The Suns had their faith sealed with a 122-116 loss in Game 4 despite valiant efforts by All-Star Devin Booker, who scored 49 points, and superstar Kevin Durant, who had 33 points and nine rebounds.

With the win, the Timberwolves became the first team to clinch the conference semi-finals and are now waiting to see how the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets series wraps up to find out their next playoff opponent.

The Suns were ahead for most of the Game 4, and it initially looked like they might just avoid a sweep. However, Timberwolves’ shooting guard Anthony Edwards took over in the second half, scoring 31 points to help his team finish the series then and there.

Edwards had help from Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels also added 18 points. On the other hand, no one besides Booker and Durant scored in double digits for the Suns.

The Suns will now have to go to the drawing board despite having Durant, Booker, and All-Star Bradley Beal on their roster. The Timberwolves will enjoy their first playoff series win in two decades while also feeling pretty good about themselves, regardless of whether the Lakers or Nuggets come next. 

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Thomas has recently been playing with Salt Lake City in the NBA G League. He appeared in four games, averaging 32.5 points and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 44.6 from behind the 3-point line.

The 10-day contract with the Suns marks Thomas’ reunion with the franchise. He played 46 games with Phoenix in 2014-15.

Thomas, who is a two-time All-Star, last played in the NBA during the 2021-22 season, when he suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Charlotte Hornets. He averaged 8.4 points and 1.5 assists in 22 games.

The major reason why Thomas was out of the league for so long is the hip injury that he has dealt with since 2017. The injury limited his production while causing him to spend extended periods on the sidelines. However, it appears that the health issues are now a thing of the past for Thomas.

“Whether it was ups or downs, I’m back playing basketball. I’m back healthy. It’s just a super cool feeling because I never thought I would be able to play with no pain no more,” said Thomas in a recent chat with The Athletic.

The post Isaiah Thomas is Returning to the NBA on a 10-Day Contract With the Suns appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Nurkic had 12 rebounds in the first quarter alone, accounting for all but one rebound of the entire Suns team for that period. He ended up with 13 offensive rebounds and 18 defensive rebounds on the night while adding 14 points and four assists.

Nurkic’s 31 rebounds were the most by any player in the NBA since Kevin Love had 31 boards in 2010-11. He surpassed the Suns’ previous record posted by Tyson Chandler, who had a 27-rebound performance during the 2015-16 NBA season. The Bosnian center also improved on his previous career high of 23 boards in a single game.

“Incredible,” said Suns’ head coach Frank Vogel after the game. “The loss aside, you just look at a 31-rebound night, at any point in the NBA history, [it] is just an incredible performance. The best in Phoenix Suns history. He is a beast on the defensive end of the court.”

Since being acquired in an offseason trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, Jusuf Nurkic emerged as a key player for the Suns. He has brought physical presence to a star-studded roster while displaying impressive passing for a big man. Nurkic is currently averaging 11.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on the season.

The post Jusuf Nurkic Sets Suns’ Franchise Record With 31 Rebounds in Loss to OKC appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Rivers and Nurse would bring championship pedigree to the Suns’ locker room, something that the franchise prioritized during their search. However, they will also consider a couple of up-and-coming coaching stars in Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez and their own associate head coach Kevin Young.

All four candidates are expected to have a second round of interviews with Suns’ brass in the coming days.

The Suns are expected to face a lot of competition for Nurse, who already attracted interest from multiple franchises with head coaching openings. He is considered a strong candidate to take over the Milwaukee Bucks while also being interviewed by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rivers, on the other hand, reportedly considered taking a break from coaching but is attracted by the possibility of coaching a talented Suns team led by All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

The Suns are looking for a new head coach since firing Monty Williams following a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Despite acquiring superstar Durant in a trade deadline deal with the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix flamed out in the postseason, being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in six games in the Western Conference semifinals.

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Despite playing a must win-game, the Suns couldn’t keep up with the Nuggets without their two key players in Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul. Denver, on the other hand, managed to set the tone with a 44-26 first-quarter lead and spent the rest of the game keeping their opponents at bay.

