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Hawks

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young scored 25 of his 36 points in the second half and the Atlanta Hawks beat the short-handed Phoenix Suns, still awaiting the arrival of newly acquired Kevin Durant, 116-107 on Thursday night.
After leading 56-47 at halftime, the Hawks extended their lead to 20 points in the third quarter.
Josh Okogie had 25 points and Deandre Ayton added 23 points and for Phoenix, which had its three-game winning streak end.
The Suns had only nine players available after trading Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges as part of a package for Durant, the 13-time All-Star, before Thursday&rsquo;s trade deadline. Durant did not join his new team for the game, but the anticipation for his arrival is growing.
&ldquo;You can put him on any team and he&rsquo;s going to fit,&rdquo; Suns guard Landry Shamet said of Durant before the game. &ldquo;He knows how to play. He&rsquo;s played in a number of different systems. He&rsquo;s insertable in any of them. You can throw it to him and he&rsquo;s going to go score every time. He&rsquo;s going to make the right play.&rdquo;
The Hawks also made roster adjustments after two trades. Atlanta traded Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky and two second-round picks to Houston for shooting guard Garrison Matthews and center Bruno Fernando. The 6-foot-9 Fernando began his career in Atlanta in the 2019-20 season.
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The Hawks were still awaiting the league&rsquo;s approval of their addition former Detroit small forward Saddiq Bey as part of a three-team trade and sent five second-round draft picks to Golden State.
Atlanta led 93-75 after three quarters before Phoenix scored the first nine points of the final period. Young sank a jumper to end the Suns&rsquo; run, and his 3-pointer from the front of the halfcourt logo gave Atlanta a 104-91 lead.
Dejounte Murray had 19 points and John Collins had 16 for Atlanta.
The Hawks, coming off a 2-3 road trip, played only their sixth home game of 2023. They play 17 of their final 27 regular-season games at home.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s good to be back home, but we have to take advantage of this home stretch that we have,&rdquo; coach Nate McMillan said before the game.
TIP-INS
Suns: F Devin Booker (groin), F Cameron Payne (right foot sprain) and Shamet (right foot soreness) were unavailable.
Hawks: With 12 assists, Young recorded his 27th double-double of the season. He posted his 61st consecutive game with at least 10 points and five assists, leaving him five games away from matching Oscar Robertson (66) for the fourth-longest streak in NBA history. ... Clint Capela had 17 of the Hawks&rsquo; season-high 59 rebounds.
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Trae Young scored 25 of his 36 points in the second half and the Atlanta Hawks beat the short-handed Phoenix Suns 116-107.

