The Phoenix Suns made some progress on Sunday night when they won at the Dallas Mavericks, closing the gap on the freefalling team. But there were signs of worry, with the Suns run close by a heavily depleted Mavs.
The very next game, the gap was re-extended, with the Mavericks winning over the Spurs, while the Phoenix Suns lost a close game to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Suns are 0-4 to the Grizzlies this season, running Memphis close each time, falling narrowly short once again. Phoenix remain in 11th seed in the Western Conference.
The Phoenix Suns lost 118-120 to the Memphis Grizzlies, with Kevin Durant taking a three point shot in the final seconds. He had a clean look, but his shot bounced back off the rim, condemning the team to another loss. While he scored 35 points in the game, this late miss undid his hard work.
The Suns need to put a run of form together but are 4-6 over the last 10 and 30-35 for the season, behind the 33-33 Mavericks.
Durant’s last shot could be a crucial one at the end of the season, although as NBA insider Brian Windhorst points out, it is not the only one he has missed against the Grizzlies.
Speaking to NBA Today, Windhorst pointed out Durant’s role in all four games the Grizzlies have won over the Suns.
He said: “This game is so indicative of the way their season has gone. They played the Grizzlies tight all four times.
“All four times KD’s had a shot to tie it or win it late, and he’s missed all four of them.
“His face at the end of this game is the personification of the Suns season, what he looked like after he missed that shot.
“It was amazing that they even got that shot, he liked it, I think he was surprised it didn’t go in. That’s what he would have looked like at the start of the season if I told him that they would have been 30-35 in mid-March.”
Windhorst is already on record explaining he expects Kevin Durant to be traded away by the Phoenix Suns at the end of the season.
He does not expect them to put a late season run together that makes a difference.
“Maybe they make the Play-In but they won’t make the Playoffs, because how can I trust them if they get to 10? You look at their schedule and there are not many games you look at and say they can win.
He added: “It’s just impossible to explain the pieces that they have, and the way those pieces are playing do not equal a team that loses almost every night, and that’s what’s been happening.”
Next up the Suns face the Rockets on the road, before a home game against the Kings, before visiting the Lakers.
Durant’s missed shot could be crucial by the end of the season, for a team dubbed the most disappointing in the league.
