Game Recap: Phoenix Suns continue back-to-back struggles with tough 120-118 loss in Memphis

Turnovers and tempers cost the Suns in a narrow loss to Memphis.

It was a fiery night in Memphis as the Phoenix Suns fell to the Grizzlies, 120-118, in a game defined by physicality, frustration, and yet another narrow defeat. The scrappy Grizzlies dictated the tone from start to finish, drawing three technical fouls from the Suns and completing a season sweep over Phoenix. In four hard-fought matchups, the Suns lost each one by a combined 17 points. Close, but never enough.

Once again, Phoenix was without a key piece of their Big Three, as Bradley Beal missed his 20th game of the season. The Suns now sit at 10-10 without him, including a 9-3 record in games where only Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are available.

Kevin Durant dazzled with 35 points, and Devin Booker added 26, but the Suns once again fell victim to self-inflicted wounds. Turnovers proved costly, as Phoenix coughed the ball up 16 times, leading to 27 points for Memphis. Ja Morant led the charge for the Grizzlies with 29 points, but it was Memphis’ depleted bench that delivered the knockout blow, outscoring Phoenix’s reserves 51-28.

The loss drops the Suns to 3-9 on the second night of back-to-backs and sinks their record to 30-35.

Game Flow

First Half

The Suns came out strong, using crisp ball movement and smart spacing to generate quality looks. And to their credit, they capitalized.

Devin Booker struggled early, missing his first four shots, but that didn’t slow the team down as they built a 12-4 lead. Meanwhile, Nick Richards made his presence felt on the glass, grabbing six rebounds in the first five minutes.

Richards wasn’t just dominant on the boards. He took advantage of Memphis’ depleted frontcourt, scoring 6 points in the opening quarter and establishing himself as a force inside.

The Suns’ hot start from beyond the arc fueled their early dominance, hitting 5-of-9 from deep to build a 25-9 lead. Meanwhile, Memphis couldn’t buy a bucket from distance, starting 0-of-8.

Kevin Durant was locked in from the jump, pouring in 14 first-quarter points on 4-of-5 shooting from three. Ja Morant kept Memphis afloat with nine points, but Phoenix’s ball movement set the tone with 10 assists on 13 made field goals, with just three turnovers. However, the Grizzlies found some momentum late, closing the quarter on a 17-9 run to cut the deficit.

The 16-point lead became 8. Suns led 34-26 after one.

Devin Booker‘s shooting woes carried over to the second quarter as he was having challenges scoring on all three levels. He ended the half with 7 points on 3-of-10 shooting.

Despite being short-handed, the scrappy Grizzlies stuck to their trademark physicality, chipping away at the Suns’ lead as the second quarter unfolded. A 9-3 run midway through the period trimmed the gap to just four, putting Phoenix on its heels.

With three minutes left in the half, the game was deadlocked at 50. Buh bye 16-point lead. The Grizzlies’ relentless energy seemed to wear on the Suns, whose frustration became more evident as Memphis seized control with a 16-6 surge.

Memphis outscored Phoenix 31-25 in the second quarter, capitalizing on the Suns’ five turnovers during that stretch. The Grizzlies’ ability to exploit these mistakes allowed them to claw back into the game. Despite the momentum shift, Phoenix remained resilient, and at the half, it was a tight contest with the Suns holding a slim 59-57 lead.

We did see Ryan Dunn minutes..err..I mean seconds.

Second Half

Memphis rookie Jaylen Wells had been a physical pest all night—poking, prodding, and making his presence felt while getting under the Suns’ skin. So Nick Richards sent him a message. Nothing dirty, just a stonewall screen that sent Wells to the floor early in the third quarter.

Shortly after, Richards let his frustration show. Held by Jay Huff (who?) on a rebound, he reacted and was hit with a technical foul. Memphis’ game plan — relentless and irritating — was working.

The Grizzlies pushed their lead to as much as nine in the quarter, but once the Suns tightened up defensively — playing aggressive yet disciplined basketball — they began to claw their way back.

Then came another spark of tension. Cam Spencer, a key member of Memphis’ agitators, drilled a three with less than a second left in the quarter and immediately started jawing at Kevin Durant. KD responded and then Desmond Bane jumped in, and after a review for a “hostile act,” double technicals were handed out.

The Grizzlies exploded for 38 points in the quarter, knocking down 6-of-12 from deep. The Suns were nearly perfect from three, hitting 6-of-7, but Memphis had the edge by attacking the paint and capitalizing on Phoenix’s mistakes, outscoring them 38-31 in the period.

After three, Memphis 95, Suns 90.

Phoenix opened up the fourth on a 6-0 run, and after a driving layup by Devin Booker, it was his turn to get hit with a technical as he and Bane exchanged unpleasantries.

Mike Budenholzer adjusted by leaning into small-ball lineups, sliding Kevin Durant to the five to match Memphis’ speed and agility. But no, Ryan Dunn was not part of that group…just in case you were wondering.

The Suns struggled to secure defensive rebounds, giving Memphis extra possessions they had no business getting. Why? Because despite Nick Richards’ strong night on the glass, Coach Bud stuck with Mason Plumlee late. And while Plumlee has been solid recently, when you need a rebound, he’s not the guy.

The Suns won their second challenge of the night late in the game. But in classic Suns fashion, they immediately turned the ball over on the next possession. The result? A run-out and an electrifying Ja Morant dunk.

With under two minutes left, the Suns trailed 114–111. And wouldn’t you know it? With possession of the ball, the Suns committed an offensive foul as Mason Plumlee got called for an illegal screen. Memphis scores as a result.

Kevin Durant knocked down a layup to pull the Suns within three, but Ja Morant answered with an 8-footer, pushing Memphis’ lead back to five with 34.6 seconds left. Devin Booker hit a jumper after two missed three-point attempts. A three-pointer from Kevin Durant cut the deficit to two, 120–118.

Then Memphis fumbled the inbound, giving Phoenix a shot with 8.9 seconds left. Tyus Jones brought it up, handed it off to Durant, who stopped, popped, shot—and missed. Suns lose.

Up Next

Phoenix is back in action on Wednesday, facing another Western Conference heavyweight in the Houston Rockets. See you then, Bright Side.

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