Suns' Kevin Durant, Mike Budenholzer slap Phoenix with harsh reality after Nuggets loss
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The Phoenix Suns suffered a frustrating 117-90 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, and head coach Mike Budenholzer and Kevin Durant expanded on the frustrations for the team after dropping to 14-14, as well as why the team is not performing well.
“Every loss hurts, we didn’t play well, so they all hurt,” Mike Budenholzer said, via Duan Rankin of AZCentral. “… Yeah the third quarters have not been good for us. We gotta find a way to be better in the third quarters. Jokic came out, you know it felt like they went to him two or three straight times, and they were able to get buckets and we weren’t able to answer. So we didn’t get any stops. And then we just, we gotta find a way to be better in the third. … Tonight’s tough. I can’t, you know, we all gotta find a way to be better. We all gotta look, and you know find a way to play better. Find a way to compete for longer for more of the 48 minutes. We’re a long ways away from where we can be.”
"We're a long ways away from where we need to be."
Mike Budenholzer after 117-90 loss to Denver Nuggets. #Sunspic.twitter.com/DfU5annWzC
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 24, 2024
The Suns were outscored 45-28 in the third quarter by the Nuggets, and that was arguably the biggest reason for the result. Durant spoke on the early third-quarter stretch that put the Suns in a big hole.
“We’re all frustrated. Feel like we can play way better,” Kevin Durant said, via Rankin. “Feel like we’ve been playing in spurts, but not consistently. Good way to end the half, horrible way to start the (2nd) half. Those are the types of things that lose games for you. Those two, three, four-minute spurts where you just don’t play good ball.”
"We're all frustrated. Feel like we can play way better. Feel like we've been playing in spurts, but not consistently. Good way to end the half, horrible way to start the (2nd) half. Those are the type of things that lose games." Kevin Durant on Suns 117-90 loss at Denver. #Sunspic.twitter.com/igE5PSHCqX
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 24, 2024
Durant went on to say that defense and turnovers were a huge reason why the Suns were unable to come out on top.
Can Suns fix problems amid frustrating stretch
The Suns are losers of three in a row, and will get a chance to redeem themselves against the Nuggets at home on Christmas Day. They are not out of the picture at 14-14 overall, but the Western Conference is loaded with talent, so improvements are needed.
There has been buzz about a potential Jimmy Butler trade for the Suns, but it is unknown how possible that deal is. For now, Phoenix will have to fix their woes internally.
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