Dallas (twice).
Los Angeles Clippers.
Indiana.
Miami.
Oklahoma City.
Philadelphia.
” Listen, Memphis Grizzles gone win 2 games and the Suns gone win eight games and not get in.– Suns legend and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley on the possibility of Phoenix not making the play-in tournament after going 8-0 in seeding games and Memphis advancing to it regardless of going 2-6.– Suns coach Monty Williams.
— Suns All-Star Devin Booker.
Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240.
What didnt/ who didnt play well.
The Suns didnt do much incorrect in this one. Taking a deep, deep dive at it, Phoenix provided up some open threes early, however Dallas didnt truly profit from it.
Began a bit sluggish, however the Suns got it going and never let up.
Separately, everyone played pretty solid. Deandre Ayton mightve been better as he didnt end up seeding play with the force he started.
He ended up with 11 points and 9 boards. Hes much better than those numbers.
Who was missing.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee rehabilitation) and Aron Baynes (knee) when again didnt play regardless of Baynes being cleared from the injury report.
Baynes showed up in the bubble just days prior to the seeding video games began as he had a bout with COVID-19. Oubre has actually spent the whole time in the bubble, looked to be in great shape and his knee has actually healed, but didnt play one second in the skirmishes or seeding video games.
The Suns noted him as uncertain the last couple of video games, but remember, Oubre reportedly wasnt going to play before the team left for Orlando.
Who won Dan Majerle Hustle Award.
Jevon Carter got the honor in his first season with the Suns.
“It goes to show hard work pays off. Getting an award behind it, it implies a lot.”.
Understood for his stout, aggressive defense and bulldog, or “treadmill” mentality, Carter turned up even larger on the offensive end in the bubble.
The second-year guard out of West Virginia knocked down 16-of-29 shots from 3 ( 55.1%) that included a 6-of-8 effort in Phoenixs win over Miami.
Who said that.
” Listen, Memphis Grizzles gone win two games and the Suns gone win 8 video games and not get in.– Suns legend and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley on the possibility of Phoenix not making the play-in tournament after going 8-0 in seeding video games and Memphis advancing to it despite going 2-6.
Its big for us as an organization, its huge for us as a group. Its big for all of our guys who improved this year.– Suns coach Monty Williams.
” Im happy of this group of men. We couldve had a various method to this bubble, to this chance, however we didnt. We stayed locked in throughout. Through the ups and downs, we held each other responsible. I believe we just took tremendous strides in numerous various methods aside from simply basketball, too. Ending up being closer as a system and as a group. Terrific strides for us.” — Suns All-Star Devin Booker.
We aint too happy, we aint too unfortunate or mediocre right in the middle. Were ready for war. We had the chance, we took it and now were onto the next step.
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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The Phoenix Suns finished their eight-game seeding schedule perfect after blasting Dallas, 128-102, Thursday however still do not understand if theyre going to advance to the play-in competition.
With Memphis beating Milwaukee, 119-106, Phoenix (34-39) now requires Portland to lose to Brooklyn in a 6 p.m. game at ESPN Wide World of Sports to play the Grizzlies in the play-in.
The Bucks faced Memphis without reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who served a one-game suspension after headbutting Mo Wagner in Milwaukees win Tuesday over Washington.
With Phoenix (34-39) and Memphis (34-39) winning Thursday, San Antonio has been eliminated from play-in contention and will lose out on the playoffs after 22 consecutive postseason trips.
The Suns posted their longest winning streak considering that the 2009-10 season when they won 10 a row to end up as the only team to go unbeaten in the bubble.
That was the last time Phoenix made the playoffs.
If the Nets beat the Blazers, the Suns will a minimum of get a chance to break that years dry spell. They d have to beat Memphis twice in the play-in to return to the postseason, but the Grizzlies arent the exact same group went 3-1 versus them.
Memphis lacks Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Tyus Jones (knee) and Justise Winslow (hip). The Grizzlies finished 2-6 in the bubble while the Suns went 8-0 with Devin Booker blazing a trail.
The newbie all-star scored 27 points with 23 being available in the very first half when novice All-Star Luka Doncic saw action for the Mavericks, who sat Kristaps Porziņģis (heel).
Doncic scored 18 points, all in the very first half in 13 minutes.
Up next
If the Blazers lose, the Suns will reach the play-in and need to beat Memphis two times to make the final and 8th seed in the Western Conference.
One loss to the Grizzlies would end their season. Game 1 is Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on ABC and Game 2, if required, is Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. Both games will be dipped into The Field House.
Phoenixs season will be over if the Blazers win.
What a run
The Suns managed something that only they couldve thought and even then likely had some self-doubt about in fact doing it.
They proceeded to win 8 straight video games in the NBA reboot, something the Suns have not done in a years. Without Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) or Aron Baynes (knee) seeing any action in the scrimmages or seeding video games, Phoenix beat 6 teams that remain in the playoffs.
The Thunder and Sixers rested five key guys. Miami and Dallas, in the 2nd video game, sat important players, but that shouldnt diminish what Phoenix achieved going 8-0.
The very first two wins over Dallas and Los Angeles, both by 2 points and selected the video games final play, set the tone for what followed.
Player of the video game: Devin Booker.
He didnt rating 35 points for a fourth straight game, however was on his way to doing so.
Booker had 23 of his game-high 27 at the half. He added 7 rebounds, five assists and didnt turn the ball over to top a run of basketball that considerably raised his NBA status.
His buzzer beater to stun the Clippers over 2 stud border defenders in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard put the bubble on notice. He proceeded to typical 30.5 points in Phoenixs 8 seeding video games.
Next to Portlands Damian Lillard, Booker has actually been the best gamer in the bubble.
Respect has actually been put on his name..
What went well/who played well.
Outside of getting the win, Phoenix irritated Doncic early and didnt enable him to get his colleagues involved. Without Porzingis, Doncic needed other gamers to come up big and the Suns made it hard for him to help with as proof of him not having an assist.
The Suns ended up with 34 assists to just five turnovers..
Separately, Phoenix had six men reach double figures, but Dario Saric as soon as again came through with a standout effort.
Scoring 16 points, Saric continued to prosper off the bench after losing his beginning area essentially to injury after injuring his ankle in skirmish play against Boston.
