The Phoenix Suns had a few memorable games this season, but only one stands out. Out of the 82 games they've played this year, the Suns have one game where almost everyone on the roster performed well. For this piece, games played during the In-Season Tournament will be excluded and the focus will be on the regular season games.
The Suns had some struggles this season, but they overcame most of them in the latter part of the season. After a series of hardships, the team gradually found their footing with their group. It's also worth mentioning that the constant change in the roster is a significant concern as to why the team had difficulties.
The Suns' game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 25 was one of the best team performances this season. Most of Phoenix's players took the game seriously, which made for an epic showdown.
The longtime rivals of the Suns weren't able to get the best of them during the regular season. Including the In-Season Tournament, both teams met six times. But in the regular season, Phoenix played against the Lakers three times, winning two games in the process.
In the final game between the two Pacific Division teams, the Suns showed how well they've developed their chemistry.
The Lakers were looking forward to getting a win against the Suns that night as they were part of the race to secure a Play-In spot. Similarly, the Arizona team was also battling for positioning at that time. At this point in the season, Phoenix looked like they were satisfied with their roster, allowing the players to work on how to play together.
It was also a classic game between longtime rivals and soon-to-be teammates again on the international stage, Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Both are in the twilight years of their careers but are still instrumental to their team's success.
Phoenix took control of the game for most of the time and didn't lift their foot off the gas. The team showcased their strengths, which are rebounding and three-point shooting. Jusuf Nurkic finished with 22 rebounds that night, outworking Anthony Davis who had 14 rebounds. In total, the team had 51 boards.
The efficiency from the three-pointer from both teams was quite identical, but the Suns had more attempts. Los Angeles finished with 15 threes in 42.9 percent from long range. Phoenix, on the other hand, had 17 threes and shot 42.5 percent. Who else but Grayson Allen led the team in shooting from deep, as he finished with six threes on 12 attempts.
The Suns’ well-balanced attack takes down the Lakers at home 💪
— Suns Nation (@SunsNationCP) February 25, 2024
Grayson Allen: 24 points, 8-of-17 FG, 6-of-12 3PT
Kevin Durant: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists
Jusuf Nurkic: 18 points, 22 rebounds, 7 assists
Royce O’Neale: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 6-of-10 3PT pic.twitter.com/YmRZvse3Od
Four players for Phoenix finished with at least 20 points. Royce O'Neale had 20 points, Devin Booker had 21, Kevin Durant had 22 and Allen finished with 24. Despite not having their third star on the floor, the supporting cast for the Suns was instrumental in winning the season series against the Lakers
It was a clear display of how professional the players for the team have been all season. Despite the roster changes, they were still able to blend well with each other on the floor. O'Neale, who was new to the team at the time, was able to find his rhythm without other players giving up anything significant.
The total team effort by the Suns worked out well for them against the Lakers and it could be one of their strategies in the postseason.