Nikola Jokic produced another impressive performance for the Nuggets, finishing the game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Jamal Murray had 26 points and four assists, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 21 points and five rebounds.

“When we defend, when we rebound, when we run, when we share the ball, we believe we’re the best team in the NBA,” said the Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone after the game. “And tonight, we showed it.”

The Nuggets have now got their revenge over the Suns, who swept them in the semifinals during the 2020–21. And they will get an opportunity to continue their revenge campaign in the Western Conference Finals regardless of whether the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors go through.

The Lakers knocked out the Nuggets in the West finals during 2019–20, while the Warriors beat them in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

The post Nuggets Clinch the West Finals Spot After Blowout Win Over the Suns in Game 6 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The game was much more closely contested than the result indicates. The Suns actually entered the final period with a three-point lead but ended up falling apart when it mattered the most, being unable to find an answer for the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic delivered a huge performance for the Nuggets, finishing the night with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists. And Denver needed all of it, considering that his teammates struggled to get going and only three had double digits in scoring.

“Man, no hesitation from him,” said Jamal Murray, who was 3-of-15 from the floor and missed all of his nine three-point attempts. “Just dominating down low and from 3, both ways. Staying aggressive all game, uplifting us during timeouts, just full belief in us the whole time while he’s taking over and picking up everybody’s slack.”

With two wins on their home court, the Nuggets now seem like they are in control of the series. The Suns showed the same growing pains that hampered them in the first round against the LA Clippers and will have to dig deep in order to turn things around. 

The series resumes on Friday with Game 3 in Phoenix’s Footprint Center.

The post Nuggets Beat the Suns 97-87 in Game 2 of the West Semi-Finals, Take a 2-0 Lead appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Following an unsuccessful stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook endured heavy criticism, with some even going as far as saying he doesn’t belong in the league anymore. However, after leaving the Lakers, Westbrook found his groove with the LA Clippers and is once again playing at a high level.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday, after his Phoenix Suns got a 112-100 win over Westbrook’s Clippers in Game 4 of the first-round series, Durant took issue with past criticism of Westbrook and praised him for being “resilient.”

“People going to always criticize when you’re successful and doing your thing for this long,” Durant said. “Russ has been resilient his whole life. He comes to work, and doesn’t say much. Just come hoop.”

Durant explained that people would only realize how good Westbrook was once he retires.

“When he retires, people are going to really tell the truth about his game,” he added. “Right now, the fun thing to do is to make a joke out of Russ. But the way he’s been playing since he got with the Clippers is showing everybody who he really is.”

Durant has been able to witness up close that Westbrook can still ball out. Despite playing without his co-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who are out due to injuries, Westbrook has kept the Clippers competitive against a star-studded Phoenix Suns team. He has been averaging 26.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game while being a menace on the defense.

However, despite Wesbtrook’s best efforts, the Clippers find themselves on the brink of elimination. The Suns have a 3-1 lead in the series and will look to finish the job in Game 5 in Phoenix on Tuesday.

The post Kevin Durant Defends Ex-OKC Teammate Russell Westbrook After Suns’ Game 4 Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The game against the Suns was Leonard’s first appearance in the NBA playoffs since he tore his ACL in Western Conference Semifinals in 2021. He played 42 minutes, going 13-24 from the floor while being his usual menace on the defensive side of the ball.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Clippers’ head coach Ty Lue said that Leonard would continue playing heavy minutes as the team looks to overcome the absence of All-Star forward Paul George.

“That’s what we’ve been saving up for, this moment here in the playoffs,” said Lue. “We have to play heavy minutes, especially with PG being out, being short-handed. He was great tonight.”

The Clippers also saw a big performance from veteran guard Russell Westbrook. While Westbrook struggled to shoot the ball, going 3-19, he helped the Clippers in other ways. The former NBA MVP played great defense, grabbed key offensive rebounds, and iced the game for the Clippers with a huge block on Devin Booker in the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant had a near triple-double for the Suns, scoring 27 points to go with nine rebounds and 11 assists. Booker and Torrey Craig had 26 points and 22 points, respectively.

