Phoenix Suns lose in closing seconds after San Antonio Spurs' second half comeback
The Phoenix Suns (2-2) lost in a massive second half collapse to the San Antonio Spurs 115-114 at home on Tuesday.
San Antonio (2-2) forward Keldon Johnson had a game-high 27 points with his four rebounds and three assists. His rookie star teammate Victor Wembanyama had 18 points on 50% shooting (2-of-6 from deep) and a team-best eight rebounds in the win.
Phoenix's Kevin Durant had his team-high 26 points, and missed a last shot that would've put them ahead. Eric Gordon had 20 points in the losing effort.
Phoenix had its biggest lead 20 early in the third quarter, then San Antonio steadily chipped at the lead, outscoring Phoenix in the second half 70-51.
Phoenix faces San Antonio again for the last of its three-game homestand on Thursday.
Suns still lead entering 4th quarter
Phoenix is up 95-82 over San Antonio at the end of the third.
San Antonio forward Keldon Johnson currently has the game-high 21 points (8-of-16 shooting, 4-of-8 from the arc) with four assists. Phoenix's Eric Gordon has a team-high 20 points (8-of-12 FG), and Kevin Durant has 18 points and has dished out a team-best seven assists.
Suns lead Spurs by 18 at halftime
Phoenix is ahead of San Antonio 63-48 at the intermission, the game's largest margin.
Grayson Allen has 16 points (4-of-5 FG) for Phoenix and leads all scorers. His teammates Kevin Durant and Eric Gordon are tied for the games' second-most 14 points.
San Antonio's top draft pick Victor Wembanyama has been contained to just six points and four rebounds. He's shooting a mere 1-of-6 from the floor, and has made 4-of-4 from the free throw line. But the 19-year-old Frenchman's only field goal wowed the crowd as he showcased his talent.
After Durant slashed through the paint to bang in a two-handed dunk off an inbounds pass at 21 seconds left, Wembanyama answered that with an empathic driving left-handed dunk shortly before the clock expired.
Anything you can do, I can do crazier.
Kevin Durant dunked on Victor Wembanyama on a backdoor cut on an inbounds play.
On the other end, Wembanyama got past Durant, who ran out to contest, went to basket and dunked on Drew Eubanks.#Suns 63-45 half.
Durant 14 Wemby 6. #Spurs pic.twitter.com/lMJd2nxjz6— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 1, 2023
Like Suns coach Frank Vogel said about Wembanyama in the team's pregame media session, this kid "lives up to the hype.”
Durant nails jumper over Wembanyama to close 1st quarter
The Suns ended the opening period leading the Spurs, 27-18.
Phoenix's Kevin Durant and Eric Gordon have the hottest hands in the game, scoring 10 (5-of-7 shooting) and nine points (4-of-5 FG), respectively.
Phoenix started on a 10-2 run before San Antonio began to gain some steam to cut the early lead to three. Then Phoenix began to extend its lead again after Eric Gordon hit a 3 at 6:14 left.
Durant and San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama have been guarding each other as their teams' starting power forwards. Durant ran an isolation play on Wembanyama while milking the shot and game clocks in the closing seconds, dribbled from near half-court to the right baseline, and nailed the contested jump shot over the 7-foot-4 rookie star to beat the buzzer.
Durant milks the clock and nails the iso jumper over Wembanyama along the right baseline to beat the shot clock at end of 1Q. #Suns #Spurs pic.twitter.com/IBxoYczOB8
— DANA (@iam_DanaScott) November 1, 2023
Booker, Spurs' Wembanyama show their Halloween spirit
Is this Devin Booker or BOO-ker?
The Suns All-Star won't play on Tuesday, the team's first of two straight home matchups against the Spurs. But he did show up to the Footprint Center donning a sinister-looking wolf mask for Halloween en route to the Suns' locker room.
Devin Booker walking to the Suns locker room rocking a wolf mask. #Halloween pic.twitter.com/nbX2ujBxsu
— DANA (@iam_DanaScott) November 1, 2023
Before Booker arrived, San Antonio's 7-foot-4 top overall pick Victor Wembanyama stepped in the arena wearing a black suit and white collared shirt with a pale stocking over his head to resemble "Slender Man." That's the tall, lithe supernatural villain from the 2018 horror film of that same title.
Is that scary enough?
Victor Wembanyama pulled up for Spurs-Suns dressed as Slenderman for Halloween 👀
(via @TrevorMBooth) pic.twitter.com/8UDwGwv2Pm— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 31, 2023
Who wins NBA game Tuesday? San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns picks, predictions, odds
Starting lineups
Phoenix will begin Tuesday's game with Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen in the backcourt, Josh Okogie and Kevin Durant at forward, and Yusuf Nurkic at center. This is the third consecutive game that Phoenix has began with this lineup in the absence of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
San Antonio will have Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell at guard, Keldon Johnson and Victor Wembanyama at forward, and Zach Collins in the middle.
Booker, Beal injury updates
Both Devin Booker (ankle) and Bradley Beal (lower back) have been ruled again for Tuesday night's game against San Antonio as they continue to nurse injuries.
Booker also missed the team's games against the Lakers and Jazz. Beal has yet to play in the regular season.
Read Republic reporter Duane Rankin's full story at the link below:
What's happening with Booker, Beal? Suns stars still out with injuries
About those Durant-Wembanyama comparisons
The Republic's Duane Rankin has some thoughts about early comparisons between the Spurs' No. 1 overall draft pick, Victor Wembanyama, and superstars like the Suns' Kevin Durant and the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Victor Wembanyama and Kevin Durant doing their individual warmups before Suns host Spurs. pic.twitter.com/YADEtMLlsk
— DANA (@iam_DanaScott) November 1, 2023
The bottom line? Wembanyama is a great young talent, but he's got to prove more before he can be listed among such great players.
Read his full analysis at the link below:
Opinion Let's relax on comparing rookie Victor Wembanyama to Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo
"The biggest thing watching tape, he likes to roam around a lot. They like to put him on 'non shooters' or guys who aren't going to shoot so he can patrol the paint. Just have an awareness to see where he's at."
Drew Eubanks on Victor Wembanyama as Suns face Spurs. #Suns #Spurs pic.twitter.com/blsarX2lFo— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 31, 2023
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns lose in second half collapse to San Antonio Spurs
