Game Recap: Kevin Durant’s late-game heroics seal Suns’ 115-112 win

It was another masterclass in the clutch for KD.

The Phoenix Suns closed their current three-game homestand with a win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. The Suns pulled off a 115-112 victory, once again powered by Kevin Durant’s ice-cold composure in the fourth quarter. Durant poured in 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but it was his clutch shooting down the stretch that clinched the Suns’ seventh win of the season. With this victory, Phoenix improved to 6-0 in clutch situations this season, thanks largely to Durant’s steadying presence.

Durant didn’t do it alone, though. Jusuf Nurkic had a standout performance on both ends, tallying 20 points, 18 rebounds, and two blocks. He even showcased his range, sinking three three-pointers, each finding the bottom of the net.

Tyler Herro led the way for Miami with 28 points, but the loss dropped the Heat to 3-4 on the season.

The win marks six straight for the Suns and moves them to 7-1 on the year. With OKC losing to Denver, the Suns now own the #1 seed in the West.

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Game Flow

First Half

Jusuf Nurkic made his presence felt right out of the gate on both ends of the floor. Miami tried to attack the interior, but Nurkic held his ground, effectively deterring their shots. This forced the Heat into a tough start, making just 2 of their first 8 attempts. On the offensive end, Nurkic led the charge, scoring six of the Suns’ first 10 points and grabbing four rebounds. Ten of Phoenix’s first 14 points came in the paint, underscoring their commitment to the inside game.

Phoenix’s strategy seemed clear: leave Bam Adebayo open on the perimeter, tempting him into taking mid-range shots. It worked, as Adebayo missed his first three attempts, right where the Suns wanted him shooting from.

Kevin Durant, being his usual self, played the entire first quarter, contributing seven points and helping keep things close. By the end of the quarter, the Suns held a slim 26-25 lead.

Ryan Dunn kicked off the second quarter with a much-needed three-pointer, marking his first points after two scoreless games. His defensive impact was evident as well, challenging Heat players at the rim, blocking Jimmy Butler (even though it resulted in a foul call), and swatting away a shot from fellow rookie Kel’el Ware.

The defensive energy proved contagious; shortly after, Bradley Beal made a huge block in transition, adding to Phoenix’s defensive momentum.

Dunn nailed another three-pointer, but Phoenix’s sloppy ball handling allowed Miami’s bench to capitalize on turnovers. Duncan Robinson made the Suns pay, coming off the bench to shoot a sharp 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Nurkic continued to control the boards, grabbing his 10th rebound with seven minutes still left in the half. And then, showing some unexpected range, he hit a three from the left wing to put the Suns up 41-40. Moments later, he drained another one, keeping Phoenix in the lead and proving himself to be a true three-point shooting center! Okay…maybe just for a couple of moments in the second.

Miami kept pressing, capitalizing on Phoenix’s turnovers and converting at their end. The Suns turned it over 9 times in the first half, while Miami only gave up the ball three times—a recipe for staying competitive. They had 10 points off of those turnovers.

Bradley Beal picked up a questionable third foul before the half. Why? Because Scott Foster was officiating, and, somehow, he’s still out there making those head-scratching calls.

Miami finished the half on an 8-5 run, with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo scoring every point, taking a 58-55 lead into the locker room. Tyler Herro led Miami with 14 points, shooting a solid 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Nurk led the Suns with his 14 and 12, Booker added 11, and the Suns were 9-of-21 (42.9%) from deep.

Second Half

This is your reminder that Kevin Durant is very good at basketball.

Bradley Beal was whistled for his fourth foul when Tyler Herro launched a three-pointer, then leaned into Beal’s attempted block. Though Beal got all ball, the initial call didn’t go his way. Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer challenged the play, and once again, Bud’s instinct was spot on. The call was overturned, and Herro was instead hit with an offensive foul for flopping into Beal.

Phoenix came out firing from beyond the arc to start the third, but the shots just weren’t falling. Meanwhile, Miami was heating up, finding their rhythm from deep. After a frustrating sequence where Phoenix allowed three offensive rebounds, Miami knocked down a three, extending their lead to nine.

A 17-5 run by the Heat stretched their lead to 11, prompting Budenholzer to call a timeout with 4:41 left in the third.

But then they started to fall.

Kevin Durant and Grayson Allen knocked down a pair of threes late in the third, capping a 10-2 Phoenix run that brought them back within striking distance, down by just seven with under a minute left in the quarter.

As the buzzer sounded to close out the third, the Suns had managed to chip away at a 15-point deficit, heading into the fourth quarter trailing just 87-84.

Ryan Dunn reentered the game and took on the tough assignment of guarding Jimmy Butler, bringing an energy that was contagious. Mason Plumlee showcased his relentless hustle as he dove into the stands trying to save a loose ball to start the fourth.

With the shot clock winding down, Nurkic drilled his third three-pointer of the night—this one from an impressive 28 feet out, likely the deepest shot of his career.

Phoenix reclaimed a 93–92 lead with eight minutes left when Grayson Allen knocked down a wide-open three-pointer.

With just over five minutes remaining, the game reached clutch time for the sixth time in eight outings, tied at 101-101.

Miami secured another offensive rebound, but Jusuf Nurkic once again demonstrated his importance on defense. The Suns’ seventh block of the night came as Nurkic swatted Bam Adebayo at the rim. On the ensuing possession, Kevin Durant drained his signature 12-foot jumper, pushing Phoenix ahead by five with two and a half minutes remaining.

Haywood Highsmith proved to be a persistent challenge for the Suns all night, finishing with a season-high 19 points and converting an and-1 play with 33.2 seconds left to cut the deficit to 112-110.

But when it’s clutch time, it’s KD time. Durant calmly sank a 20-foot jumper over Highsmith on the next possession, extending the lead to two possessions with 16 seconds remaining. Although Booker missed a crucial free throw, leaving the door ajar for Miami with 4.8 seconds left, the Heat failed to get a shot off.

The Suns held on to secure a 115-112 victory.

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Phoenix hits the road…for one game…to play against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. It’s the second time they’ve seen Dallas this year, having beat them 114-102 earlier in the season.

We’ll see you Friday night, Bright Side. Well, we’ll actually see you first thing tomorrow morning with Rod Argent’s Inside the Suns.

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