Young scores 36 as Hawks beat short-handed Suns 116-107

So much for a quiet NBA trade deadline, right?
The action kicked off with chaos in the early hours of Tuesday morning and concluded with a plethora of moves by the time the 3 p.m. buzzer sounded.
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Let's recap how it went down in order, sort out what happened and find out who's going where.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/raptors-acquire-jakob-poeltl-in-trade-with-spurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toronto Raptors acquire Jakob Poeltl</a>
<ul>
<li>San Antonio Spurs acquire Khem Birch, a 2024 first-round pick (protected) and 2 future second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-breaking-trade-news-kevin-durant-traded-phoenix-suns-brooklyn-nets-blockbuster-move-tj-warren-jae-crowder-mikal-bridges-cam-johnson-mat-ishbia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoenix Suns acquire Kevin Durant and TJ Warren</a>
<ul>
<li>Brooklyn Nets acquire Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder*, 4 unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029) and a 2028 pick swap</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Crowder was moved in a separate deal.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-celtics-acquire-mike-muscala" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Celtics acquire Mike Muscala</a>
<ul>
<li>Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Justin Jackson, a 2023 second-round pick (worse of Boston's 2 this season) and a 2029 second-round pick</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-bucks-acquire-jae-crowder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Milwaukee Bucks acquire Jae Crowder</a>
<ul>
<li>Brooklyn Nets acquire 5 second-round picks</li>
<li>Indiana Pacers acquire Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka* and 2 second-round picks (MIL)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Ibaka is expected to be waived and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li>Los Angeles Lakers acquire Mo Bamba, Davon Reed and 2 second-round picks (LAC 2024, 2025)
<ul>
<li>Denver Nuggets acquire Thomas Bryant</li>
<li>Los Angeles Clippers acquire Bones Hyland</li>
<li>Orlando Magic acquire Patrick Beverley*, a 2024 second-round pick (DEN) and cash</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
* Beverley is expected to be bought out and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/blazers-hornets-76ers-3way-trade-thybulle-to-portland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jalen McDaniels</a>, a 2024 second-round pick (NYK) and 2029 second-round pick (POR)
<ul>
<li>Portland Trail Blazers acquire Matisse Thybulle</li>
<li>Charlotte Hornets acquire Svi Mykhailiuk, a 2023 second-round pick (more favorable between ATL, CHA, BKN) and a 2027 second-round pick (more favorable between POR/NOP)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-hawks-pistons-warriors-agree-to-threeway-blockbuster-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Detroit Pistons acquire James Wiseman</a>
<ul>
<li>Atlanta Hawks acquire Saddiq Bey</li>
<li>Golden State Warriors acquire Kevin Knox* and 5 second-round picks (ATL)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Knox was moved in a separate deal.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/clippers-acquire-eric-gordon-in-threeway-deal-with-rockets-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Clippers acquire Eric Gordon</a> and 3 second-round picks
<ul>
<li>Memphis Grizzlies acquire Luke Kennard</li>
<li>Houston Rockets acquire Danny Green, John Wall* and right to swap MIL 2023 first-round pick with LAC</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Wall is expected to be waived and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-pelicans-acquire-josh-richardson-for-devonte-graham" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans Pelicans acquire Josh Richardson</a>
<ul>
<li>San Antonio Spurs acquire Devonte Graham and 4 second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-clippers-acquire-mason-plumlee-from-hornets-for-reggie-jackson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Clippers acquire Mason Plumlee</a>
<ul>
<li>Charlotte Hornets acquire Reggie Jackson* and a 2028 second-round pick</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Jackson is expected to bought out and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li>Atlanta Hawks acquire Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando
<ul>
<li>Houston Rockets acquire Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminski and two second-round picks (OKC 2024 and 2025)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-warriors-acquire-gary-payton-ii-from-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden State Warriors acquire Gary Payton II</a>
<ul>
<li>Portland Trail Blazers acquire Kevin Knox and 5 second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Basketball News puts together a detailed recap of a busy 2023 NBA trade deadline on February 9.

