In one of the more surprising outcomes this NBA season, the Phoenix Suns thoroughly dominated the San Antonio Spurs Sunday night. The final score was 130-118, but that was not indicative of how well the Suns played.
It was the most enjoyable game of basketball the Suns have played in years. While it was not the biggest scoring night of Devin Booker’s career, it was one of the best games he has ever played in his 11 seasons.
Offensively, he controlled the game for Phoenix and made a good defender in Stephon Castle look lost all night long. He scored 28 points on 10-of-15 from the field and had 13 assists. The shotmaking, playmaking, and pace that he played with were perfect the entire game. When the Spurs doubled, he got the ball out of his hands quickly, leading to assists and hockey assists to his teammates.
He was the engine of the Suns’ best offensive performance this season. The Suns assisted on 34 of 46 made field goals, and shot 19-of-32 from the 3-point line. Everyone on the team was involved, as seven players finished in double digits.
But as good as Booker and the Suns were offensively, Ryan Dunn and the Suns were just as impressive defensively. His energy and relentlessness guarding Wembanyama along with Royce O’Neal, were incredible all game long.
He and Grayson Allen were the second-highest scorers for Phoenix with 17 points each.
The Suns lost the rebounding battle, the turnover battle, were outscored 64 to 38 in points in the paint, and shot 19 fewer shots than the Spurs they still controlled the entire game. The offensive execution and ball movement were so exquisite that the Suns did not miss enough to get any offensive rebounds (although Dunn got his handed on plenty of misses).
Regardless of whether it was an off night for the Spurs or a fluke shooting night for the Suns, it was nice to see what this team is supposed to look like at its best, even without Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, and get back within a game of .500 at 3-4.
Game Flow
First Half
The Suns were blazing hot to start the game, knocking down 6 of their first 8 from 3 to open up a 25-14 lead. Devin Booker attacked the paint and kicked the ball out to shooters who did what they are supposed to do, snipe. The hot start continued all half as the Suns were 11-of-15 from 3, and 24-of-38 from the field. Five Phoenix players hit multiple 3s: Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal, Ryan Dunn, Jordan Goodwin, and Devin Booker.
Scoring against San Antonio in the paint is tough, and the Suns’ game plan to hunt 3s opened up its entire offense. The Spurs were ultra-aggressive in the second quarter, closing out to shooters, opening up driving lanes for Dunn, who flashed his improved handle by getting to the basket with ease. Nick Richards was also the beneficiary of the Spurs’ lack of defense; he scored 10 points as the recipient of drives from his teammates, including drawing a foul on Wembanyama trying to block his shot.
Defensively, the Suns swarmed Wembanyama, and Mark Williams blocked his shot early to set the tone for the first half. Nothing was going to be easy for the Spurs alien. The Suns limited Wembanyama to zero first-quarter points and just two points the entire half. Anytime he put the ball on the ground, the Suns were quick to the ball, forcing him to pick up the ball and let his teammates attack a scrambling Suns defense, which held up for the most part. If not for Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson scoring 23 combined points off the bench, this game would have been over at halftime.
Unfortunately for the Spurs, Harper left the game early with a lower leg injury and did not return. He joins a laundry list of other Spurs on the injury list, including De’Aaron Fox and Jeremy Sochan, but despite all of the Spurs’ injuries, they still were undefeated before playing the Suns. Which is why this performance from the Suns was so exciting, it was their best-played first half in years, which they led 70-52 at halftime.
Second Half
The Suns did not take their foot off the gas in the third quarter. After an O’Neal 3, the Suns jumped out to a 77-53 lead out of halftime. Booker knifed through the Spurs’ defense and scored 10 points in classic Booker fashion, from the midrange.
No matter what the Suns did everything seemed to work out in their favor. They led by as much as 31, up 97-66 after a Gillespie 3-pointer. With the Spurs down 102-78 to begin the fourth quarter the Suns had the chance to end the game but San Antonio came out with more energy and fight. San Antonio got into the penalty and had Phoenix scrambling. A San Antonio 12-0 run cut Phoenix’s lead to 14 at 111-97. Out of a timeout, Jordan Ott and his team responded as Devin Booker drew three fouls in one possession on Castle and knocked down both free throws.
After another Wembanyama miss, Booker secured the rebound, pushed the ball in transition, and found Dunn for a wide-open 3 in the corner, bang. On the next possession Booker came off a screen, got to the left elbow, elevated, and knocked down a midrange pullup push the Suns back up 21, 118-97 with 4:15 left in the fourth quarter.
It was then that Suns fans could exhale as Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson emptied his bench as Phoenix cruised to victory.
Up Next
The Phoenix Suns play at Golden State on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. MST.
