The Phoenix Suns fought valiantly against the Denver Nuggets, battling back from a 21-point deficit to force overtime. Kevin Durant’s clutch three-pointer at the buzzer extended the game, a testament to the team’s resilience.
Like the comeback win against the Clippers before it, this fight required grit, toughness, and an unrelenting will to stay in the game. In the end, it was still a loss.
While Phoenix has shown it can erase massive deficits, that’s not an identity to embrace. It’s a survival mechanism. With 19 games left, if they want a shot at the Play-In, unfortunately this is the script they’ll have to follow.
The Suns’ identity has been clear all season: they can’t sustain high-level play across all facets of the game. When the offense clicks, the defense crumbles. When the defense tightens, the offense falters. When both align, turnovers become their undoing. It’s a frustrating inconsistency that makes every game an unpredictable grind.
Last night’s game was thrilling, but it reinforced a sobering truth: this is who they are. This team is not built to hold leads. Or even earn them. They are built to chase. And with each game, the climb only gets steeper. Against Denver, Phoenix led for a grand total of 1:14, with their largest lead just two points. That is not a sustainable formula for success. Yet, for the remainder of this season, this is Suns basketball.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Kevin Durant cooked on Tuesday night’s epic comeback against the Clippers. Cooked! Baked! Sautéed! He was a one-man firestorm in the fourth quarter, dropping 19 points and locking down defenders like a heat-seeking missile on a mission to destroy. The man was everywhere. Slicing through defenders, draining shots from every corner of the court. Unbelievable. A true show of superstar brilliance.
But it wasn’t enough. No, no, not enough. Because Collin Gillespie came out of nowhere and showed us what we’ve been missing all season: raw youth, boundless energy, and a gritty determination that had us all forgetting what season it is.
While Durant was turning the Clippers into a flashback to the ‘90s — tough, relentless, and near impossible to stop — Gillespie was doing the dirty work. The stuff that gets lost in the box score. He was crashing the boards, making smart passes, and, most importantly, bringing a hunger that’s been lacking on this roster. The Suns have needed someone like him, someone with that “I’ll do whatever it takes” mentality to balance out the all-world scoring of KD. And man, did he deliver. A quiet storm on a night when everything else was burning bright.
So, yeah, Durant’s cooking might’ve been the main course, but Gillespie’s grit was the secret ingredient. Don’t forget it. Welcome to the Bright Side Baller standings, CG12.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Kevin Durant
29 points (10-of-16, 3-of-7 3PT), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, -5 +/-
Devin Booker
34 points (10-of-19, 5-of-10 3PT), 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, -13 +/-
Nick Richards
18 points (9-of-13), 5 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 block, -19 +/-
Mason Plumlee
18 points (7-of-8), 11 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 block, +11 +/-
Bradley Beal
11 points (5-of-13, 0-of-5 3PT), 1 rebound, 9 assists, 0 turnovers, -13 +/-
Grayson Allen
11 points (3-of-4, 2-of-2 3PT), 0 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 2 turnovers, +7 +/-
Not many of these are left. Who gets your Bright Side Baller for last night’s game?
Poll
Bright Side Baller: Suns @ Nuggets
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Kevin Durant
(0 votes)
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Devin Booker
(0 votes)
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Nick Richards
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Mason Plumlee
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Bradley Beal
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Grayson Allen
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Other (comment below)
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0 votes total Vote Now
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