2023 NBA trade deadline: Recapping all of the day's moves

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Trae Young rose up for a 3-pointer in the second half that left his hands way too hard, hurtling toward the basket before slamming off the backboard and through the hoop.
Atlanta&rsquo;s star guard shrugged and ran back down the court with a sheepish grin.
Things were going the Hawks way Wednesday night, leading to a blowout victory. Dejounte Murray scored 21 points, Young added 20 points and 12 assists and Atlanta rolled past the Phoenix Suns 132-100.
The Hawks had lost four of five games coming into Wednesday&rsquo;s game, but played much better on both ends of the floor.
&ldquo;We wanted to win really bad and knew it had to start on the defensive end,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;The defense took care of the offense.&rdquo;
The Hawks never trailed, jumping to a 9-4 lead with three 3-pointers. Atlanta never let up, pushing to a 102-67 advantage by the end of the third quarter and leading by 43 points in the fourth.
Just about everyone was hitting shots for the Hawks, who made 52 of 91 shots (57.1%), including 19 of 33 (57.6%) on 3-pointers. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 18 points off the bench.
&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re getting downhill, moving the ball, sharing the ball, things like that can happen,&rdquo; Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. &ldquo;I thought tonight we did a good job moving the ball and getting it to the open man.&rdquo;
Phoenix &mdash; with star guard Devin Booker close to returning from a groin injury &mdash; lost for just the second time in eight games. The Suns were sloppy with 16 turnovers that turned into 31 points for the Hawks and had a dismal shooting night, hitting just 4 of 28 (14.3%) shots from 3-point range.
&ldquo;They were a lot faster then us especially in transition and we just couldn&rsquo;t make a shot for whatever reason,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said.
Mikal Bridges led the Suns with 23 points but shot just 6 of 18 from the field, including 1 of 7 on 3s. Deandre Ayton added 20 points and nine rebounds.
&ldquo;It felt like we were on a treadmill,&rdquo; Ayton said. &ldquo;It felt like we were hamsters running in one spot. The game was going too fast and we were making some points but not putting a dent into the lead.&rdquo;
The Hawks used a 13-0 run early in the second quarter to take a 66-47 lead into halftime. Murray led Atlanta with 15 points before the break while Bridges had 17 for the Suns.
Phoenix shot just 18 of 47 (38.5%) in the first half, including 2 of 16 (12.5%) from 3-point range.
SUNS SIGN LEE
The Suns announced Wednesday that they&rsquo;ve signed guard Saben Lee for the rest of the season.
Lee has emerged as the team&rsquo;s backup point guard over the last three weeks after being signed to back-to-back 10-day contracts. He&rsquo;s filling in for Cam Payne, who remains out with a foot injury.
To make room for Lee on the roster, the Suns released Duane Washington Jr., who played in 31 games this season, starting three. He averaged 7.9 points, but shot just 36.7% from the field.
Lee had six points, three assists, three steaks and three rebounds in 21 minutes against the Hawks.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu made all seven of his shots. He finished with 17 points. ... Former Suns center Frank Kaminsky got a technical foul in the fourth quarter. ... Young reached 3,000 career assists.
Suns: Booker, Payne and G Landry Shamet (foot) were out. ... Hosted a 54th straight sellout crowd.
UP NEXT
Hawks: At Utah on Friday night.
Suns: At Boston on Friday night.

Dejounte Murray scored 21 points, Trae Young added 20 points and 12 assists and the Hawks rolled past the Suns 132-100.

