PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - The Phoenix Suns may have shown brief promise with a four-game winning streak earlier this month, but Sunday’s performance against the Houston Rockets revealed that any hope for a breakthrough may have been short-lived. The Suns suffered a crushing 148-109 loss, extending their losing streak to three games.
With the loss, Phoenix now finds itself two games back in the standings behind the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks, making their postseason hopes appear more distant. Despite the high stakes, the team struggled to display the urgency needed at this stage of the season.
“Tonight was a bad night,” said Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer, acknowledging the lack of effort. “We were not good. Urgency, anything you want to put on it, we were not good.”
When asked if he believes the team is playing with the desperation it needs, Budenholzer responded, “There’s desperation. And then you have to go play. You have to go and get stops, make plays on both ends. Desperation is important, but you have to play better.”
The Rockets exploded to a 16-0 lead early in the second quarter, which quickly ballooned to a 17-point advantage for Houston. Dillon Brooks was ejected after a confrontation with an official, and Houston was missing key players like Tari Eason.
At halftime, the Suns found themselves down by 29 points, with the home crowd expressing their frustration through loud boos. The team’s lack of cohesion and identity was glaring throughout the first half, leaving them unable to match the energy of the Rockets. While the Suns briefly showed fight earlier in the month, it was clear that their struggles run deeper than just a few bad games.
On top of the team’s collective failure, there was a worrying injury to forward Kevin Durant. Durant twisted his left ankle in the third quarter while driving to the basket and was forced to leave the game with a noticeable limp. He did not return to action, and the Suns announced he would undergo an MRI on Monday. With just two weeks left in the season, the possibility that Durant may have played his last game for the Suns is now looming large.
As the season nears its end, the Suns find themselves in dire need of a turnaround. Whether it’s the players, coaches, or front office, changes must be made to address the deep-rooted issues plaguing the team. After a promising stretch, the Suns now seem stuck in a cycle of disappointment.