PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns put enough weight on both ends of the scale to hold off the Atlanta Hawks in Thursday’s game at the Footprint Center, but ultimately a season high in 3-pointers and an outstanding game from their bench counterbalanced the negatives in a 128-115 victory.
Phoenix (41-29) made 22 of 41 triples, knocking down 10 more 3-pointers than Atlanta (31-39), with the ball moving around to create great looks for shooters.
That’s tied for third-most made 3s in franchise history.
“The point-five mindset,” head coach Frank Vogel called it. “Every match is different. You play against a team that changes, then you have to ask your terminators to go for the kill. This team tonight brought two to the ball and all the action to five. So some nights it’s easier than others. Move the ball quickly, get around the horn and open the three-point line.
The bench contributed to downtown’s success with its best game of the season, as Vogel said. Led by 21 points from Eric Gordon and 14 from Royce O’Neale, Phoenix’s bench outscored Atlanta’s 47-26, much-needed depth on the second night of a back-to-back.
The duo made a combined 8 of 12 3s while taking advantage of open looks, although Gordon’s range was seemingly limitless on Thursday.
Center Drew Eubanks provided tremendous energy and played a big role in the second half after Jusuf Nurkic returned to the locker room after taking a shot to the face in the third quarter. Nurkic came back in the fourth, but Eubanks blocked three shots and added seven points in 16 minutes.
“We had some other really good (games), but I can’t praise these guys enough; they get the ball collectively,” Vogel said.
The Hawks – without three starters, including Trae Young – still managed to stay competitive with five minutes left, but the Suns closed the game on a 13-5 run and outscored Atlanta 32-22 in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker iced the game with a trio of 3-pointers late in the game, and he finished with a game-high 30 points.
Grayson Allen blocked Hawks center Clint Capela in the lane, leading to a tough runner from Kevin Durant that started the split at 107-100. Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray — who was terrific with a rebound within a 29-point triple-double — hit Bradley Beal in the head as he drove toward the hoop the other way, causing a Flagrant 1.
Booker hit all three triples in the final three minutes of the game.
“What’s in this bag, what do you have in this bag, DBook?”@JonBloom I felt it after that three-ball from Devin Booker. pic.twitter.com/CsbGpIZSRB
– Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 22, 2024
The math worked in Phoenix’s favor, but it turned the ball over 17 times after 23 giveaways in a win over the 76ers on Wednesday.
Four Suns turnovers in the first six minutes contributed to a hot start for Atlanta, which went up 25-11 to open the game, leading to boos from the home crowd.
Most of the errors were unforced, a common occurrence at this point for a team that entered Thursday ranked 25th in the NBA in turnovers per game and turnover percentage.
“Our guys are really looking to get past the basketball, that’s the way we want to play, that’s what we want to be,” Vogel said. “We just have to do it more carefully.”
“I would say shoot more, especially in the paint,” Booker said. “Avoid those passes in the paint, those low bounce passes. Be more aggressive, look to score the ball.
Phoenix also had to do without Booker for nearly a quarter of the second half after he picked up a fifth foul midway through the third period. It wasn’t Durant’s night either, shooting the ball 5-for-15 (19 points).
Beal finished with just 12 points on seven shot attempts, but Vogel credited him with setting up many open shots and taking on the task of defending Murray for most of the night. Beal was by far the best starter via plus/minus at plus-17.
Bradley Beal flies to the cup as the Suns take a five-point lead at halftime???? pic.twitter.com/HDco5y5hqF
– Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 22, 2024
Phoenix closed the night even with the Dallas Mavericks for sixth and seventh place in the Western Conference with 12 games remaining. The Suns’ next two games will be at the San Antonio Spurs.
