What Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns are proving with fast 4-1 start

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Things started scary for the Phoenix Suns on Thursday’s Halloween night inside the new $2-billion Intuit Dome on the corner of Prairie Avenue and West Century Boulevard.

Horrific. Phoenix trailed by 18 points at halftime and by as many as 21 early in the second half.

Then the Suns awakened from the dead, giving the Clippers a nightmare of 3s in their 125-119 comeback thriller before a stunned crowd of 16,827.

Devin Booker played the role of the Grim Reaper, gutting the Clippers for a season-high 40 points while Royce O’Neale delivered a career-high 21 points, hitting 5-of-6 from 3 with the final one a dagger to put Phoenix up, 118-112, with 44.7 seconds remaining.

The Suns (4-1) went 18-of-39 from 3, hitting 7-of-11 from distance in the third quarter to tie the game as they trailed by just two going into the fourth.

This is Phoenix’s second straight double-digit comeback. The Suns trailed the Los Angeles Lakers by 18 points in the first quarter at home Monday before responding and avenging their only loss of the season, 109-105.

Kevin Durant went for 18 points Thursday and rookie Ryan Dunn chipped in 16 in his second career start for Bradley Beal, who sat out with a right elbow sprain. Jusuf Nurkic added 11 points with nine coming after halftime while Tyus Jones posted 11 assists to just one turnover along with seven points.

James Harden paced the Clippers (2-3) with a triple-double of 25 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Los Angeles still is without Kawhi Leonard, who remains sidelined as he recovers from knee inflammation.

Norman Powell scored 23 points and Ivica Zubac posted a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost to the Suns twice in just five games.

Here are three takeaways from Thursday’s rematch. The Suns begin a three-game homestand Saturday against Portland, which defeated the Clippers on Wednesday, 106-105.

Suns once again respond to slow start

The Suns took a step back defensively against the Clippers in the first half after limiting Dallas to 39.8% shooting and the Lakers to 41.5% shooting.

The Clippers cooked for 54% in the first half, going 7-of-18 from 3 in building a 70-52 halftime lead.

Phoenix wasn’t closing out on 3s, failed to get back on defense or over screens and wasn’t staying connected to the man with the ball. The same issues the Suns had in the preseason resurfaced.

They tightened a bit in the third quarter, but really got back into the game by way of the 3. Their ball movement and drive-and-kick were in full mode in the second half.

They also cut out their turnovers. Had four in the first quarter. Finished with just 12.

The Suns still had issues keeping the Clippers out of the paint, hence the 60 points they allowed inside, but the Suns made more hustle plays in tracking down loose balls, led by Dunn in the second half.

Truth is, the Clippers don’t have enough firepower to really put teams away. Harden is doing all he can. The Clippers play hard, aggressive and physical, but need Leonard to have any chance of competing for a playoff spot.

Budenholzer’s rotations

Mike Budenholzer has said he wants guys to give max effort in explaining his rotation style that has led to, say, Booker coming out of the game midway through the first quarter. Booker admits he must adjust to this in-and-out, but Budenholzer did the same thing with Giannis Antetokounmpo when coaching in Milwaukee.

This goes even further back to his first head coaching job in Atlanta. Durant said Budenholzer established this rotational style from Day 1 after giving this coaching staff early props.

“I feel like we got a deep team, guys that’s been around before,” Durant said. “Understand what it takes. We’ve got a veteran coaching staff who understands adjustments and schemes, how to utilize the bench, the whole team.”

Just a reminder. Frank Vogel coached the Suns last season and was a one-and-done.

Durant is playing the most minutes because Budenholzer has used him at the five, but could rookie Oso Ighodaro work at the five with Durant at the four? The rookie big saw action there Thursday after being the four with Nurkic and Mason Plumlee.

Some of this is Budenholzer’s style, but also in-game adjustments. He had Dunn replace Booker late in the first quarter on a defensive possession.

Nurkic once again had a rough start. In reaction, Budenholzer took him out after nine minutes of play and didn’t play him the rest of the first half.

Pushing 70:Phoenix Suns using second-most lineups in NBA under Mike Budenholzer

More complete team, better vibes

The Suns are over the second tax apron, which has them paying a gazillion dollars in luxury tax (estimated $188.4 million to be far more exact) and limits their roster flexibility.

They have the NBA’s highest payroll with Booker, Durant and Beal owed a combined $150 million this season, but the offseason moves general manager James Jones made are looking better by the victory.

The draft picks — Dunn and Ighodaro — are delivering with production and energy, two things the Suns needed, particularly the latter.

The re-signing of O’Neale is costing them in luxury tax, but he’s defending, making hustle plays — and on fire from 3 at 7-of-10 in his last two games.

Their main offseason addition — true point guard Tyus Jones — is exactly what the Suns needed. Someone who can set the table, but also play off the ball when Booker or Durant initiate the offense.

Plumlee and backup point guard Monte Morris have been welcomed additions in playing their roles. This team is winning without the same production Grayson Allen gave last year.

Booker going for 40 helps offset any ills they exhibited Thursday night. They still need to curb the slow starts, defend better and watch the turnovers.

The Suns are still a work in progress and lack size, but guess what, they know that. The next step for them is to play the way they did against Dallas for consecutive games. They followed up perhaps their best win of the season with two subpar starts against the Lakers and at the Clippers.

Phoenix has only played five games. But the Suns have only lost once and that was after blowing a 22-point lead to the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

They’re better than a season ago. How much better remains in question, but they’ve shown themselves to be a more complete team early in 2024-25.

Maybe Charles Barkley is right. Maybe his Suns are better.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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