Game Recap: The Suns escape the sharp-shooting Jazz and win 134-126

The Phoenix Suns defeat the Utah Jazz 134-126.

Although the Jazz hit an absurd number of threes (22) and posted an impressive shooting percentage (56.4%), it still wasn’t enough to overcome the impact of Kevin Durant’s return. His presence was crucial as the Suns earned victory in Utah.

The Suns also welcomed the returns of Jusuf Nurkic and Ryan Dunn, although a late goal from Bradley Beal opened the door for others to step in in his absence. Royce O’Neale, Tyus Jones and Dunn combined for 49 points to help the Suns keep pace with a hard-fought Jazz team.

Given the trade rumors and concerns about the Suns’ struggles without Durant, it was a relief for the team to secure a much-needed win.

Game flow

First half

It was great to have Durant back to lead the first quarter alongside Booker. The Jazz showed a strong performance and gave their best from the start. With Beal missing due to a late loss, the Suns relied heavily on Booker and Durant to keep up with the Jazz early and often throughout the opening period.

With the return of Suns rookie Ryan Dunn, their defense was back, but it wasn’t enough. Dunn was aggressive on both ends of the court and did his best to keep the game close. With the block shown below, the energy was back from the bank!

With a combined 19 points in the first quarter, Booker and Durant kept the Suns within striking distance of the Jazz. Despite their efforts, the Suns trailed 39-38 after Grayson Allen sank his first three-pointer of the game, cutting the deficit to just one point.

Looking to put the Suns away early in the second quarter, the Jazz extended their lead to nine points, fueled by a quick five-pointer from Jordan Clarkson. With the Jazz making 11 of their first 18 three-point attempts, it was difficult for the Suns to erase the deficit. However, Durant’s return to the lineup proved crucial as the Suns slowly fought their way back, cutting the deficit to just four points with seven minutes left in the second quarter.

Booker came back into the game and started a 7-0 Suns run that brought the score to 58. With 17 points to his name and still on fire after dropping 12 in the first quarter, Booker played with renewed intensity and focus. Maybe there was a spark in his eyes and in his playing – a statement performance? Maybe he wanted to show off his orange hair for Jimmy Butler.

Despite their best efforts, the Suns struggled to extend their lead to double digits as the Jazz continued to concede three-pointers. To end the half, Jordan Clarkson delivered another game-winning shot that limited the Suns’ momentum and gave them a slim 77-71 lead before halftime.

Second half

The Suns came out of the game with flying colors and extended their lead thanks to Royce O’Neale and some of his three-pointers. Before Jazz fans could return to their seats to begin the second half, the Suns had a 12-point lead, their largest lead of the game.

With both teams continuing to rely heavily on three-point shooting, the Jazz managed to thwart some key shots while the Suns went cold from beyond the arc. This allowed the Jazz to close the gap once again and prevented the Suns from building any meaningful separation. Lacking defensive intensity, the Suns held on to a narrow two-point lead after a 15-5 run by the Jazz with just four minutes left in the third quarter.

The threes continued to rain and the Jazz had a 22-33 record from three early in the fourth quarter, and when Dunn returned to the lineup to anchor the defense and hit a corner three, the Suns led by seven after three quarters .

The Jazz started the fourth quarter with a lot of energy and stayed in the game. A team with just five wins this season had nothing to lose and wasn’t afraid to go for another win, perhaps knowing the NBA lottery was locked in. Meanwhile, the Suns struggled to put the Jazz away, even though it looked like the game should have been decided by now.

The Jazz tried to make things more difficult by throwing one-two punch after another against the Suns, continued to watch the Suns from three points and continued to persevere. With seven minutes to play, the Suns were only ahead 119-113.

After a timeout, Durant came in and converted a wide-open three-pointer, extending the Suns’ lead to nine and forcing the Jazz to scramble. As the clock ticked down, the Suns’ defense stepped up, making key stops and forcing the Jazz into hard, nasty shots.

It was a low-scoring fourth quarter for both teams, and the Suns managed just enough to pull away in the end and defeat the Jazz 134-126.