However, with good momentum, with two victories in a row, and two good performances for Bradley Beal in particular, the Suns were picked up cold by the Kings in the first quarter. Like Domantas Sabonis, very active, with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists in the first period, Sacramento started very strong and placed a whopping 39 points at a very high percentage (17/28 including 5/9 at 3- points).
On the ropes, the Suns try to react in the second, with Grayson Allen who is also very skillful, with 20 points in the first half on 7/11 shots including 6/8 from distance. But he is the only Phoenix player to really tread water while Durant (1/4), Beal (4/9) and Booker (3/8) are still cold. Opposite, Fox and Sabonis are the “usual suspects”, at 17 and 11 points, while Vezenkov comes off the bench for a good boost to 12 points (68-51).
An incredible turnaround
Pushed back after a first half without intensity (especially defensive), the Suns continue to chase the score while Sabonis continues to distill the caviars. The entry of Eric Gordon creates a nice dynamic, with a 12-2 to eat into this delay. But Fox and Murray combine well to keep the Suns at bay before the last quarter (96-84).
Fox, again, plants a 3-pointer in the corner and the gap then rises to 22 units (109-87). The Suns again turn to Allen who shoots several essential arrows to stay in the game, before KD joins him in this furious “comeback” which simply turns into a scathing 22-4! Gordon equalizes in the corner, before Durant completes the affair with throws, an incredible turnaround in the last quarter (119-117)!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– An improbable return. We weren't necessarily trying hard at the start of the last quarter, when De'Aaron Fox had just scored another long shot to give his team a 22-point lead. But Allen continued to artillery from afar, finally accompanied by Kevin Durant who also adjusted the sights. Before Gordon joins the party for a 23-4 which will turn the Kings around like a pancake! With a 7/11 3-pointer in the last quarter, and 12 points on counterattack (5/5 on shots), the Suns woke up late. Better late than never…
– Allen the sniper. It's not just Ray among the Allens who are fans of long-range shooting, there's also Grayson. The former Duke hothead wrote his name in the history books of the Phoenix franchise last night by shooting an excellent 9/14 at 3-points, his nine shots tying a Suns record.
– The Kings sucked into a negative spiral. Despite Sabonis' new triple-double (21 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists), Fox's big game (33 points, 6 assists) and Vezenkov's career record (14 points), Sacramento completely collapsed in end of the match, to suffer a third defeat in a row. Mike Brown's rant against the referees, supported by the computer, has not yet had any resonance in his own locker room.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
