SAN ANTONIO — Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal did not mince phrases on Monday night time following a disappointing efficiency.
The Suns, two days faraway from beating the San Antonio Spurs by 25, performed the identical workforce in the identical area, and this time the Spurs have been lacking star rookie Victor Wembanyama.
But the Spurs flipped the script with a 104-102 victory.
“It is disappointment,” Beal advised reporters after the sport. “We got here in right here and laid an egg. We thought it was going to be simple with no Wemby. Simply acquired our ass kicked. They got here out aggressive, similar to Coach advised us they might, and we did not reply. Properly, we did, however we did not face up to their punches.”
The loss despatched the Suns to 42-30 on the season. It was additionally their third loss in 4 possibilities in opposition to the Spurs, who’re the final within the Western Convention.
“It is simply unacceptable to lose that recreation,” Suns coach Frank Vogel stated. “For our guys, all of us stated the correct issues. All of us did the correct preparation. However we did not play with the mandatory focus on this place all through, I might say, the primary half.”
Phoenix now units off on the hardest remaining stretch of any workforce within the NBA whereas within the midst of a decent race to remain out of the Western Convention play-in. The Suns’ remaining 10 opponents have a mixed profitable proportion of .648.
In keeping with ESPN Stats & Info analysis, it is the hardest remaining 10-game stretch for the reason that 2015-16 Memphis Grizzlies, who had two video games every in opposition to the 67-15 Spurs and the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.
When requested a query in regards to the schedule, Vogel abruptly answered.
“We like our possibilities in opposition to anyone,” he stated. “We do not fear in regards to the schedule.”
Phoenix tried to take command within the third quarter, however the Spurs answered with a 16-2 run over the top of the third and begin of the fourth to grab the lead.
San Antonio led by 9 with 4:49 to go, however the Suns roared again and took the lead by the two:09 mark. With 51.8 seconds remaining, Devin Booker hit two free throws to place the Suns up 102-101.
San Antonio answered with a 3-pointer by Jeremy Sochan with 29.2 seconds left to retake the lead. Phoenix opted to not take a timeout — and did get appears to be like by Booker and Kevin Durant, however each missed, giving the Spurs the victory.
“We knew they have been going to play more durable [than Saturday’s game] and we knew they have been going to play with extra focus,” Durant advised reporters. “They acquired momentum on the finish of the third and form of cruised from there. The sport is about momentum.”
Sochan completed with 26 factors and a career-high 18 rebounds for San Antonio.
“I am not into disrespecting our opponents,” Booker stated in regards to the Spurs not having Wembanyama. “These guys are NBA guys. There are some gifted younger gamers over there. … We weren’t unprepared. We knew what to anticipate.”
Beal left the sport with 2:51 remaining and didn’t return due to a sprained proper ring finger. He stated the finger, which had been harm earlier than, acquired caught in somebody’s jersey and was “fairly painful.”
He does assume he’ll be capable to go within the Suns’ subsequent recreation in opposition to the Denver Nuggets. Vogel stated X-rays have been damaging on Beal’s finger.
Beal wasn’t the one Suns starter to go away the sport with an damage. Beginning heart Jusuf Nurkic was injured with 9:08 remaining within the third quarter and didn’t return due to a sprained proper ankle.
