Game Report: Turnovers costly in Suns one-point loss to the Kings

The Phoenix Suns have concluded their preseason with a 1-3 record, falling to the Sacramento Kings by one solitary point at Footprint Center on Wednesday night.

The final five minutes may have been disappointing, but the undermanned Suns squad otherwise battled manfully throughout the contest. Phoenix were without their usual five starters, along with Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet and Dario Saric.

The Phoenix Suns were left to rue turnovers and poor perimeter shooting in the 105-104 loss to the Sacramento Kings in their final preseason game.

With almost all their key players out, Monty Williams turned to a starting lineup of Duane Washington Jr., Josh Okogie, Damion Lee, Torrey Craig and Jock Landale.

After Sacramento scored seven points in the opening 65 seconds, Phoenix turned up their defensive intensity in a way not witnessed this preseason. The opening half was attitudinal — each player had rotational minutes to play for, and in the case of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, a potential roster spot on the line.

Sacramento were minus Keegan Murray and Richaun Holmes, but they held a distinct talent advantage at almost every moment of the opening three periods. Yet they looked to be going through the motions, playing like a team content with their two previous preseason wins.

The Suns applied enough pressure to force 12 sloppy Kings turnovers, also keeping them to less than 40% shooting from the floor. Jock Landale was giving Domantas Sabonis fits, almost as if it were the crescendo to his startling preseason campaign.

The Australian had a remarkable 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals and four blocks in the first half — Just an astonishing impact from a player who few fans recognised just a fortnight ago.

Meanwhile Duane Washington Jr. was performing his best Chris Paul impression, shaking off the disappointing conclusion to the Nuggets loss. The jumpshot looked smooth, before he began penetrating into the paint and setting up the likes of Landale and Bismack Biyombo. The 22-year-old was providing just enough juice to a Suns offense that was otherwise bereft of shot-creation.

But for all their hard work, Phoenix let themselves down with a disappointing final two minutes. After trailing 55-41, Sacramento went on a 13-2 run to close the half with a three-point deficit.

Perhaps it was a sign of the Suns physical fatigue that leaked into the third, ultimately contributing to a stagnant offense that looked more like one most would have expected given the outs.

The shots began to fall short, fouls and turnovers began to build, and Sacramento’s three-point shooting began to rise as Phoenix were late on rotations. A Saben Lee three and Biyombo block brought the crowd to life to end the third, providing hope from a quarter they lost 29-19.

But after Davion Mitchell extended the Kings lead to 10 early in the fourth, the Suns gained a new lease as they began whittling down the margin. Once Sacramento’s regular rotational players left, it was Phoenix who now found themselves with the talent advantage.

A 14-2 run saw the Suns lead by two at 90-88, before Quinn Cook pressed his claim for an extended run with the Kings by burying a series of jumpshots. It appeared fatigue had once again caught up to the Suns as their three-point shooting continued to deteriorate and costly turnovers proved pivotal.

Still they challenged; back-to-back threes from Ish Wainright and Luwawu-Cabarrot brought the margin to one. Cook then turned the ball over on an inside pass, giving the Suns ten seconds to run the floor and clinch victory.

But Washington, who’d been up-and-down throughout the second-half, missed the baseline jumpshot attempt, his second straight having rimmed off a three-point game winner against the Nuggets on Monday.

Put simply, you don’t deserve to win a ballgame when you have as many turnovers as your three-point percentage. That’s what the Suns did — 24 turnovers and 7-for-29 (24.1%) from three. Washington led scoring with 31 points, yet was a chief culprit in the turnovers (11) and three-point shooting (1-for-5).

This was a game Phoenix put themselves in position of winning, and the fact they lost it is a little disheartening. Still, to get to that position in the first place means there’s undoubted positives to be taken as they look ahead to their opening regular season game next Wednesday.