PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are enduring a challenging season, which reached a new low on Sunday evening with a dispiriting 116-98 defeat at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“We failed to meet our standards completely,” said Kevin Durant, the Suns’ All-Star forward. “The way we played was disheartening both for ourselves and our fans. We need to improve.” There appears to be little evidence suggesting a turnaround is imminent.
Phoenix endured its 11th loss in 14 games, leaving them with a 28-33 record for the season. The team lags four games behind the Dallas Mavericks in the race for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. A miraculous comeback will be required over the remaining 21 games to keep their postseason hopes alive.
This predicament is far removed from the Suns’ expectations at the start of the season in October. With a roster boasting talents like Durant, four-time All-Star Devin Booker, and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, their aspirations were nothing short of championship-level.
Despite an optimistic 8-1 start, the Suns’ fortunes waned, yielding a 20-31 record post-November 13. While injuries contributed to the decline, the team was at full strength on Sunday but still faced a significant defeat on their home court.
“We need to initiate a winning streak, and it has to start soon,” expressed coach Mike Budenholzer. “We are fully aware of the standings and the position we’re in, and we must act to alter our course.”
On Sunday, Phoenix initially held a slim 51-49 lead at halftime. However, the Timberwolves surged ahead to an 83-72 advantage as the fourth quarter began.
In that final quarter, the Suns’ performance deteriorated markedly. Their effort appeared lacking, resulting in nine turnovers, several of which directly afforded Minnesota easy scores. Notably, Beal incurred a Flagrant 1 foul for pushing Anthony Edwards during a dunk attempt.
The home crowd expressed their dissatisfaction with scattered boos in the closing minutes.
The Timberwolves were clearly the dominant force, spearheaded by Edwards’ impressive 44-point performance. Julius Randle, returning after a month-long absence due to a groin injury, added 20 points. Donte DiVincenzo’s barrage of eight 3-pointers further exposed the lackluster Phoenix defense.
Reflecting on past encounters, Minnesota eliminated Phoenix in the first round of last season’s playoffs and has secured victories in all three regular-season matchups this year.
“When we face adversity, we tend to falter as a team,” Durant remarked. “It’s challenging to contend with.”
Phoenix equaled their season high with 22 turnovers and allowed a season-high of 40 points off those turnovers, with Durant, Booker, and Beal responsible for 14 combined turnovers.
“Turnovers were our undoing,” Durant admitted. “Allowing 40 points from turnovers makes recovery difficult. They didn’t dominate us in rebounding; we simply forfeited possession to them.”
