Game Recap: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker can’t save the Suns from rebounding collapse, lose 122-117

Good golly, Miss Molly. Grab a freakin’ board!

The Phoenix Suns put on a masterclass in how not to rebound, continuing their dismal streak of futility in Atlanta with a 122-117 loss. For those keeping track, the Suns haven’t won in this city since 2014. That’s almost old enough to start high school.

Rebounding was the story, and the Suns were the punchline. Even with the Hawks missing their top rebounder, Jalen Johnson, they manhandled Phoenix on the glass. Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta’s backup big man, decided it was career-high night, posting a monstrous 22 points and 21 boards. Yes, reserve Onyeka. He out-rebounded the entire Suns’ frontcourt by himself.

Devin Booker (35 points) and Kevin Durant (31 points) did what stars do, combining for 66 points. But scoring wasn’t the issue. Phoenix was bullied on the boards, losing the rebounding battle 54-37. Atlanta turned 17 offensive rebounds into 27 second-chance points while the Suns managed just nine.

Trae Young, meanwhile, dropped a cool 43 points, and with it, the Hawks moved to 20-19 on the season. For Phoenix, the loss snapped their three-game win streak and dropped them to 19-20. So much for starting their five-game road trip on the right foot. It’s hard to get far when you can’t grab a rebound to save your life.

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Game Flow

First Half

Ryan Dunn started the game guarding Trae Young and looked sharp doing it. Despite getting into early foul trouble against Young last Thursday, Dunn seemed to have learned from the experience. He made an immediate impact with an early steal leading to a fast-break dunk and a block, showcasing his defensive focus right from the first quarter.

However, the Suns’ struggles on the defensive glass, a concern heading into this game, quickly became evident. Without Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix’s lack of size allowed the Hawks to capitalize with second-chance opportunities.

On the offensive side, Devin Booker added some flair, breaking ankles on Vit Krejci during the first quarter, giving Suns fans a moment to cheer.

Kevin Durant reached the 3,000-point milestone as a member of the Phoenix Suns during the first quarter, achieving the feat in just his 111th game with the team. This broke the previous record held by Tom Chambers, who hit the mark in 117 games.

Meanwhile, Trae Young was doing what he does best. Lighting it up from beyond the arc. He scored 13 of the Hawks’ first 24 points, shooting 3-of-5 from deep in the opening period. Playing all 12 minutes of the quarter, Young was well on his way to an impressive stat line.

The Suns surrendered 30 points in the first quarter — something that’s become a trend for Phoenix — but managed to stay competitive, scoring 31 themselves. However, a Bogdan Bogdanovic three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left put Atlanta ahead 33-31 after one.

The Hawks came out hot to start the second quarter, while Phoenix struggled to find its rhythm. A 10-2 run gave Atlanta a 10-point cushion early on.

With injuries impacting Atlanta, the Hawks found a spark in Gary Matthews, who went 4-of-5 from deep and poured in 14 early points, setting the tone in the second. Onyeka Okongwu was another key contributor, tallying 11 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in the first half. Even when Trae Young wasn’t on the floor, the Hawks maintained their scoring pace and extended their lead.

Phoenix’s bright spot was Devin Booker, who kept the Suns afloat with 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half.

Live-ball turnovers continued to haunt the Suns, leading to easy transition points for the Hawks. Atlanta capitalized with 11 points off eight Phoenix turnovers in the half. Trae Young led all scorers with 20 points, while Kevin Durant added 13 for the Suns, who trailed by eight at the break.

Second Half

Phoenix came out of halftime with renewed defensive intensity, quickly erasing their deficit and tying the game at 69 apiece (giggity). A 10-0 run, fueled by Kevin Durant’s mid-range brilliance, swung the momentum in their favor. Durant scored 10 early points in the quarter, outpacing the entire Hawks team by himself with 7:21 left in the third.

Midway through the third quarter, Bradley Beal landed awkwardly on the foot of his former teammate, David Roddy. Clearly frustrated by the incident, Beal left the game and headed straight to the locker room.

Beal would return later in the quarter.

As Phoenix built their lead, Trae Young shifted into his signature “foul-baiting” mode, deliberately creating contact in a way that feels far removed from the natural flow of basketball. This is exactly why I’m not a fan of his style. It’s blatant, obvious, and frankly, frustrating to watch. Of course, the officials bought every exaggerated move, sending him to the line repeatedly. The Hawks capitalized, chipping away at the Suns’ 9-point advantage with a steady stream of free throws.

Kevin Durant continued his offensive brilliance as the quarter wore on, showcasing his full arsenal to keep Phoenix in the fight. He finished the period with an impressive 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting. However, Trae Young countered with 10 points of his own, while Onyeka Okongwu dominated the glass, grabbing 8 more rebounds in the quarter. The Hawks closed the third with a momentum-shifting 14-3 run, reclaiming the lead at 89-87 heading into the fourth.

The bleeding didn’t stop at the end of the third. Atlanta opened the fourth on a quick 6-0 run, meaning Phoenix, after going up 9, went on a 22-5 run to take a 95-87 lead.

Phoenix capitalized on the minutes Trae Young was off the floor, clawing their way back to tie the game at 101 on a Devin Booker jumper with six minutes remaining.

But Atlanta quickly countered with a 13-3 run, building a 10-point lead with three minutes left. Watching the Suns struggle to rebound was almost laughable—offensive, defensive, it didn’t matter. The ball consistently ended up in Atlanta’s hands, leading to second-chance points that often came from beyond the arc, further burying Phoenix.

The Suns were outscored 33-30 in the fourth quarter, allowing three 30+ point quarters to Atlanta.

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Up Next

Phoenix is off to Bradley Beal’s old stomping grounds as the Suns battle the Washington Wizards on Thursday evening. We’ll see you then.