PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are now on a four-game winning streak after last night's win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The win was much needed to keep possession of the West's No. 10 seed as the final spot in the play-in tournament with the Dallas Mavericks tied with the same 35-37 record.
Defense has been the name of the game for Phoenix's success as of late, as the Suns have been able to reverse some of their traditionally poor effort on that side of the court in their winning streak - something head coach Mike Budenholzer noted in his post-game press conference.
"I think the defense has been trending in a good direction. I think the thing tonight, the first quarter, we were not as good as we needed to be, but we got better and better as the game went on. Our defense got better, our execution, and our rotations," he said.
"So, I think that's what you need to be as a team. You need to just get better as the 48 minutes go and tonight; that's a big takeaway for our defense. It just got better as the game went on."
A main proponent of the team's success has been Kevin Durant, who is averaging 30 points per night on this current winning streak.
"I think the thing is that he's just really letting the three-ball fly. He's getting some kind of early in the clock, in transition, trailing into the top of the key and letting it go," Budenholzer said of Durant.
"Book (Devin Booker) finding him on the one pretty late. I think Book's playmaking has been great. Book commands attention and you have to figure out if you're going to take care of him, and if there's any space, he's finding Kevin (Durant). He's just shooting it.
"He's in a good rhythm and a good groove. I think the players are figuring out spacing for him better and better. I just love how he's letting it fly."
Budenholzer was also asked about Royce O'Neale inbounding the ball to Booker, who hit the game-winning shot with just seconds left on the clock.
DEVIN BOOKER WINS IT FOR PHOENIX IN THE FINAL SECONDS 🚨🚨
TEXTBOOK STEPBACK MID-RANGE BUCKET!! pic.twitter.com/5fR0rNult2
— NBA (@NBA) March 25, 2025
"He has a calmness about him. He has vision, he understands what defenders and defenses are doing at the end of games. He's done it a lot; he's seen probably almost everything. He just has a great calmness, great poise, and you have to have the guts to make those passes and he's got all that," he said of O'Neale.
The Suns are next in action on Wednesday against the Boston Celtics.