Top 5 highs, lows for Phoenix this season
LOS ANGELES – The Phoenix Suns have had their share of highs and lows through their first 33 games this season.
Here’s a look back the top five most memorable ones on both ends of the spectrum as the Suns (13-20) enter Happy New Year 2020.
Let’s start with the highs.
New-look Suns making early noise
The Suns shocked the NBA with their 5-2 start with wins over the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers.
The 130-122 victory over the Clippers was the most impressive considering they didn’t have Deandre Ayton (suspension) or Ricky Rubio (injury).
Devin Booker scored 30 points – and won the trash-talk battle with Patrick Beverley.
Then they capped a three-game winning streak, their longest of the season, with a 114-109 victory over the Sixers as Booker dropped 40 in knocking off the NBA’s last unbeaten team.
Season opener
Phoenix destroyed Sacramento by 29 points, 124-95, at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Six players scored in double figures with three of them posting double-doubles – Booker (22 points, 10 assists), Ayton (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Rubio 11 points (11 points, 11 assists).
Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 that included a tomahawk one-handed dunk, left handed, that was the start of a long list of highlight plays from him so far this season.
He’s back (Part 1)
Ayton returned from a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA/NBPA anti-drug policy Dec. 17.
The Suns lost to the Clippers at STAPLES Center, but Phoenix had their starting center back on the floor – for a game.
A night in Minneapolis
Booker either scored or assisted on
Phoenix’s last 10 points in leading the Suns to a 100-98 win at Minnesota.
Finishing with 35 points, Booker hit two game-winning free throws with five seconds left as this was the last time Phoenix had a winning record (8-7). This is one of only two wins for Phoenix in games decided by three points or less in eight games.
He’s back (again)
It seemed like a minor injury, but Ayton missed five more games with a right ankle sprain he suffered in his return game from the suspension against the Clippers.
He returned from injury Monday at Portland and helped the Suns pull out a 122-116 comeback win and avenge an earlier loss to the Trail Blazers at home.
Playing 20 minutes, Ayton scored just six points, but his tip-in put Phoenix ahead for good, 109-108, and grabbed 12 rebounds in the first game the Suns had their entire roster healthy.
The Suns rallied from 19 points down to win two a row for the first time since Nov. 2. Booker scored 33 and Oubre added 29, hitting a career-high 7-of-10 from 3.
Now the lows.
He’s out (Part 1)
Ayton receiving a 25-game suspension for testing positive for a diuretic came after Phoenix’s impressive 29point win over Sacramento to open the season.
The Suns won six of their next 10 games, but they went 10-15 without Ayton with the first two defeats by a point each at Denver and against Utah that came down to the final play of the game.
The skid
Phoenix lost eight games in a row with three coming by two points or less.
❚ 121-119 (OT) vs. San Antonio
❚ 111-110 vs. Portland
Deandre Ayton returned from an ankle injury that sidelined him five games to score six points and grab 12 rebounds in Monday’s 122-116 win for Phoenix (13-20) at Portland. The Lakers (26-7) have won their last two games.
❚ 113-111 vs. Denver
The loss to San Antonio in Mexico City may have been the most damaging as Patty Mills hit the game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds left in overtime.
Phoenix led by two with 8.6 seconds left, but had a costly turnover on the inbound that opened the door for San Antonio to stun the Suns.
The injuries
Rubio (six), Booker (three) and Aron Baynes (nine) each missed action due to injuries.
The loss of Baynes hurt the most because Phoenix was already without Ayton. The Suns then had to battle without their backup center who had a fast start to the season.
Phoenix was also without point guard Ty Jerome for its first 18 games as the rookie out of Virginia sat with a severe ankle sprain.
He’s out (again)
Ayton missing five games with the ankle sprain meant he had only played in two of Phoenix’s first 32 games. Two.
The Suns went 0-4 without him this time before winning by two at Sacramento last week.
‘Major test for us’
Phoenix (8-9) dropped below .500 for the first time in an embarrassing 140-132 home loss to Washington. The Wizards shot 57% from the field, hit 19 shots from 3 and led to Monty Williams delivering one of his most profound quotes of the season so far.
“I told our guys this is a major test for us, of our character, integrity and togetherness,” he said. “About a week and a half ago everybody was excited and there was a buzz, and that’s died down. Now we have to stand up and be good teammates and do all the stuff we talk about when we’re in practice, and I believe we will.”
The Suns lost 11 of their next 14 games, but they’ve won two in a row going into 2020.
Maybe more highs than lows await them in the New Year.