Suns Secure Two Wins but Show Vulnerabilities Against Sub-.500 Teams

The Phoenix Suns notched their second straight win Sunday night, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 116-109 in front of a sellout crowd of 17,071 at the Footprint Center. The victory, which followed a Friday win over the Utah Jazz, marked the beginning of a three-game homestand for the Suns (14-11).

Devin Booker spearheaded the effort with a game-high 28 points, while Kevin Durant contributed 20 points despite an uncharacteristic 1-of-9 performance from three-point range. Tyus Jones continued his impressive stretch, adding 19 points and demonstrating his growing confidence from beyond the arc, having made 13 of his last 18 attempts over three games.

However, Phoenix’s struggles to secure comfortable wins over two teams with sub-.500 records raise concerns about their readiness for tougher competition. The Jazz (5-19) and Blazers (8-10) sit near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, and while victories are valuable, the Suns’ inconsistent execution highlights room for improvement.

Takeaways from the Win Over Portland

1. Slow Start and Poor Third-Quarter Execution

Despite leading by as many as 16 points, the Suns allowed Portland to seize momentum early in the second half. A 62-57 deficit emerged after an 11-0 Blazers run, punctuated by Shaedon Sharpe’s emphatic dunk off a sloppy cross-court pass from Jusuf Nurkic. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer quickly called timeout to stop the bleeding, but the sequence underscored Phoenix’s lapses in focus.

2. Tyus Jones’ Emergence as a Scoring Threat

With Bradley Beal sidelined for the second straight game due to knee swelling, Jones stepped up once again. His consistent shooting from deep and ability to remain aggressive have been bright spots, providing much-needed support for Booker and Durant.

3. Durant’s Shooting Woes Continue

Kevin Durant’s uncharacteristic shooting struggles, particularly from three-point range, remain a talking point. While he still tallied 20 points, his 1-of-9 shooting from deep could pose problems in tighter contests. The Suns will need him firing on all cylinders as they face stronger opponents in the coming weeks.

What Do These Wins Mean?

Phoenix has halted its losing streak and regained some momentum, but the team’s narrow victories over struggling opponents don’t inspire confidence. The Suns’ next two games against Indiana (12-15) and Detroit (10-16) offer opportunities to build on this streak, but their true test looms on December 23 and December 25 in back-to-back matchups against the Denver Nuggets.

With Nikola Jokic playing at an MVP level, averaging insane numbers even in losses, the Suns will need to tighten up their defense and deliver more consistent performances if they hope to compete with the league’s elite.

For now, a win is a win, but Phoenix’s playoff aspirations hinge on more convincing performances, especially with Bradley Beal’s status uncertain and Durant’s shooting inconsistencies lingering.