed 8 more rebounds in the quarter. The Hawks closed the third with a momentum-shifting 14-3 run, regaining the lead at 89-87 heading into the fourth.

The bleeding did not stop at the end of the third. Atlanta opened the fourth on a quick 6-0 run, meaning Phoenix, after going up 9, went on a 22-5 run to take a 95-87 lead.

Phoenix took advantage of the minutes Trae Young was off the floor and battled back to tie the game at 101 on a Devin Booker jumper with six minutes remaining.

But Atlanta quickly countered with a 13-3 run and built a 10-point lead with three minutes left. Watching the Suns struggle to come back was almost laughable – offensively, defensively, it didn’t matter. The ball consistently ended up in Atlanta’s hands, leading to second-chance points often coming from beyond the arc, further burying Phoenix.

The Suns were outscored 33-30 in the fourth quarter, allowing three 30+ point quarters to Atlanta.

Next

Phoenix is ​​heading to Bradley Beal’s old stomping grounds as the Suns battle it out Washington Wizards Thursday evening. See you then.