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    • What Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns are proving with a quick 4-1 start
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    What Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns are proving with a quick 4-1 start

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

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    INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Things got off to a scary start on Halloween night Thursday for the Phoenix Suns at the new $2 billion Intuit Dome at the corner of Prairie Avenue and West Century Boulevard.

    Terrible. Phoenix was 18 points behind at halftime and 21 points behind at the start of the second half.

    Then the Suns rose from the dead and gave the Clippers a nightmare of 3s in their 125-119 comeback thriller in front of a shocked crowd of 16,827.

    Devin Booker played the role of the Grim Reaper in shutting out the Clippers for a season-high 40 points, while Royce O’Neale scored a career-high 21 points, going 5 of 6 from 3, with the final goal a dagger to Phoenix’s 118 -112, 44.7 seconds left.

    The Suns (4-1) shot 18 of 39 from three and hit 7 of 11 from long range in the third quarter to tie the game after trailing by just two points heading into the fourth quarter.

    This is Phoenix’s second consecutive double-digit comeback. The Suns trailed the Los Angeles Lakers by 18 points in the first quarter at home on Monday, then responded and avenged their only loss of the season, 109-105.

    Kevin Durant scored 18 points on Thursday and rookie Ryan Dunn added 16 in his second career start for Bradley Beal, who was sidelined with a sprained right elbow. Jusuf Nurkic added 11 points, nine of which came after halftime, while Tyus Jones had 11 assists with just one turnover and seven points.

    James Harden topped the Clippers (2-3) with a triple-double of 25 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Los Angeles is still without Kawhi Leonard, who remains sidelined as he recovers from knee inflammation.

    Norman Powell scored 23 points and Ivica Zubac posted a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost twice to the Suns in just five games.

    Here are three takeaways from Thursday’s rematch. The Suns begin a three-game homestand on Saturday against Portland, which beat the Clippers 106-105 on Wednesday.

    The Suns respond to the slow start again

    The Suns took a step back defensively against the Clippers in the first half after limiting Dallas to 39.8% shooting and the Lakers to 41.5% shooting.

    The Clippers shot 54% in the first half, going 7 of 18 from 3 and building a 70-52 halftime lead.

    Phoenix didn’t connect on threes, couldn’t get back on defense or over the screens, and didn’t maintain contact with the man with the ball. The same problems the Suns had in the preseason resurfaced.

    They gained a bit in the third quarter, but really got back into the game with the 3. In the second half, their ball movement and drive-and-kicks were in full swing.

    They are also cutting their sales. Had four in the first quarter. Done at just 12.

    The Suns still had trouble keeping the Clippers off the field, allowing 60 points, but the Suns made more of a hustle in finding loose balls, led by Dunn in the second half.

    The truth is that the Clippers don’t have enough firepower to really shut down teams. Harden is doing everything he can. The Clippers play hard, aggressive and physical, but need Leonard to have a chance at a playoff spot.

    Budenholzer’s rotations

    Mike Budenholzer has said he wants the guys to put maximum effort into explaining his rotation style, which, for example, led to Booker leaving the game midway through the first quarter. Booker admits he has to adjust to that back and forth, but Budenholzer did the same thing with Giannis Antetokounmpo when he was training in Milwaukee.

    This goes back even further to his first head coaching job in Atlanta. Durant said Budenholzer established this rotation style from day one after providing early support to this coaching staff.

    “I feel like we have a strong team, guys that have been there before,” Durant said. “Understand what matters. We have an experienced coaching staff that understands adjustments and schemes and how to utilize the bench and the entire team.”

    Just a reminder. Frank Vogel coached the Suns last season and was a hit.

    Durant is playing the most minutes because Budenholzer has him at the five, but could rookie Oso Ighodaro work at the five with Durant at the four? The big rookie saw action there on Thursday after being part of the foursome with Nurkic and Mason Plumlee.

    Some of this is Budenholzer’s style, but also in-game adjustments. He had Dunn replace Booker on a defensive possession late in the first quarter.

    Nurkic once again had a difficult start. In response, Budenholzer took him off after nine minutes of play and didn’t let him play the rest of the first half.

    Press 70: The Phoenix Suns use the second-most lineups in the NBA under Mike Budenholzer

    More complete team, better atmosphere

    The Suns are coming off the second tax apron, which forces them to pay a ton of luxury taxes (an estimated $188.4 million, to be more precise) and limits their roster flexibility.

    They have the NBA’s highest payroll, with Booker, Durant and Beal owed a combined $150 million this season, but general manager James Jones’ offseason moves look better with the win.

    The draft picks — Dunn and Ighodaro — provide power and energy, two things the Suns needed, especially the latter.

    Re-signing O’Neale will cost them luxury tax, but he defends, makes energetic plays – and has gone 3-for-7 from 10 in his last two games.

    Their most important addition of the offseason – true point guard Tyus Jones – is exactly what the Suns needed. Someone who can set the table but also play off the ball when Booker or Durant initiates the offense.

    Plumlee and backup point guard Monte Morris are welcome additions to their roles. This team is winning without the same kind of performance that Grayson Allen put in last year.

    Now, Booker going for 40 will help offset any discomfort they showed Thursday night. They still need to curb the slow starts, defend better and watch out for turnovers.

    The Suns are still developing and lack size, but guess what, they know that. The next step for them is to play like they did against Dallas in back-to-back games. Perhaps their best win of the season followed two subpar starts against the Lakers and at the Clippers.

    Phoenix has only played five games. But the Suns have only lost once, and that was after blowing a 22-point lead against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

    They are better than they were a season ago. How much better remains debatable, but they have shown they are a more complete team heading into the 2024-25 season.

    Maybe Charles Barkley is right. Maybe his suns are better.

    Do you have any opinions on the current state of the suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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    Madoc Meredith
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