Dejounte Murray scores 21 points, Hawks roll past Suns 132-100

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

When Ish Wainright first walked into the practice facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams had no idea who he was.
Signed on a two-way contract by Phoenix this season, Wainright&rsquo;s path to the biggest stage is an awe-inspiring one. After playing for the Baylor Bears throughout his collegiate career, Wainright went overseas and did well for himself in Germany. He did enough to catch the eye of NBA teams, and suited up for the Toronto Raptors in the Las Vegas summer league and preseason. Eventually, though, it led to the Suns taking notice and bringing him aboard a special organization in the Valley.
Four days ago, Wainright&rsquo;s NBA dream was officially realized, as the Suns converted his two-way deal into a standard contract &mdash; a move that makes him eligible for Phoenix's postseason roster. Wainright took the spot of Frank Kaminsky, who was released as he continues to nurse a stress reaction in his knee.
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All along the way, Wainright&rsquo;s infectious personality and tireless work ethic have left their mark within the Suns&rsquo; organization. A restricted free agent after this season, Wainright could now be Phoenix&rsquo;s newest version of the Cameron Payne success story from a few years ago.
Within a short period of time, Wainright has gained the trust of Williams and the Suns&rsquo; coaching staff. In a pinch, Wainright can play multiple roles for Phoenix. Whether it be as a small-ball 5 or a burly forward who can space the floor, the Suns&rsquo; 27-year-old rookie has already found his niche. The job for Wainright is simple within the Suns&rsquo; already well-flowing two-way operation: defend at a high level, move the ball around and hit the open-shot opportunities.
A well-known gym rat in the Suns&rsquo; training facility, Phoenix&rsquo;s player development staff have helped Wainright quickly become a knockdown three-point shooter from the most important spot on the floor. Converting an impressive 42.9% on corner threes, Wainright is now a player teams can&rsquo;t sag off of. If anything, Wainright&rsquo;s added development makes him a piece that could easily see the floor for Phoenix in the postseason. For example, with Wainright&rsquo;s shooting and frame, he could be a reserve secondary option for a potential Finals rematch against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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NBA career-high 20 PTS, 8 REBS and 4 AST for Phoenix Suns rookie and Uganda National Team star Ish Wainright against the Clippers last night. Knocked down 4-of-8 threes, put pressure on the rim, active defensively (3 STL). Incredible success story and an even better person. <a href="https://t.co/cme5sx5KE8">pic.twitter.com/cme5sx5KE8</a>
&mdash; Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz/status/1512099222421532673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Wainright and his head coach are both in agreement on his role, which has a complete buy-in all levels. If anything, Wainright is the latest shining example of the Suns&rsquo; system mining another rotation gem.
&ldquo;I think the thing that I&rsquo;m seeing with him, he&rsquo;s not bringing the ball down. When he catches it in the shot pocket, he keeps it there and it&rsquo;s all legs and follow through as before I think it would&rsquo;ve been a wind up to a shot. And he&rsquo;s worked on it,&rdquo; Williams said of Wainright&rsquo;s shooting development.
&ldquo;Coach [Steve] Scalzi spends every day, every minute with Ish working on all of that stuff. But in our economy, the corner three is probably where he&rsquo;s going to get his shot when he does get in. So, he&rsquo;s got to be efficient from that spot.&rdquo;
Wainright relayed similar thoughts to Williams. It doesn&rsquo;t bother Wainright that he doesn&rsquo;t get many shot opportunities or minutes because he&rsquo;s a complete team player. Loved in a tight-knit locker room already, it speaks volumes to Wainright&rsquo;s character.
On the doorstep of making another dream into reality, Wainright knows his moment is about to be realized &mdash; signed to a regular NBA contract.
Now, on a playoff roster who's the favorite to win the NBA Finals, the Baylor alum has found a potential long-term home on the highest level of basketball.
&ldquo;My mom actually heard the conversation at my door. I heard her before I could react to anything. I heard her scream, but just having an organization and team believe in you, trusting you it means the world,&rdquo; Wainright said of learning his contract had been converted to the main roster.
&ldquo;The journey that I&rsquo;ve taken to get to this point, it means a lot. I&rsquo;m in a daze still, to be honest with you. It probably won&rsquo;t kick in until Sunday when I&rsquo;m looking at my jersey like, &lsquo;Woah.&rsquo; I&rsquo;ve dreamed about playing in the playoffs, the Finals, winning a championship. Dreamed about playing in the NBA, especially for one of the greatest teams in Suns history and also the No. 1 team in the world. It means a lot.&rdquo;
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Ish Wainright is the latest success story from the ever-growing list in Phoenix. Now, Wainright's NBA dream is becoming a reality.

Ish Wainright is the latest Suns player development success story

The Phoenix Suns are waiving Frank Kaminsky, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1512175603964956674" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>.
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The Phoenix Suns are waiving C/F Frank Kaminsky, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1512175603964956674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Phoenix Suns are waiving Frank Kaminsky to open up a roster spot.

