Game Recap: Phoenix Suns dominate Wizards behind Nick Richard’s breakout night

Nick Richards dropped 20 points and 19 rebounds in the 119-109 victory for Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns returned home after a grueling five-game Eastern Conference road trip, facing off against the Washington Wizards, a team languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Despite the typical ebb and flow of a basketball game, the Suns handled business with ease, cruising to a 119-109 victory.

It was a balanced team effort from Phoenix, with five players scoring in double figures and three topping 20 points. Kevin Durant led the charge with 29 points, but the night belonged to Nick Richards.

Making his home debut for the Suns, Richards delivered a standout performance that left the Phoenix crowd buzzing. The newly acquired center notched a career-high 19 rebounds to go along with 20 points, just missing out on the elusive 20th rebound despite several close calls late in the game. His impact, however, was undeniable.

With the win, the Suns improved to 23-21 on the season and completed a sweep of their season series with Washington.

Game Flow

First Half

Ryan Dunn left the game early, heading for the Suns’ locker room after he tweaked his left ankle driving to the cylinder. It was friendly fire that caused the injury as the rookie stepped on the foot of teammate Devin Booker.

He would not return.

It was a choppy start for both teams as they fought to find rhythm amidst the whistle of the officials. Coach Budenholzer used his challenge with 9:16 left in the first quarter and the Suns up 6-5. It was a successful challenge, but geez Bud. Why so early?!

The Suns couldn’t find the range from deep, missing their six attempts from beyond the arc. Bean, who entered the game in Dunn’s absence, hit Phoenix’s first super shot. It was followed by a three-pointer by Durant and one by Ty Jones, giving the Suns an early 18-10 lead.

Mason Plumlee was the first center off the bench tonight, taking the spot over Jusuf Nurkic, who returned to availability after missing the previous eight games.

Phoenix came out firing in the first quarter, putting up 35 points. Kevin Durant led the way with 7, while Devin Booker added 6. On the other side, Kyle Kuzma, who managed just 5 points in last week’s matchup in D.C., carried Washington with 12 points, accounting for half of their scoring. The Suns ended the quarter with a comfortable 35-24 lead.

The second quarter started sluggishly for Phoenix, as they missed their first six shots—all but one coming from beyond the arc.

A mid-quarter spark, fueled by a 7-0 run led by Devin Booker, stretched the Suns’ lead to 14. But before the Suns could settle in, Washington responded with a rapid 8-0 run, wiping out much of that momentum in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, Nick Richards dominated the paint in the first half, cleaning the glass with relentless energy. After setting a season-high of 15 rebounds against the Nets, he matched that number in just the first half tonight.

Phoenix scored 68 points in the first half, tying their third-highest output in the first half this season. Richards had 7 points and 15 rebounds, Devin Booker had 15 points and 4 assists, and Bradley Beal had 10 points off the bench.

The Suns led 68-53 at the half.

Second Half

Phoenix looked good coming out of the locker room, hitting 5 of their first 8 shots, and expanding their lead to 19 points.

The Suns got a little loose with the ball during the mid-part of the third, playing a bit careless. After 3 turnovers in the first half, Phoenix had 4 in 7 minutes and permitted an 11-2 run to allow the Wizards to get to within 10.

Nick Richards continued to have our attention as he scored 8 points in the quarter, doing so on empathic dunks off of rolls and doing so in transition.

But Washington started getting comfortable with their shooting stroke as the Suns struggled to guard the perimeter. Washington got to within four, but Kevin Durant responded as the Suns quickly built their lead back to 11.

Washington outscored Phoenix 32-28 in the third, scoring 8 points off of 5 Suns’ turnovers and 6-of-14 from deep (42.9%). Durant had 10 points to compliment Richards’ 8 points and 3 rebounds in the quarter. Phoenix 96, Washington 85.

Runs defined the night, a chaotic tug-of-war with Washington throwing a 10-2 jab and Phoenix countering with an 11-2 haymaker. Back and forth it went, the Suns staying just ahead, holding the lead like a gambler clutching their last few chips. The fourth quarter was no exception. A late 8-0 Washington blitz shaved the lead down to a nail-biting four points.

Kyle Kuzma? He went full microwave mode in crunch time, hitting desperation bank-shot threes like he was auditioning for a ’90s highlight reel. By the final buzzer, Kuzma had poured in 30 points and grabbed 11 boards, a one-man wrecking crew trying to will Washington back into it.

Phoenix didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard in the fourth, but they did just enough to keep the Wizards at arm’s length. The real drama, though, wasn’t in the final score. It was whether Nick Richards could snag that elusive 20th rebound. He came close — painfully close — but it slipped through his fingers, leaving him stuck at 19. Still, his presence loomed large, and the Suns held on for the 119-109 win.

---

Up Next

The three-game home stand continues Monday night as the Los Angeles Clippers make their first trip to Phoenix this season.