KKevin Durant asked Phoenix Suns fans to remain dedicated to them despite their surprising back-to-back losses in Minnesota that left them trailing 0-2 in the first round of the playoffs against the third-seeded Timberwolves.
“They can’t give up on us right now,” Durant told reporters after the Suns’ 105-93 loss in Game 2 on April 23. “[Expletive], we need them more than anything. I know it’s been disappointing, last couple games — even the season — for our fans, but we need you more than ever now coming back home for Game 3.”
The Suns had the perfect game plan to stop Anthony Edwards, who dropped 33 points on them in Game 1. The problem, however, is Edwards’ supporting cast picked up the slack.
Jaden McDaniels scored a playoff career-high 25 points while his solid perimeter defense helped limit the Suns’ Big 3 of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to a combined 18 of 45 shooting.
Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley added 18 points apiece to cushion the impact of the Suns’ smothering defense on Edwards, who was held to 15 points on 3 of 12 shooting.
The series shifts to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4 where Suns had a 25-16 record in the regular season.
Durant who dueled Edwards in Game 1 with 31 points could only score 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting in Game 2.
Booker, who led the Suns with 20 points, was unfazed by the 0-2 series deficit.
“Don’t count us out,” Booker told reporters. “It’s a series for a reason.”
Grayson Allen Re-Aggravates Ankle Injury
Making a comeback much tougher for the Suns is Grayson Allen’s injury.
Phoenix lost Allen to an aggravated ankle sprain in the second half. He exited in the third quarter with only 3 points and 3 rebounds in 18 minutes of action.
But Suns coach Frank Vogel delivers a positive update after the loss.
“His X-ray was negative,” Vogel told reporters. “He re-aggravated the same ankle and he will be day-to-day.”
Allen just signed a four-year deal extension worth $70 million after averaging a career-high 13.5 points on a league-leading 46.1% from 3-point range in the regular season.
The deal will cost the Suns $79 million in salary and luxury tax in 2024-2025, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. But new Suns owner Matt Ishbia is all-in with Allen as the fourth key member of their core.
The Suns’ payroll for next season is projected to reach $206 million with $104 million in luxury tax. They had no choice but to extend Allen as they could not replace him in free agency. The Suns will enter next season as second apron team with limited roster flexibility under the new CBA.
A first-round flameout will not bode well for their immediate future.
Timberwolves Size Overwhelming Suns
The Suns swept the Timberwolves in the regular season. But the script flipped in the playoffs as the Timberwolves’ size posed a serious problem.
Minnesota is outrebounding Phoenix by an average of 11 in the first two games of the series.
The Timberwolves length, which is a key attribute to their league-leading defense, has held the Suns to just 94.0 points in the opening two games of the series.
It was the first time this season that the Suns were held below 100 points for consecutive games. The promised firepower of the Suns’ Big 3 failed to deliver in Minnesota.
However, the coach of the Suns is mainly focused on their defense, which he thinks could lead to better offense.
Vogel told reporters, “If they keep scoring on us and we're not making the necessary defensive plays, we can't execute our offense properly. We had too many possessions like that.”