The series stays in Phoenix, with the Clippers and the Suns set to face again in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

The post Kawhi Leonard Scores 38 Points in Clippers’ Upset 110-115 Win Over the Suns appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

About an hour before tipoff, the new Suns player was performing an individual drill when he lost his balance while jumping to take a shot. Although he managed to get back up and continue training, Durant’s ankle began to show swelling once he returned to the locker room, leading to the Suns ruling him out for the game.

“I feel bad for him because he feels bad,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I saw his face and — I’ve been around him so many times — I know what he’s feeling and I don’t want him feeling that way at all.”

Despite the disappointment of Durant being unable to make his home debut for the team, the Suns were able to progress without him, pulling off a 132-101 win. Devin Booker turned up as the Suns’ key player on the night, scoring 44 points on 17-of-23 shooting in just 28 minutes.

Booker finds himself in strong form, being named the Western Conference Player of the Week.

The post Kevin Durant to Undergo MRI After Ankle Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Durant scored 23 points in 27 minutes as the Suns emerged 105-91 winners against the Charlotte Hornets, thereby snapping the Hornets’ five-game winning streak in the process.

“I feel like I fit in pretty well,” Durant commented after his debut. “Everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible,” Durant said. “I just got to keep grinding, man, and this jersey on me will look normal as games go on.”

One of the main talking points of the game was Durant’s partnership with the in-form Devin Booker. With Durant’s contributions, Booker scored 37 points while adding six rebounds and seven assists.

The only area of concern that emerged from Wednesday’s victory was the Suns’ apparent reliance on a few key players. Apart from Durant and Booker, the only other player who was able to enter double digits on the scoreboard was Deandre Ayton, who scored 16 points.

The post Kevin Durant Makes Suns Debut Following Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Suns had their faith sealed with a 122-116 loss in Game 4 despite valiant efforts by All-Star Devin Booker, who scored 49 points, and superstar Kevin Durant, who had 33 points and nine rebounds.

With the win, the Timberwolves became the first team to clinch the conference semi-finals and are now waiting to see how the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets series wraps up to find out their next playoff opponent.

The Suns were ahead for most of the Game 4, and it initially looked like they might just avoid a sweep. However, Timberwolves’ shooting guard Anthony Edwards took over in the second half, scoring 31 points to help his team finish the series then and there.

Edwards had help from Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels also added 18 points. On the other hand, no one besides Booker and Durant scored in double digits for the Suns.

The Suns will now have to go to the drawing board despite having Durant, Booker, and All-Star Bradley Beal on their roster. The Timberwolves will enjoy their first playoff series win in two decades while also feeling pretty good about themselves, regardless of whether the Lakers or Nuggets come next. 

The post Phoenix Suns Swept By Minnesota Timberwolves in First-Round of 2024 NBA Playoffs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Thomas has recently been playing with Salt Lake City in the NBA G League. He appeared in four games, averaging 32.5 points and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 44.6 from behind the 3-point line.

The 10-day contract with the Suns marks Thomas’ reunion with the franchise. He played 46 games with Phoenix in 2014-15.

Thomas, who is a two-time All-Star, last played in the NBA during the 2021-22 season, when he suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Charlotte Hornets. He averaged 8.4 points and 1.5 assists in 22 games.

The major reason why Thomas was out of the league for so long is the hip injury that he has dealt with since 2017. The injury limited his production while causing him to spend extended periods on the sidelines. However, it appears that the health issues are now a thing of the past for Thomas.

“Whether it was ups or downs, I’m back playing basketball. I’m back healthy. It’s just a super cool feeling because I never thought I would be able to play with no pain no more,” said Thomas in a recent chat with The Athletic.

The post Isaiah Thomas is Returning to the NBA on a 10-Day Contract With the Suns appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Nurkic had 12 rebounds in the first quarter alone, accounting for all but one rebound of the entire Suns team for that period. He ended up with 13 offensive rebounds and 18 defensive rebounds on the night while adding 14 points and four assists.

