Playoff atmosphere? Check.
Entertaining game? Check.
The Phoenix Suns conquering their second-half-of-the-season issues on a big stage and coming away with a sturdy win? Yeah, that one’s unchecked.
Phoenix stumbled down the stretch, squandering an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in a 114-110 play-in loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
This game was all over the place. Phoenix scorched the nets in the first quarter, shooting 67 percent from the floor, but still only led by three because of math. All 12 of the Suns’ buckets came from two-point range while Portland, which shot only 41 percent, canned six threes on 17 first-quarter attempts. Phoenix didn’t get its first three until Jordan Goodwin hit one with 3:11 to go in the first half.
The Suns have also struggled with stopping dribble penetration and straight-line drives to the hoop. Those struggles continued against the relentless attack of Deni Avdija, who riddled the Phoenix defense with 41 points and 12 assists. The Suns went with smaller perimeter defenders against Avdija and paid the price against the All-Star, who had 14 points in the fourth quarter.
And once again, the Suns’ late-game offense shut down in the final seven minutes or so, as they went 2-for-8 following a Jalen Green jumper with under 7 to go that put the Suns up 11.
A lot of the criticism for this loss will fall on Devin Booker, who finished with 22 points, but had just one bucket and one assist in the second half and missed five free throws in the game.
But the real issue once again comes to roster construction. The Suns’ lack of size and length was constantly exploited in the second half of the season and was on display for 17,071 fans and the basketball-watching world on Tuesday.
The Suns may win on Friday night to clinch the 8th spot in the West, but that will likely lead to an even more extreme display of the size and length differential that can’t really be addressed until the summertime.
Follow @Vincemarotta
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