Shams: Suns to release Frank Kaminsky

Although some top-tier players who were expected to hit free agency this coming summer have already signed extensions, the 2022 NBA free-agent class will feature quite a few stars.
After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top-10-guards">ranking the best guards</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top10-forwards">forwards set to hit the open market</a>, let's complete this series by highlighting the top-10 big men up for grabs this summer. &nbsp;
1. Deandre Ayton &mdash; Phoenix Suns &mdash; Restricted
Deandre Ayton is the crown jewel of this year's free-agent center crop. Although the Suns surprisingly chose not to offer him a max extension last offseason (worth approximately $173 million over five years), Phoenix is still in the driver's seat, as the franchise can match any offer the former No. 1 overall pick receives this summer. Expect them to do just that for a young, improving player who is a foundational cornerstone of a team with championship aspirations.&nbsp;
2. Jusuf Nurkic &mdash; Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; Unrestricted
After a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, Jusuf Nurkic bounced back impressively this season, averaging 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.5% from the floor. Nurkic has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis for the past month, and will likely miss the rest of the season. However, he'll likely be ready to rock by the start of training camp next September. Due to Nurk's tight bond with Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, many pundits expect Portland to re-sign the big man to a multi-year deal.&nbsp;
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3. Mitchell Robinson &mdash; New York Knicks &mdash; Unrestricted
The Knicks technically have until June 30 to ink Mitchell Robinson to an extension worth up to $48 million over four years. However, the two sides have not yet reached an agreement, so it appears Mitch Rob will be able to test the market for his services. While he has flashed All-NBA Defense upside in short spurts throughout his four-year career, Robinson has battled numerous injuries and baffling inconsistency. His regression at the free-throw line (he's shooting below 50% in each of the past two seasons) is obviously worrisome as well. Nevertheless, few big men can supply the type of high-flying athleticism and rim-protection he brings to the table.
4. Bobby Portis &mdash; Milwaukee Bucks &mdash; Player Option 
With Brook Lopez sidelined for most of the 2021-22 season, Bobby Portis stepped in and stepped up for the Bucks, starting 57 of the team's last 58 games. He is averaging career-highs in scoring (15.1 points), boards (9.1), steals (0.8), blocks (0.8) and made three-pointers (2.0). Portis is currently one of only two players in the NBA averaging at least 9 rebounds and 2 made treys per game. (Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns are the other two members of this club.) Portis' player option for 2022-23 is only worth $4.6 million, so he is expected to opt-out and search for a significant raise.
5. Ivica Zubac &mdash; Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Team Option 
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Zubac is a bonafide firefighter for LAC. In one possession he 1) traps Trae 28 ft out 2) sprints towards Capela hands up to dissuade the pass to the roller 3) checks Capela and stops the Collins drive 4) gets in front of Capela as the shot goes up and wins the glass battle <a href="https://t.co/OjS3dxuz4P">pic.twitter.com/OjS3dxuz4P</a>
&mdash; Justin W. (@LAClippersFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippersFilm/status/1503470104041861120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ivica Zubac's team option for next season is $7.5 million, so it's an easy decision for the Clippers to pick it up. He just turned 25 years old last week and continues to improve steadily. Zubac is posting career-highs in just about every statistical category this season.
6. Montrezl Harrell &mdash; Charlotte Hornets &mdash; Unrestricted
Montrezl Harrell has had another productive and efficient season off the bench, averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 63.9% across 62 games for both the Wizards and Charlotte Hornets (following a midseason trade).&nbsp;
7. Mo Bamba &mdash; Orlando Magic &mdash; Restricted
After struggling mightily over his first three years in the NBA, Mo Bamba, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, is enjoying the best year of his pro career. He is on pace to become the first player in Magic franchise history to average more than 1.5 blocks and 1.0 made three-pointers per game over an entire season. However, the Magic inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October and have Mo Wagner (brother of their prized rookie, Franz) under contract next season as well. In addition, lineups with both WCJ and Bamba have not performed well. Thus, Orlando will likely let the former lottery pick walk if another team offers a contract the team is uncomfortable matching.&nbsp;
8. Nic Claxton &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Restricted
Nic Claxton continues to impress in limited playing time off the bench for Brooklyn. His per-36 minute averages this season are outstanding: 15.2 points (on 65.1% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. The Nets have limited depth due to the high salaries of their top players, and billionaire owner Joe Tsai is unafraid of paying the luxury tax, so Brooklyn is expected to match any reasonable offer Claxton receives.&nbsp;
9. Andre Drummond &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Unrestricted
Andre Drummond has increased his value following the trade that sent him from Philadelphia to Brooklyn. He has started all 14 games he's played as a Net, and is averaging 11.4 points (on 62.5% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks for Brooklyn. Drummond can boost his value significantly with a strong showing in the playoffs.&nbsp;
10. Thomas Bryant &mdash; Washington Wizards &mdash; Unrestricted:
Thomas Bryant inked a three-year, $25 million deal back in 2019 and played very well for the Wiz during the first year of that pact, averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in under 25 minutes a night. He also started the following season impressively before tearing his ACL in early 2021. Bryant returned to action in January, but has seen his minutes reduced following Washington's acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. Still just 24 years old, Bryant could be a worthwhile investment for a team in the market for a young big.&nbsp;
Best of the Rest:
LaMarcus Aldridge, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Isaiah Hartenstein, Hassan Whiteside, Derrick Favors (player option), Tristan Thompson, Kevon Looney, JaMychal Green, Frank Kaminsky, Mike Muscala (team option), Bismack Biyombo
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Tommy Beer ranks the top centers who could be available as a part of the 2022 NBA free-agent class.

