Suns coach Mike Budenholzer acquired to expertise firsthand the greatness of Kevin Durant. In spite of everything, it was Durant’s shot with 21.2 seconds left that despatched the season-opening highway win over the Clippers to extra time.
Durant completed with a team-high 25 factors within the 116-113 victory, ruining the opening of the Clippers’ new gymnasium.
“We’ve all seen it for a long time,” Budenholzer stated of Durant, by way of Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “It’s just great to be on his side.”
Bradley Beal completed with 24 factors, serving to Phoenix overcome the early departure of fellow star Devin Booker, who fouled out with 15 factors within the fourth quarter. Newcomer Tyus Jones scored 11, together with an important 3-pointer, displaying that he could also be the place to begin guard Phoenix lacked final season.
However if you win on the highway, it typically is due to your star gamers. Durant provided critical proof of that.
“It felt good to get a win, a team win,” Beal stated, by way of Rankin. “We did a good job of staying poised and closing out at the end.”
Budenholzer, fired as Bucks coach earlier than the beginning of final season, received his first sport with the workforce he beat within the 2021 NBA Finals. He’s 12-9 in opposition to the Clippers lifetime. After teaching the Bucks and Hawks earlier than that, that is his first head-coaching gig within the Western Convention.
Rankin wrote: “The Suns allowed 13 offensive rebounds and 62 points in the paint, showing once again their lack of size and having issues keeping the ball in front, but down the stretch, they earned key stops.”
For extra of Phoenix professional basketball on Hoops Wire, take a look at our Suns web page.
Subsequent up: The Suns go to the Lakers on Friday night time. Finally, we assume, Phoenix will get to play a house sport (Saturday vs. the Mavericks, truly).
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