Game Recap: Undermanned Suns blown-out by the Kings 127-104

With Beal, Allen, and Durant all sidelined against the Kings, the Suns faced an uphill battle. Despite some early flashes, the game slipped out of reach, effectively decided early in the fourth quarter.

The Phoenix Suns, missing key players (Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Grayson Allen), couldn’t withstand the firepower of the Sacramento Kings in a lopsided defeat 127-104. Despite flashes of hope—like a strong start from rookie Ryan Dunn and a brief third-quarter surge—the Suns fell apart as De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter led the charge.

Fox was unstoppable, orchestrating a relentless Kings offense that outscored the Suns 32-24 in the third quarter and extended their lead to 16 points midway through the fourth. While the Suns fought hard early, they faltered late, shooting just 4-for-11 to start the final quarter and missing 14 of 17 shots during a crucial stretch in the third quarter.

The game ended on a disappointing note, with the Suns showing little resistance as the Kings coasted to a commanding victory. .

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Game Flow

First Half

Down 15-4 in a blink of an eye, the Suns found themselves in quite the hole to start the game, but made the effort to keep the game close in the first quarter.

Rookie Ryan Dunn sparked the Suns early with eight points, including two made threes, to keep the team within single digits of the Kings by the end of the first quarter. While Booker wasn’t contributing much to the scoring, he made up for it with great defense, highlighted by a steal and an easy two, helping the Suns close the gap on the Kings.

Coming off the bench, Josh Okogie played a pivotal role in chasing the Kings. He showcased his skills by stealing the ball and knocking down a three-pointer. Okogie finished the first quarter with nine points and two steals, helping the Suns stay competitive and trail the Kings by just 35-29 at the end of the first quarter.

The six turnovers killed the Suns early, but they were able to bounce back, heading into the second quarter with a little bit of confidence.

Without Bradley Beal, Monte Morris stepped up at the start of the second quarter, continuing the scoring momentum Beal established in the previous game. Morris put up seven points in his first four minutes on the floor. However, on the defensive end, De’Aaron Fox was unstoppable, extending the Kings’ lead to 11 points with 8:44 remaining in the first half. He started the game 6-7 from the field.

The Suns didn’t struggle to create quality possessions in the second quarter—they had good looks. The issue was their inability to capitalize on free throws and get defensive stops. Meanwhile, the Kings remained scorching hot from the field. The Suns missed three free throws in the quarter and allowed the Kings to shoot an impressive 60% from the field, keeping the pressure on heading into halftime.

The game was closer with a 10-0 run from the Suns to cut the game to a 61-56, and a big reason for the surge was behind Okogie’s 16 points. Working well within the offense and really staying active with and without the ball.

Second Half

Just like that, the Suns were within two points with nine minutes left in the third quarter, thanks to a reverse layup from Dunn and a three-pointer by Royce O’Neal. A game that seemed out of reach in the second quarter had quickly shifted back into the Suns’ hands.

The Kings entered the second half shorthanded, just like the Suns, as DeMar DeRozan was unable to return to the lineup. It was now up to De’Aaron Fox to go head-to-head with Devin Booker and lead his team to victory without a key piece of their offense.

The Kings’ lead began to grow—and grow—and grow. They outscored the Suns 32-24 in the third quarter, fueled by De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter, who combined for 21 points. The Suns struggled offensively, missing 14 of their next 17 shots, and what had been a manageable game turned into a daunting 93-80 deficit heading into the fourth quarter.

At the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the Kings extended their lead to 106-90, led once again by De’Aaron Fox, who contributed a quick five points and two assists to keep the offense flowing. Despite their best efforts, the Suns struggled to keep up, shooting just 4-for-11 from the field to start the quarter.

The remainder of the game felt like a mere formality, as the Suns seemed eager for the final whistle. With little effort or urgency to mount a comeback, the game slipped away without a serious attempt to make it competitive.

The only great takeaway from the second half was a look at Suns TyTy Washington who had some minutes on the court.

The Suns emptied the bench at the five-minute mark in the fourth and called it a game.

The final score: Kings 127, Suns 104

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Up next, the Suns play their second game in the NBA Cup against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.