Nurkic’s 31 rebounds were the most by any player in the NBA since Kevin Love had 31 boards in 2010-11. He surpassed the Suns’ previous record posted by Tyson Chandler, who had a 27-rebound performance during the 2015-16 NBA season. The Bosnian center also improved on his previous career high of 23 boards in a single game.

“Incredible,” said Suns’ head coach Frank Vogel after the game. “The loss aside, you just look at a 31-rebound night, at any point in the NBA history, [it] is just an incredible performance. The best in Phoenix Suns history. He is a beast on the defensive end of the court.”

Since being acquired in an offseason trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, Jusuf Nurkic emerged as a key player for the Suns. He has brought physical presence to a star-studded roster while displaying impressive passing for a big man. Nurkic is currently averaging 11.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on the season.

The post Jusuf Nurkic Sets Suns’ Franchise Record With 31 Rebounds in Loss to OKC appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Rivers and Nurse would bring championship pedigree to the Suns’ locker room, something that the franchise prioritized during their search. However, they will also consider a couple of up-and-coming coaching stars in Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez and their own associate head coach Kevin Young.

All four candidates are expected to have a second round of interviews with Suns’ brass in the coming days.

The Suns are expected to face a lot of competition for Nurse, who already attracted interest from multiple franchises with head coaching openings. He is considered a strong candidate to take over the Milwaukee Bucks while also being interviewed by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rivers, on the other hand, reportedly considered taking a break from coaching but is attracted by the possibility of coaching a talented Suns team led by All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

The Suns are looking for a new head coach since firing Monty Williams following a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Despite acquiring superstar Durant in a trade deadline deal with the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix flamed out in the postseason, being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in six games in the Western Conference semifinals.

The post Doc Rivers and Nick Nurse Among Candidates for Suns’ Head Coaching Job appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite playing a must win-game, the Suns couldn’t keep up with the Nuggets without their two key players in Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul. Denver, on the other hand, managed to set the tone with a 44-26 first-quarter lead and spent the rest of the game keeping their opponents at bay.

Nikola Jokic produced another impressive performance for the Nuggets, finishing the game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Jamal Murray had 26 points and four assists, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 21 points and five rebounds.

“When we defend, when we rebound, when we run, when we share the ball, we believe we’re the best team in the NBA,” said the Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone after the game. “And tonight, we showed it.”

The Nuggets have now got their revenge over the Suns, who swept them in the semifinals during the 2020–21. And they will get an opportunity to continue their revenge campaign in the Western Conference Finals regardless of whether the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors go through.

The Lakers knocked out the Nuggets in the West finals during 2019–20, while the Warriors beat them in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

The post Nuggets Clinch the West Finals Spot After Blowout Win Over the Suns in Game 6 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The game was much more closely contested than the result indicates. The Suns actually entered the final period with a three-point lead but ended up falling apart when it mattered the most, being unable to find an answer for the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic delivered a huge performance for the Nuggets, finishing the night with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists. And Denver needed all of it, considering that his teammates struggled to get going and only three had double digits in scoring.

“Man, no hesitation from him,” said Jamal Murray, who was 3-of-15 from the floor and missed all of his nine three-point attempts. “Just dominating down low and from 3, both ways. Staying aggressive all game, uplifting us during timeouts, just full belief in us the whole time while he’s taking over and picking up everybody’s slack.”

With two wins on their home court, the Nuggets now seem like they are in control of the series. The Suns showed the same growing pains that hampered them in the first round against the LA Clippers and will have to dig deep in order to turn things around. 

The series resumes on Friday with Game 3 in Phoenix’s Footprint Center.