2022 NBA Free Agency Preview: Ranking the top-10 centers

Milwaukee Bucks (35-21, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (44-10, first in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee faces the Phoenix Suns after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 44 points in the Bucks' 131-116 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Suns are 22-5 on their home court. Phoenix has a 2-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Bucks are 16-12 on the road. Milwaukee has a 1-0 record in one-possession games.
TOP PERFORMERS: Devin Booker is scoring 25.7 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Suns. Chris Paul is averaging 19.4 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games for Phoenix.
Antetokounmpo is scoring 29.2 points per game and averaging 11.3 rebounds for the Bucks. Khris Middleton is averaging 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds over the last 10 games for Milwaukee.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 9-1, averaging 115.4 points, 47.3 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.1 points per game.
Bucks: 8-2, averaging 119.2 points, 45.2 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Abdel Nader: out (knee), Dario Saric: out (knee), Frank Kaminsky: out (knee), Cameron Payne: out (wrist), Landry Shamet: out (ankle).
Bucks: George Hill: out (neck), Grayson Allen: day to day (hip), Brook Lopez: out (back).

Milwaukee faces Phoenix after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 44 points in the Bucks' 131-116 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bucks visit Suns in NBA Finals rematch after Giannis' 44-point night

With one week to go before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, talks are heating up around the league. In a year that seems very wide open, many teams could be enticed to make a win-now move and push some chips to the middle of the table. According to the rumor mill, we could see deadline deals involving a number of significant contributors who can swing potential playoff series.
So, which teams and players make the most sense together? Let&rsquo;s go dive into the moves that could swing the Western Conference standings despite Phoenix already creating noticeable distance up top.
Phoenix Suns: Eric Gordon
Will the rich get even richer? Phoenix may try to make a bold move and remove all debate over who's the West's No. 1 seed. As I mentioned previously, it&rsquo;s no secret that the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-suns-are-an-underrated-team-to-watch-at-the-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suns have inquired about Eric Gordon and Thaddeus Young</a> as midseason upgrades. Gordon would be via trade, while Young could be scooped up via the buyout market if no trade happens in San Antonio.
If the Suns were to accomplish this, their rotation would be absurd heading into a postseason as title favorites:
Starting Lineup: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Deandre Ayton
Second Unit: Cameron Payne, Eric Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Thaddeus Young, JaVale McGee
That right there is a dominant playoff rotation with no holes presented. On top of that, it&rsquo;s the type of trade teams make when they know how close they are to the ultimate goal. Phoenix checks all the boxes, and so do the fits of Gordon and Young in the Valley.
Gordon would immediately step in as a reliable third guard, with way less volatility than what Payne and Landry Shamet have presented this season. Gordon&rsquo;s versatility and sharpshooting would bring another boost to an already elite offense for the Suns.
Phoenix would have to send out Dario Saric, Jalen Smith and a cheap expiring contract (i.e. Elfrid Payton, Abdel Nader, Frank Kaminsky). The Houston Rockets have also let it be known they want a future first-round pick in any Gordon deal. Phoenix shouldn&rsquo;t feel concerned about relinquishing a protected 2024 first-round pick, especially with its championship window being right now.
Keep an eye on Phoenix, folks. They are positioned well to make a few notable splashes through different avenues.
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Dallas Mavericks: Myles Turner
