Dissecting what to expect from the Phoenix Suns after loss to Celtics
The Arizona Republic columnist Greg Moore and Phoenix Suns reporter Duane Rankin decipher what to expect from the Suns moving forward.
MINNEAPOLIS – The Phoenix Suns have gone from four consecutive wins to two bad losses, falling further behind in the play-in chase.
Phoenix lost Friday night to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124-109, before a sellout crowd of 18,978 at Target Center two nights after the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics blasted the Suns by 30 points Wednesday at PHX Arena to end a five-game homestand.
The Suns (35-39) are now a game behind Dallas for the 10th seed and final play-in spot in the Western Conference. They trail Sacramento by 1½ games for ninth.
Devin Booker went scoreless in the first half in finishing with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting. He was 0-for-6 from 3.
Kevin Durant scored a team-high 23 points while two-way player Collin Gillespie had a career night with 22 points, 10 assists and five rebounds for Phoenix.
The Suns still are without Bradley Beal, who missed a sixth straight game with a left hamstring strain.
T-Wolves forward Julius Randle led all scorers with 25 points. Anthony Edwards returned from missing the entire second quarter with a nasal contusion to score 17 of his 20 points in the second half.
Edwards took an elbow to the nose from Durant late in the first quarter as they were going after a loose ball. Edwards laid flat on his face for a few minutes before turning over on his back and checking out of the game with 2:43 left in the first quarter.
The T-Wolves have won eight straight games over Phoenix going back to last season’s playoffs when they swept the Suns in the first round.
Here are takeaways from Friday’s game ahead of the Suns returning home to face Houston (48-26) Sunday. The Rockets are 2-0 against Phoenix this season.
T-Wolves blitz Booker, keep him scoreless in first half
Booker hasn’t exactly been shooting a high percentage in recent games. He shot 18-of-48 in his previous three games, going 2-of-15 from 3.
Minnesota made sure he didn’t get back on track in that department Friday night.
Between Jaden McDaniels sticking to him on defense to the T-Wolves blitzing him, Booker took just five shots in the first half with three from 3.
The Suns were only down 12 at the half, but Minnesota had neutralized Booker.
Coach Mike Budenholzer said they must make plays off Booker and they have to screen better for him.
Well, Nick Richards picked up his second foul early in the second quarter on a screen and Durant only played the final 3:30 of the second quarter as he replaced Booker, who then checked back into the game after a timeout with 2:46 left in the second quarter.
So, Booker and Durant only played together the final 2:46 of the second quarter. They were fortunate to trail by only 12 points, but Budenholzer didn’t have his two best players in the game together for most of the second quarter as they were outscored, 30-24.
The Suns are 74 games into the season. Teams have blitzed Booker before. He’s faced elite defenders before, but in a must-win situation, the Suns’ collective, starting with Booker and Budenholzer, couldn’t find an offense or sets or something to get Booker going in what was a winnable game.
Gillespie’s career night, standard contract incoming?
To Budenholzer’s point, Gillespie took advantage of how the T-Wolves defended Booker and Durant in being aggressive. He shot 9-of-11 from the field, going 4-of-5 from 3.
So did Royce O’Neale in scoring 21 points off 7-of-12 shooting, all from deep. The Suns lost this game despite shooting 51.9% from the field overall, going 18-of-37 from 3.
Insane, but 16 turnovers leading to 17 Minnesota points can neutralize hot shooting.
Gillespie was Phoenix’s best player on the floor. As great as he was, the T-Wolves were going to live with Gillespie having a career night to keep Booker from giving them 44 points like he did Nov. 17 when it took a Julius Randle heave from 3 to beat Phoenix, 120-117, at Target Center.
Booker was ultra aggressive that November night, shooting over double teams and cooking the T-Wolves. Beal and Durant were both out. So, the game called for him to go for his.
Gillespie answered the bell Friday. He led the Suns in assists and grabbed more rebounds than the 7-footer Richards, who managed four to match his number of fouls.
Rudy Gobert brought the fight to Richards in delivering a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds with five on the offensive boards. His emphatic one-handed putback dunk with Richards standing in the background epitomized Minnesota overpowering Phoenix inside with 54 paint points.
The Suns have much to critique and correct from Friday’s loss, but the one thing they must further consider is Gillespie’s future with this team.
Whether the Suns make the play-in or not, Gillespie is someone who should be put on a standard contract at the end of this season to make him playoff eligible or land a deal going into next season.
Phoenix must waive a player to make room for him to sign a standard deal this season to become playoff-eligible. The Suns may not even reach the play-in, but they have a decision to make on Gillespie.
Right now, with the way he’s playing, it looks like a pretty simple one.
Physicality dooms Suns again
Budenholzer thought the Suns gave some pushback in terms of physicality, but being more physical has been part the game plan when facing Phoenix.
Play rough. Take away air space. Stay aggressive.
The Suns have responded better to it in recent games, but they took a step back in that area. The league is all about sensing something and attacking it.
Boston did it. Now Minnesota.
This has been the winning formula for the T-Wolves against Phoenix.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch called it having the right mindset with “point of attack” defense in addressing before the game why the T-Wolves have had success against Phoenix.
Translation. Minnesota believes it has the personnel to defend Phoenix in large part because it has a size, athleticism and physicality edge on the Suns.
Expect Houston, an aggressive team, to do the same Sunday.
Rookie Oso Ighodaro has been getting the backup big minutes, but this may be the time Mason Plumlee, who brought that physicality in his battle with Rockets backup big Steven Adams that led to an ejection, sees some action again.
What Suns said after loss
Budenholzer on Suns trying to match T-Wolves physicality: “Our guys are fighting. They’re bringing a level of physicality that they’re capable of. I think there’s a flight. We weren’t good enough tonight. Credit to Minnesota.”
Booker on scoreless first half: “I missed my first two looks and those were best ones I got out of five I took in the 1st half, but trying to make the right play. Two on the ball and play advantage basketball on the backside.”
Booker on Gillespie’s career night: “Super proud of him. Super efficient. Making plays at the same time. Wish we could’ve came out of it with a win for him, but it’s a confidence booster and he’ll remember this night and continue to get better.”
Durant on Gillespie’s career night: “Collin was great tonight. Wish we could’ve got a win for him. That would’ve been even better, but it’s a good stepping stone. Build more confidence.”
Gillespie on career night: “They were putting two guys on Book and K and blitzing on their ball screens. Other guys had to make plays and play off those guys.”
Gillespie on standard contract talk: “Nah, man, I’m just thankful for every day that I’m playing and I’m blessed to be in the position that I am. If something ere to happen, that would be great, but I’m just focused on taking it day by day. If that needs to happen, that will happen at some point, but I’m not really focused on it. I’m taking it game by game and try to win as many games as we can.
Richards on matchup with Gobert: “Basketball. At the end of the day, it’s just basketball. I think I let the early fouls take my aggression away. He had a better night. Just got to be better.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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