The final game of 2024 for the Phoenix Suns was another loss to an injured opponent.
The Suns were whole tonight, at least from a Big Three perspective. It was the first time since December 19 in which Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal took the court together. But it would not last. It was Beal’s turn to get hurt as he exited in the second quarter with a hip contusion. As @PHXFansAZ tweeted, this has been the run of the Big Three this season:
- Game 2 – Beal hurt
- Game 4 – Beal returns
- Game 4 – Beal hurt
- Game 6 – Beal returns
- Game 9 – Durant hurt
- Game 11 – Beal hurt
- Game 17 – Durant returns, Beal returns
- Game 18 – Beal hurt
- Game 20 – Beal returns, Durant hurt
- Game 24 – Durant returns, Beal hurt
- Game 26 – Beal returns, Booker hurt
- Game 32 – Booker returns, Beal hurt
On the other side of the ball, the Memphis Grizzlies were not. But don’t tell them that. And never tell the Suns that. Because if they have a chance to play down to the level of the competition, if they have any chance to lose the mental edge, they do. And they did.
The Suns never held a lead against the Grizzlies. Sure, they got close time and again, but they could never seize control. Every opportunity to tie the game unraveled into a missed shot or a careless turnover. Seventeen turnovers in total, each one a nail in the coffin.
Meanwhile, Jaren Jackson Jr. tore through Phoenix’s interior defense, dropping 38 points, while Desmond Bane added 31 of his own. That’s right: despite being riddled with injuries, Memphis saw its two best players combine for a staggering 69 points on 25-of-48 shooting.
On the Suns’ side? Durant poured in 29, and Booker added just 16. That’s 47 points combined, well short of the firepower Memphis brought to the table. Booker, in his return, slogged through a brutal 4-of-20 shooting night, emblematic of the Suns’ struggles to convert when it mattered most.
The Suns end the 2024 calendar year with a 15-17 record on the season.
Game Flow
First Half
As expected, the Grizzlies began the game pounding the interior, knowing that the Suns’ interior defense is sub-par and without Jusuf Nurkic, there would be no size resistance. Mason Plumlee was played off the court almost immediately.
The Grizzlies were up 11-2 right out of the gate and Mike Budenholzer opted to turn to Oso Ighodaro at the five.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. feasted in the paint, scoring 19 points in the first quarter on 7-of-9 shooting. He had three and-one opportunities as he attacked at will and logged two fouls on Mason Plumlee and two fouls on Oso Ighodaro.
The Grizzlies outscored the Suns 20 to 12 in the paint, and Phoenix shooting 25% from beyond the arc didn’t help their cause either. The Suns trailed by 10 points after one quarter.
The second quarter began with a flicker of hope for the Suns, a 7-0 run sparked by the unmistakable rhythm of Devin Booker, freshly back in the lineup and moving like he had something to prove. Five of those points belonged to him, his jumper falling with a precision that hinted at redemption. The Suns were clawing, grasping for any semblance of momentum.
But like a slap in the face from reality, Memphis answered. A 13-5 counterpunch, orchestrated by the relentless Desmond Bane, erased any ground Phoenix had gained and reset the deficit to 11.
Devin Booker stepped back onto the court, ready to remind us all what the Suns could look like when at full strength. And just as the cheers swelled for his return, Bradley Beal limped off, stage left, nursing a left hip contusion. Because of course he did. That’s the Phoenix Suns’ season in a nutshell: one star steps up while another takes a tumble. It’s not a roster; it’s a revolving door of injuries.
At this point, it’s less tragic and more sitcom absurdity. Who’s next? Are they drawing straws in the locker room, betting on whose turn it is to sit out? Don’t get me wrong, injuries aren’t their fault. But the timing, the consistency, the sheer predictability of it all? It’s Shakespearean in its cruelty, except nobody’s laughing. Well, maybe we are, because if you don’t laugh, you cry.
JJJ had 25 for Memphis and Desmond Bane had 17, while KD had 16 points and Booker was 3-of-10.
Suns down 14 at the half.
Second Half
Phoenix opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run, clawing their way back into striking distance. The halftime break seemed to do its job, giving the team a chance to regroup and recalibrate after the gut punch of losing Bradley Beal. This was, after all, an undermanned Grizzlies squad.
The Suns dialed up their intensity, forcing turnovers and steadily chipping away at the lead. They’d narrow the gap to three. Then two. Then four. But just when it felt like the tide was about to turn, Memphis would answer with a dagger. A clutch three, a contested midrange, a momentum-crushing bucket.
Each time Phoenix closed in, the Grizzlies found a way to shove the lead just out of reach.
This trend happened the entire third quarter. Phoenix outscored the Grizz 31-22 in the third, but still couldn’t take the lead as they entered the fourth down 91-86.
Monte Morris was highly valuable in this game, being allotted extra minutes as Bradley Beal was out with an injury. He embodied the hustle this team so often lacked, although to their credit, they’ve possessed over these past four games. Morris scored 12 points off the bench.
For the second time in a week, the Suns found themselves in the middle of a fracas. No punches were thrown, no faces slapped, but tensions flared when Devin Booker and some guy named Cam Spencer exchanged heated words and a shove. The spat ignited after Spencer tried to snatch the ball from Booker’s hands while he was busy arguing a call.
The Suns held the Grizzlies at 95 points for over two minutes in the fourth quarter, but managed to score just three points themselves during that stretch. Once again, they failed to capitalize on opportunities, a recurring theme that’s becoming harder to ignore. The parallels between this squad and the 2017-18 Suns are staggering. Well, aside from the small detail of a $223 million payroll.
With 5:02 left and down 103-97, the Suns entered the bonus. Could free throws save them? Nope.
The Suns got back within two points yet again, but when it came time to close the gap, they faltered. A Memphis three-pointer. A missed defensive rebound that led to a layup by Desmond Bane. A Phoenix miss on the other end. Then an and-1 from Memphis to seal the deal. Suns fall short and lose, 117-112.
Up Next
The 2025 calendar year opens with a three-game road trip that starts in Indiana this Saturday. We’ll see you then, Bright Side.
Happy New Year’s. Cheers to 2025.