Game Recap: Undermanned Suns are defeated by the Kings 127-104

The Phoenix Suns, missing key players (Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen), were unable to withstand the firepower of the Sacramento Kings in a lopsided 127-104 loss. Despite glimmers of hope — like a strong start from rookie Ryan Dunn and a brief third-quarter surge — the Suns fell apart as De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter led the attack.

Fox was unstoppable, orchestrating a relentless Kings offense that outscored the Suns 32-24 in the third quarter and extended their lead to 16 points midway through the fourth quarter. While the Suns fought hard early, they faltered late, shooting just 4 of 11 early in the final quarter and missing 14 of 17 shots in a crucial stretch of the third quarter.

The game ended disappointingly, the Suns showed little resistance and the Kings fought for a comfortable victory. .

Game flow

First half

The Suns quickly fell behind 15-4 and were in a bit of a hole early in the game, but tried to keep the game close in the first quarter.

Rookie Ryan Dunn thrilled the Suns early with eight points, including two made three-pointers, and kept the team within single digits of the Kings by the end of the first quarter. Although Booker didn’t contribute much to the scoring, he made up for it with great defense, highlighted by a steal and an easy two-pointer, helping the Suns close the gap on the Kings.

Coming off the bench, Josh Okogie played a crucial role in the Kings’ pursuit. He showed off his skills by stealing the ball and knocking down a three-pointer. Okogie finished the first quarter with nine points and two steals, helping the Suns stay competitive and only trail the Kings 35-29 at the end of the first quarter.

The six turnovers killed the Suns early, but they were able to recover and enter the second quarter with some confidence.

Without Bradley Beal, Monte Morris stepped up to start the second quarter, continuing the scoring momentum that Beal had built in the previous game. Morris scored seven points in his first four minutes of play. Defensively, however, De’Aaron Fox was unstoppable, extending the Kings’ lead to 11 points with 8:44 remaining in the first half. He started the game 6-7 from the field.

The Suns had no trouble getting quality possessions in the second quarter – they looked good. The problem was their inability to capitalize on free throws and get defensive stops. Meanwhile, the Kings remained red-hot from the field. The Suns missed three free throws in the quarter and allowed the Kings to shoot an impressive 60% from the field, keeping the pressure on until halftime.

The game was closer, the Suns went on a 10-0 run and shortened the game to 61:56. A big reason for the increase was Okogie’s 16 points. Works well on offense and stays really active with and without the ball.

Second half

With nine minutes left in the third quarter, the Suns were within two points thanks to a reverse layup by Dunn and a three-pointer by Royce O’Neal. A game that seemed out of reach in the second quarter was quickly back in the Suns’ hands.

The Kings, like the Suns, entered the second half shorthanded as DeMar DeRozan was unable to return to the lineup. It was now up to De’Aaron Fox to take on Devin Booker and lead his team to victory without a key offensive player.

The kings’ lead began to grow – and grow – and grow. They outscored the Suns 32-24 in the third quarter, powered by De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter, who combined for 21 points. The Suns struggled offensively, missing 14 of their next 17 shots, and what was a manageable game turned into a daunting 93-80 deficit early in the fourth quarter.

At the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the Kings extended their lead to 106-90, led again by De’Aaron Fox, who quickly added five points and two assists to keep the offense rolling. Despite their best efforts, the Suns struggled to keep up, shooting just 4 of 11 from the field to start the quarter.

The rest of the game felt like a mere formality as the Suns appeared to be waiting for the final whistle. With little effort or urgency to make a comeback, the game slipped away without any serious attempt to make it competitive.

The only great takeaway from the second half was a look at Suns TyTy Washington, who got a few minutes on the court.

The Suns emptied the bench at the five-minute mark in the fourth period and called the game over.

The final score: Kings 127, Suns 104

Next up, the Suns play their second game in the NBA Cup against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.