How Suns Lost Control in Oklahoma City

Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker's 46 points wasn't enough in the loss to the Thunder.

Despite Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker's 46 point performance, a decisive fourth quarter went the Oklahoma City Thunder’s way on Sunday. 

The Suns lost their first of a three-game road trip in close fashion 124-120. Booker led all scorers with 46 points and was dueling with Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all night - who had 40 points of his own. 

The Suns assisted on 31 of their buckets yet couldn’t stop the Thunder’s momentum late in the game.

Suns role players couldn't keep pace with the Thunder's fourth quarter effort. 

Up by 10 points early in the fourth quarter, the Suns hit a scoring wall which saw their lead vanish after turnovers and poor looks offensively frustrated the Suns. A nearly four-minute scoring drought was the turning point in the game and led the Thunder to take control of the pace, going for a 10-0 run. 

Thunder G Josh Giddey checked into the game at the 10:35 mark in the fourth quarter and sparked a momentous string of floaters and back door feeds that helped the Thunder tie the game with 7:28 to go in the game.

The nearly four-minute stretch was also without Booker on the floor. The Suns time with Booker on the bench will be critical as the season nears the playoffs.

Devin Booker's point totals in March: 37, 35, 36, 44, 28, 32, 30, 19 and 46.

He's shooting 57.1% across those nine games.

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) March 19, 2023

With Booker back in the game, the offense relied primarily on Booker creating shot for himself off the dribble. Gilgeous-Alexander and Booker traded buckets back and forth as the minutes drained from the clock and the atmosphere in the building rose.

At the 4:40 mark, Booker dribbled the ball off Thunder F Aaron Wiggins’ foot resulting in a turnover the other way. The and-one lay-up gave the Thunder the complete momentum and Wiggins drilled the free-throw stretching the Thunder lead to nine points.

"We're at the point in the season every game counts."

Devin Booker after #Suns loss Sunday at OKC as he scored 46 points. pic.twitter.com/ZNcLyOdpRY

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 20, 2023

The momentum never swung back the Suns way and the comeback effort fell short. Booker finished with the final two Suns buckets to make things interesting under a minute, but the Suns ultimately ran out of time.

A Thunder 10-0 run in the fourth led to frustrated play from Phoenix as the lead slipped away. Suns bench play will be big down the stretch. 

The Suns bench will be the biggest factor for wins with Booker marking up the scorer’s sheet the past few weeks. Solid bench play will be crucial for player’s confidence as the playoffs near. The next road test for the Suns will come on Wednesday in Los Angeles against the Lakers.