The Phoenix Suns lost yet another heart-breaker Monday night to the Denver Nuggets. That makes seven in a row. That’s a trend they need to break. Now.
If breaks were made of duct tape with the sticky side out and tossed from three feet away, the Phoenix Suns still couldn’t catch one.
The Denver Nuggets became the latest opponent to feast on Suns fans’ hearts Monday night when Jamal Murray nailed a fadeaway dagger with two seconds left on the clock to seal a 9-point fourth quarter comeback and deliver the Suns their seventh straight loss.
They had this one. They had it. And as Dennis Green would say, “They let them off the hook.”
In the first half, the Suns looked like a demoralized conglomeration of humans who reluctantly work together. Devin Booker hardly shot on his way to zero points, and the team played defense like the cluster of blow up Christmas decorations in my neighbor’s yard.
I’m not sure what Head Coach Monty Williams told them at half time, but something lit a fire under them in the locker room. Everyone came out in the third quarter like they were a team tired of losing. They played with the level of tenacity Suns fans saw at the beginning of the year and turned a seven point deficit into a lead.
They extended that lead up to nine points in the fourth quarter, all with a balanced offense (eight players scored in double figures) and fierce defense (10 team steals). This had to be the recipe due to Booker having an extremely off shooting night. The Suns’ star finished with 11 points but many of his shots nearly missed the entire gym.
He did, however, step up in the closing minute and drill a game-tying three around 25 seconds left.
After Murray did his thing, Booker had a shot to win it, but his fadeaway corner 3 reverted back to what his shots looked like all night, and the would-be game winner nearly missed the entire arena.
The Suns need to do something to turn this around. What is frustrating to watch about this team is the fact they are capable of winning, and yet, they just don’t. Finishing games has been a major problem and they just can’t seem to get it done.
The Suns have lost six games by three points or less, not counting an additional one to the New Orleans Pelicans that went into overtime. Even if they were to have won four of those, their record would be 0.500 at 15-15 and everyone would be talking about how much of a contender to make the playoffs they are.
They’re simply going to have to get some of these losses back. Friday would be a good start. They take on the wounded Golden State Warriors in a game they should win.
They have a few days off for Christmas, so guys, drink that eggnog and kiss your grandma, because after the holiday, it is time to get to work if there is any chance this team can get back to their winnings ways.