The Phoenix Suns faced a devastating setback on Sunday night, enduring a humiliating 116-98 defeat at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. All-Star forward Kevin Durant expressed his disappointment, stating, “We didn’t play up to our standards at all. We embarrassed the fans and we embarrassed ourselves the way we played. I want us to be better.” This loss marks a troubling continuation of a brutal season for the Suns, who have now lost 11 of their last 14 games, dropping their record to 28-33.
Currently, the Suns find themselves four games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. With only 21 games left in the season, the team will need a minor miracle to have any hope of reaching the postseason. This is a far cry from the championship aspirations the Suns held at the beginning of the season, bolstered by a star-studded roster featuring Durant, four-time All-Star Devin Booker, and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal.
The Suns began the season with an impressive 8-1 record but have since struggled with a dismal 20-31 record since November 13. While injuries have plagued the team, they were at full strength during the game against Minnesota, yet still suffered a crushing defeat on their home court. Coach Mike Budenholzer acknowledged the team's urgent need to turn things around, stating, “We’ve got to go on a run, but it’s got to start. There’s no doubt that the standings, the circumstances that we’re in, there’s an awareness and we’ve got to do something to change it.”
During the first half of the game, the Suns managed to hold a slight lead, ending the second quarter at 51-49. However, the Timberwolves surged back, entering the fourth quarter with an 83-72 lead. It was in the final minutes that the Suns' efforts faltered significantly, leading to a lackluster performance characterized by nine turnovers in the fourth quarter alone, several of which directly contributed to easy baskets for Minnesota.
In a frustrating turn of events, Bradley Beal was penalized with a Flagrant 1 foul after pushing Anthony Edwards during a dunk attempt. The home crowd expressed their displeasure with scattered boos as the game wound down. On the other side, the Timberwolves showcased their dominance, with Edwards scoring an impressive 44 points, while Julius Randle returned from injury to contribute 20 points. Donte DiVincenzo also made a significant impact, hitting eight three-pointers as the Suns struggled to defend against him effectively.
This defeat marks Minnesota's third victory over Phoenix this season, having previously eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs last year. Durant reflected on the team's struggles, saying, “When adversity hits, we start floating a little as a team. That’s tough to deal with.” The Suns tied a season high with 22 turnovers, allowing Minnesota to score a season-high 40 points off those mistakes. Durant, Booker, and Beal collectively accounted for 14 of those turnovers, with Durant lamenting, “That’s why we lost. Forty points off turnovers, tough to overcome that. They didn’t overpower us on the glass, we just gave them the ball.”
As the Suns look to rebound from this challenging season, fans are left hoping for a turnaround in the team’s performance as they strive to reclaim their earlier promise.
