This Wednesday in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns saw their already difficult season crumble as they fell 140-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The absence of Kevin Durant, who was out due to an ankle sprain, was deeply felt in the team's performance. Although Bradley Beal scored 25 points off the bench and battled to keep his team in the game, the Suns were never able to slow down the Thunder's blistering offense.
The real star of the night was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who dazzled with a spectacular 50-point performance, helping his team secure its victory by a wide margin.
Trouble for the Suns without Durant
The game started with the Suns showing flashes of good basketball, particularly in the first two quarters. Despite being without their star player, Kevin Durant, Phoenix remained competitive during the first half, thanks to the solid performance of Bradley Beal, who led the Suns' offense.
The team scored at an impressive 60.5% shooting percentage from the field in the first half, with Royce O'Neale helping to maintain the lead in the second quarter. However, problems began to surface as the game progressed, especially as Oklahoma City stepped up its defense and took advantage of Suns' turnovers.
Gilgeous-Alexander: Unstoppable in the Third Quarter
The third quarter was where the Thunder really took off, with Gilgeous-Alexander taking the reins of the game. With 18 points in this period, the Canadian point guard dominated the court and led his team to a partial that proved decisive.
Meanwhile, the Suns struggled to find their rhythm. Phoenix committed eight turnovers in the third quarter, allowing the Thunder to generate a plethora of points in transition. For the Suns, things got even tougher as the Thunder began to capitalize on every mistake and further distance themselves on the scoreboard.
With the score in Oklahoma City's favor 104-79 at the start of the final quarter, the Suns no longer had the energy for a comeback. At this point, Gilgeous-Alexander had already scored most of his 50 points and the Thunder were totally superior. Phoenix finished the game with 22 turnovers, which proved too costly against a team as efficient as the Thunder, who committed only six errors.
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The Oklahoma City Basketball Lesson
The Thunder, led by their star, showed why they are considered one of the most solid teams in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City's defense, considered one of the best in the league, exposed the Suns' weaknesses, especially when they made mistakes that resulted in easy points for their opponents.
In addition to Gilgeous-Alexander, the team had key contributions from players like Lu Dort, who was instrumental in critical moments with great defense, and Isaiah Joe's ability to connect on important shots.
The result marks the third straight loss for the Suns, who find themselves struggling to stay competitive without Durant. While the performances of Beal and O'Neale offered some hope, the lack of solid collective play and the inability to slow down a player like Gilgeous-Alexander were too much for the Suns.
With a record of 25 wins and 25 losses, the Suns can't afford any more slip-ups if they want to stay in contention for a playoff spot. Now, after concluding their road trip, the team returns to Phoenix to face the Utah Jazz in their next game, looking to break their losing streak and get back to winning ways.
