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Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant is showing once again why he’s an all-time great and remains one of the game’s best players at age 36.
Just check the numbers — and wins to go along with them.
Durant has averaged 35.3 points on 55.3% shooting, six rebounds, seven assists and 1.3 blocks in Phoenix’s three contests prior to Wednesday's home game against Boston. All of those ended in victories, with the latter two coming against NBA East leader Cleveland and playoff-bound Milwaukee.
“It’s special," Suns forward Royce O’Neale said. “He’s doing a great job of leading us. Knocking down big shots. Creating opportunities for other guys as well. He gets so much attention on the offensive end that guys are going to be open. He’s playing the right way. Getting to his spots and knocking them down.”
The Suns (35-37 entering Wednesday night's game) are playing perhaps their best basketball with Durant leading the way. They’ll likely need another special performance from him Wednesday against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics at PHX Arena to conclude a five-game homestand.
Recently named Western Conference Player of the Week, Durant wasn’t focused on continuing to have a heater against the Celtics.
“I just go out there and play and just let the game flow how it flows,” Durant said after Wednesday morning's shootaround.
“That’s how it’s been flowing the last couple of games. I’ve got to be prepared for any situation. I might not put up a lot of shots some games or it might not call for that. So I just got to keep playing, find ways to be effective and making my teammates’ life easier as well. Just play the game. I don’t think too much about the end result.”
The Celtics (52-19) may be without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable after suffering a left ankle sprain in the second half of Monday’s win over the Sacramento Kings.
Boston is riding a six-game win streak. The Celtics are 11-1 in their last 12 games. They have All-Star Jaylen Brown back from injury and Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 23 points and 8.25 rebounds in four games since returning from an illness that sidelined him eight games.
Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are proven backcourt, Payton Pritchard is in the running for NBA sixth man of the year and the Celtics continue to defend and launch at will from 3.
They are fifth in the NBA in defensive rating and first in 3s made at 17.8 and taken at 48.2.
“They’re champs for a reason, they’ve got a deep team,” Durant said. “They just keep it rolling. They’ve got a system they stand on both ends of the floor and they can just plug and play guys.”
The Suns have been one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams this season as they are 26th in defensive rating. They’re playing much better on that end as of late.
Phoenix is 11th in defensive rating during the four-game win streak.
“Bringing a lot of intensity,” O’Neale said. “Flying around. Trying to force turnovers. Guys just rotating for each other. Us talking, being more connected."
The defensive improvement has enabled the Suns to play through rough offensive patches and turnovers to remain in games. They were able to defeat the Bucks, 108-106, despite committing 16 turnovers that led to 27 Milwaukee points.
Devin Booker hit the game-winner with 2.4 seconds left. He’s one of the game’s best scorers, but his playmaker ability has been on full display in recent games.
Booker is averaging 24.1 points and 9.8 assists in his last six games.
“He’s seeing the floor at an all-time rate,” Durant said. “The game is slowing down. He’s seeing stuff before it opens up.”
The Suns are still without Bradley Beal, who missed his fifth straight game Wednesday with a left hamstring strain, but they’re looking to stay hot in pursuit of a play-in spot.
“We put ourselves in this situation,” Booker said after Monday’s win. “So, it feels like the playoffs already got to have every game.”
Phoenix was a 10th seed holding the final play-in spot in the Western Conference Wednesday, but it had the same record as ninth-seeded Sacramento heading into the Celtics game. If the Suns beat the Kings in the final regular season on April 13 in Sacramento, it will even the season series at 2-2.
If both teams have the same record at season’s end, Phoenix will win the tiebreaker because it’ll have a better record in the Pacific Division than the Kings.
They each have two games left in the Pacific Division. The Suns are 9-5 in the division while the Kings have a 4-10 record in the division.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant, Suns look to extend win streak, face NBA champion Celtics
Continue reading...
Just check the numbers — and wins to go along with them.
Durant has averaged 35.3 points on 55.3% shooting, six rebounds, seven assists and 1.3 blocks in Phoenix’s three contests prior to Wednesday's home game against Boston. All of those ended in victories, with the latter two coming against NBA East leader Cleveland and playoff-bound Milwaukee.
“It’s special," Suns forward Royce O’Neale said. “He’s doing a great job of leading us. Knocking down big shots. Creating opportunities for other guys as well. He gets so much attention on the offensive end that guys are going to be open. He’s playing the right way. Getting to his spots and knocking them down.”
The Suns (35-37 entering Wednesday night's game) are playing perhaps their best basketball with Durant leading the way. They’ll likely need another special performance from him Wednesday against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics at PHX Arena to conclude a five-game homestand.
Recently named Western Conference Player of the Week, Durant wasn’t focused on continuing to have a heater against the Celtics.
“I just go out there and play and just let the game flow how it flows,” Durant said after Wednesday morning's shootaround.
“That’s how it’s been flowing the last couple of games. I’ve got to be prepared for any situation. I might not put up a lot of shots some games or it might not call for that. So I just got to keep playing, find ways to be effective and making my teammates’ life easier as well. Just play the game. I don’t think too much about the end result.”
The Celtics (52-19) may be without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable after suffering a left ankle sprain in the second half of Monday’s win over the Sacramento Kings.
Boston is riding a six-game win streak. The Celtics are 11-1 in their last 12 games. They have All-Star Jaylen Brown back from injury and Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 23 points and 8.25 rebounds in four games since returning from an illness that sidelined him eight games.
Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are proven backcourt, Payton Pritchard is in the running for NBA sixth man of the year and the Celtics continue to defend and launch at will from 3.
They are fifth in the NBA in defensive rating and first in 3s made at 17.8 and taken at 48.2.
“They’re champs for a reason, they’ve got a deep team,” Durant said. “They just keep it rolling. They’ve got a system they stand on both ends of the floor and they can just plug and play guys.”
The Suns have been one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams this season as they are 26th in defensive rating. They’re playing much better on that end as of late.
Phoenix is 11th in defensive rating during the four-game win streak.
“Bringing a lot of intensity,” O’Neale said. “Flying around. Trying to force turnovers. Guys just rotating for each other. Us talking, being more connected."
The defensive improvement has enabled the Suns to play through rough offensive patches and turnovers to remain in games. They were able to defeat the Bucks, 108-106, despite committing 16 turnovers that led to 27 Milwaukee points.
Devin Booker hit the game-winner with 2.4 seconds left. He’s one of the game’s best scorers, but his playmaker ability has been on full display in recent games.
Booker is averaging 24.1 points and 9.8 assists in his last six games.
“He’s seeing the floor at an all-time rate,” Durant said. “The game is slowing down. He’s seeing stuff before it opens up.”
The Suns are still without Bradley Beal, who missed his fifth straight game Wednesday with a left hamstring strain, but they’re looking to stay hot in pursuit of a play-in spot.
“We put ourselves in this situation,” Booker said after Monday’s win. “So, it feels like the playoffs already got to have every game.”
Phoenix was a 10th seed holding the final play-in spot in the Western Conference Wednesday, but it had the same record as ninth-seeded Sacramento heading into the Celtics game. If the Suns beat the Kings in the final regular season on April 13 in Sacramento, it will even the season series at 2-2.
If both teams have the same record at season’s end, Phoenix will win the tiebreaker because it’ll have a better record in the Pacific Division than the Kings.
They each have two games left in the Pacific Division. The Suns are 9-5 in the division while the Kings have a 4-10 record in the division.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant, Suns look to extend win streak, face NBA champion Celtics
Continue reading...
