The Phoenix Suns reached their final destination on the road trip as they tipped off in San Antonio against the Spurs on Tuesday night.
The team made an adjustment in the starting lineup, placing Richaun Holmes at the center positon while Deandre Ayton remained sidelined with an ankle injury. Holmes won the opening tip and Devin Booker made the most of it knocking down a three to start the game.
But that was just the beginning for Booker.
By halftime, he already had 18 points as the Spurs held a slim 70-67 lead. The Suns were shooting close to 60 percent from the field at the break, but they would need to keep up their stellar shooting in order to pull off a win against one of the top home teams in the league.
Booker put up another 14 points in the third quarter, but the Suns still trailed by five heading into the fourth. The 22-year-old had already played 31 minutes and Head Coach Igor Kokoskov needed someone else to step up in order to give their young star some rest.
So why not someone almost twice Booker’s age?
Jamal Crawford opened the fourth quarter with two quick makes as the 19-year veteran proved that he still has plenty left in the tank. Even after Booker returned to the game, Crawford continued to knock down big shots, hitting a three-pointer midway through the fourth to make it a one-possession game.
The Suns kept pulling to within just a few points, but were struggling to erase the deficit completely.
With under a minute to go, the Suns trailed by three and needed a big time bucket. What they got, was a big time dunk.
Josh Jackson found Kelly Oubre Jr. inside who rose up over Davis Bertans and threw down a one-handed poster as the Suns then trailed only by one. However, Bertans quickly got his revenge, knocking down a three on the other end.
The Suns were in need of two possessions and had to act quickly with the clock ticking down. They put the ball in the hands of Booker who had been hot all night and this possession was no different.
Booker ran around the arc, pulled up from mid-range and drained the bucket to make it a two-point game with 24 seconds remaining.
The Spurs checked the ball in to Marco Belinelli who was quickly surrounded by Booker and Jackson. The double-team worked to perfection as Booker knocked the ball away and sent Jackson on his way to a fast break.
The second-year pro rose up with one hand and slammed home the game-tying dunk.
But with 20 seconds left on the clock, the Suns would have to turn their focus back to the defensive side of the ball if they hoped to force overtime.
With no shot clock, Rudy Gay let the clock run down, began to drive and even with Oubre draped all over him, pulled up and knocked down the game-winning buzzer-beater. The Spurs defeated the Suns 126-124.
This was the Suns third loss on a game-winner in just eight games after also falling to the Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Losing three or four to game winners, you realize you have to be locked in the full game,” Booker said. “It’s not just the final shot.”
Booker tied his season-high with 38 points, while also tallying seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. This was his 17th game with at least 25 points and seven assists, trailing only last season’s MVP James Harden.
Even in the loss, Booker could still find positives in the way his team battled.
“Overall, everyone was moving,” Booker said. “Everyone was defending. Nobody was just standing around watching. We had good movement. The guys stepped up big against a really good team. It’s a step forward for us.”
Crawford had possibly his best game in a Suns uniform, scoring a season-high 22 while dishing out seven assists. At 38 years old, he became the second oldest Sun to score over 20 points (Grant Hill, 39).
“We gave ourselves a chance,” Crawford said. “We played with the right spirits. It was a battle all night. It was a well-played game. Tonight we just got the short end.”
The Suns return home on Saturday as they gear up to face the Atlanta Hawks. Be sure to catch the action on Fox Sports Arizona.