What we learned: Slumping Phoenix Suns 1-4 in last five games after loss at Sacramento Kings

SACRAMENTO – This is after a bad loss Tuesday night at Portland.

This is after Devin Booker said the Suns can’t be afraid to hold each other accountable and it’s time to pick it up.

This is after Frank Vogel laid out the game plan against Sacramento – get back on defense, matchup and defend 3s early in shot clock.

This is now a .500 team after trailing by as many as 29 points in the second half of a 120-105 loss to the Sacramento Kings before a sellout crowd of 17,794 at Golden 1 Center on Friday night.

No need to waste time.

Here’s what was learned as the Suns (14-14) now are 1-4 in their last five games. Kevin Durant scored a team-high 28 points and Booker added 24.

Domantas Sabonis led the Kings (17-10) with a triple-double of 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, De’Aaron Fox went for 23 points while Keegan Murray added 21 with 17 coming in the second half.

Disconnect?

The Suns repeatedly failed Friday night to get back on defense, matchup as well as defend the early 3.

Even after made baskets, the Kings got layups or layup opportunities.

How can they leave Murray, one of the game’s best 3-point shooters, in transition?

Booker did and Murray made them pay to give Sacramento a 93-64 lead with 6:47 left in the third.

The Kings finished the game with 21 transition points.

There is a disconnect when a team is coming off a bad loss, has had time to reflect on it, understands who they are playing and find themselves down darn near 30 at one point in the game.

The Suns went into halftime losing by only 11 points, but they gave up a 9-0 run to begin the second half to trail by 20 within the first two minutes of the half.

Shouldn’t happen, but the Suns continue to come out flat to start halves.

No Nurkic, Okogie

Here’s some quick housekeeping notes.

The Suns were without Jusuf Nurkic, who missed the game for personal reasons.

He’s expected to be back for Monday’s Christmas game against Dallas at Footprint Center although Vogel said he wasn’t sure about that after Friday’s game.

Josh Okogie was also ruled out after being listed as questionable with a right hip strain.

Calling it a hip flexor, Okogie has missed Phoenix’s last five games.

Vogel said Okogie still felt discomfort after Thursday’s practice and Friday’s morning shootaround.

Bradley Beal remains out with a right ankle sprain as he’ll be re-evaluated in early January while Damion Lee has been sidelined all season after having surgery on Oct. 11 on his right meniscus.

Two-way players providing spark

Udoka Azubuike and Saben Lee played their first major minutes Friday after seeing action in just four and two games, respectively.

They were next to last and last in minutes played at 11 for Lee and nine for Azubuike.

Maybe Vogel should consider playing them more after the way they looked Friday.

Azubuike got minutes because Nurkic was out and Vogel looked to have him play against the physical Sabonis. He was more than up to the challenge in posting a double-double of 11 points and 11 boards while Drew Eubanks managed just two points and two rebounds in 14 minutes.

Azubuike played 22 minutes and displayed his usual physicality. Knocked some guys down. Finished at the rim. He’s limited offensively, but the Suns will take 5-of-5 any day.

Lee only shot 2-of-8 in scoring six points, but he had four assists to one turnover – and pushed the tempo.

Then the Suns aren’t consistently getting that from anyone.

The fact that two two-way players sparked the team maybe speaks to where the Suns are right now.

Need a pace setter, point guard

Sounds like a broken record, but Lee showed in his extended time the value of a player pushing the ball.

He found Durant in transition for a dunk and kept venturing into the paint.

Listen, the idea of throwing the ball ahead with multiple ball handlers hasn’t materialized.

Having Beal will make the team better, but he’s not someone who consistently pushes the ball up, either.

The Suns should be looking for a point guard, even in a backup role, to come in and change the pace of the game.

They signed point guard Theo Maledon to a two-way deal. He’s improved as a floor leader, but isn’t a long-term answer.

Without a point guard, Booker and Durant are handling the ball more to create as well as score.

Sometimes it works.

Sometimes it leads to Durant committing seven turnovers like he did Friday night.

Emotional Suns

Yes, Josh Tiven didn’t have to give Durant a tech.

Could’ve let Durant coming onto the court slide. After all, Durant was celebrating a massive Azubuike dunk after the Suns got three offensive rebounds to keep that possession alive.

But Tiven gave Durant a tech for coming onto the court from the bench.

So, Booker reacts and bang, Tiven tees him up.

Then later in the first half, Durant is called for over-and-back being guarded by Kevin Huerter. He slams the ball down.

Vogel reacts and bang, Tiven tees him up.

Emotions are part of the game, but these Suns must stay calmer.

The Suns were only down 47-40 when Durant and Booker drew techs with 6:45 left in the second.

They only trailed by 11 at the half, but only trailed by seven before Harrison Barnes hit the tech free throw from Vogel and a 3 with 2.3 seconds left.

The Suns have allowed their emotions to impact the outcome of games.

Up next: Christmas vs. Doncic, Mavericks

This will be the Phoenix’s first game against Dallas and first matchup since Durant’s game-winner on March 5 to stun the Mavericks, 130-126, at American Airlines Center.

The Suns and Mavs never have met on Christmas.

Dallas (16-12) is coming off a 122-96 loss Friday at Houston as Luka Doncic (left quad strain) and Kyrie Irving (right heel contusion) both sat out.

The Mavs will host San Antonio in the second of a back-to-back Saturday before facing the Suns Monday.

The Mavs are seventh in the West. Doncic is second in the NBA in scoring at a career-best 32.7 points a game.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What we learned after slumping Suns now .500 following loss to Kings