The post Nuggets Beat the Suns 97-87 in Game 2 of the West Semi-Finals, Take a 2-0 Lead appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Following an unsuccessful stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook endured heavy criticism, with some even going as far as saying he doesn’t belong in the league anymore. However, after leaving the Lakers, Westbrook found his groove with the LA Clippers and is once again playing at a high level.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday, after his Phoenix Suns got a 112-100 win over Westbrook’s Clippers in Game 4 of the first-round series, Durant took issue with past criticism of Westbrook and praised him for being “resilient.”

“People going to always criticize when you’re successful and doing your thing for this long,” Durant said. “Russ has been resilient his whole life. He comes to work, and doesn’t say much. Just come hoop.”

Durant explained that people would only realize how good Westbrook was once he retires.

“When he retires, people are going to really tell the truth about his game,” he added. “Right now, the fun thing to do is to make a joke out of Russ. But the way he’s been playing since he got with the Clippers is showing everybody who he really is.”

Durant has been able to witness up close that Westbrook can still ball out. Despite playing without his co-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who are out due to injuries, Westbrook has kept the Clippers competitive against a star-studded Phoenix Suns team. He has been averaging 26.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game while being a menace on the defense.

However, despite Wesbtrook’s best efforts, the Clippers find themselves on the brink of elimination. The Suns have a 3-1 lead in the series and will look to finish the job in Game 5 in Phoenix on Tuesday.

The post Kevin Durant Defends Ex-OKC Teammate Russell Westbrook After Suns’ Game 4 Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The game against the Suns was Leonard’s first appearance in the NBA playoffs since he tore his ACL in Western Conference Semifinals in 2021. He played 42 minutes, going 13-24 from the floor while being his usual menace on the defensive side of the ball.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Clippers’ head coach Ty Lue said that Leonard would continue playing heavy minutes as the team looks to overcome the absence of All-Star forward Paul George.

“That’s what we’ve been saving up for, this moment here in the playoffs,” said Lue. “We have to play heavy minutes, especially with PG being out, being short-handed. He was great tonight.”

The Clippers also saw a big performance from veteran guard Russell Westbrook. While Westbrook struggled to shoot the ball, going 3-19, he helped the Clippers in other ways. The former NBA MVP played great defense, grabbed key offensive rebounds, and iced the game for the Clippers with a huge block on Devin Booker in the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant had a near triple-double for the Suns, scoring 27 points to go with nine rebounds and 11 assists. Booker and Torrey Craig had 26 points and 22 points, respectively.

The series stays in Phoenix, with the Clippers and the Suns set to face again in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

The post Kawhi Leonard Scores 38 Points in Clippers’ Upset 110-115 Win Over the Suns appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

About an hour before tipoff, the new Suns player was performing an individual drill when he lost his balance while jumping to take a shot. Although he managed to get back up and continue training, Durant’s ankle began to show swelling once he returned to the locker room, leading to the Suns ruling him out for the game.

“I feel bad for him because he feels bad,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I saw his face and — I’ve been around him so many times — I know what he’s feeling and I don’t want him feeling that way at all.”

Despite the disappointment of Durant being unable to make his home debut for the team, the Suns were able to progress without him, pulling off a 132-101 win. Devin Booker turned up as the Suns’ key player on the night, scoring 44 points on 17-of-23 shooting in just 28 minutes.

Booker finds himself in strong form, being named the Western Conference Player of the Week.

The post Kevin Durant to Undergo MRI After Ankle Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Durant scored 23 points in 27 minutes as the Suns emerged 105-91 winners against the Charlotte Hornets, thereby snapping the Hornets’ five-game winning streak in the process.

“I feel like I fit in pretty well,” Durant commented after his debut. “Everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible,” Durant said. “I just got to keep grinding, man, and this jersey on me will look normal as games go on.”

One of the main talking points of the game was Durant’s partnership with the in-form Devin Booker. With Durant’s contributions, Booker scored 37 points while adding six rebounds and seven assists.

The only area of concern that emerged from Wednesday’s victory was the Suns’ apparent reliance on a few key players. Apart from Durant and Booker, the only other player who was able to enter double digits on the scoreboard was Deandre Ayton, who scored 16 points.

The post Kevin Durant Makes Suns Debut Following Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.