Does Dallas really want to lock in this core around Luka Doncic? The answer should be "No," although Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith have provided strong chemistry alongside the Mavs&rsquo; young superstar point forward. Maybe the Mavs decide to keep Brunson around, but it&rsquo;s going to be a tough pill to swallow paying both him and Finney-Smith this summer.
With that being the case, now is the perfect time to strike on one of those assets to bring aboard a game-changing piece. Enter Myles Turner, who instantly jolts an already-recharged Dallas defense.
Turner instantly provides an elite rim-protector to take pressure off Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavs might take a small step back in rebounding with this move, but Doncic should be more than capable of taking on those duties.
The Indiana Pacers would receive Dwight Powell&rsquo;s salary, Finney-Smith as a looming restricted free agent and a first-round pick. With Turner&rsquo;s value down due to a foot injury &mdash; which could have him back on the court next month &mdash; this might be the best offer available for the Pacers.
With the sudden emergence of Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor, Indiana would be wise to move off Turner immediately. The Pacers are in a rare position to focus on the internal player development of their young core and simultaneously lose their way into a top draft pick. Focus on the young guys and take a flier on how Finney-Smith could fit next to Domantas Sabonis long-term.
Memphis Grizzlies: Kenrich Williams
One of the most underrated wings on the trade market resides in Oklahoma City. Kenrich Williams is a key glue guy for the Thunder, but imagine how much more valuable his presence would be on a real championship contender this postseason.
Williams is a name that checks a lot of boxes for wing-hungry contenders. I thought about sending Williams to Phoenix for this exercise, but settled upon how brilliant his fit would be in Memphis. The Grizzlies need another versatile wing to keep up in the West. Williams helps bring their strong start even more stability.
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Oklahoma City reportedly is looking for a future first-round pick in exchange for Williams. Memphis can provide that, plus an intriguing flier on a former lottery pick who hasn&rsquo;t panned out yet in Jarrett Culver.
It&rsquo;s not a star-type move, but Williams is one of those under-the-radar pieces that could thrive in the postseason.
Utah Jazz: Harrison Barnes
It&rsquo;s time for the Jazz to push those chips all-in, especially with their slump as of late with multiple core pieces out due to injury. Utah has fallen off its earlier pace trying to keep up with the Suns and Golden State Warriors. Now, they&rsquo;ve been leapfrogged by the Grizzlies, and multiple teams loom over the Jazz slipping even further in the standings.
Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert can&rsquo;t do everything by himself in Utah. The Jazz have been exposed on multiple occasions for not having more versatile defenders surrounding Gobert to make his job a little bit easier.
Now, with Joe Ingles out for the season with a torn ACL, Utah needs to find an immediate contributor on the wing who can help bring the team much-needed, two-way versatility. Harrison Barnes makes so much sense as what the Jazz need to make the jump. Barnes and Jerami Grant have both been linked to the Jazz, so this has some serious smoke behind it.
Barnes is an excellent floor-spacing option who wouldn&rsquo;t take touches away from Donovan Mitchell. Also, the veteran forward is versatile enough to handle tough assignments on the wing, especially envisioning how it would look against Phoenix and Golden State.
Swapping out Ingles&rsquo; contract, Royce O&rsquo;Neale and a first-round pick for Barnes would be an instant upgrade for the Jazz. It brings them back into the conversation as real Finals threats atop the West with the Suns and Warriors.
How would you grade this rotation for the Jazz if it actually came to fruition?
Starting Lineup: Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Harrison Barnes, Rudy Gobert
Second Unit: Trent Forrest, Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gay, Eric Paschall, Hassan Whiteside
That bench is a little thin for Utah, but the potency of the starting five completely outweighs that. Utah needs to make a big move, and the time is now.
Welcome to the Wild West, folks. This trade deadline is going to be a very interesting one for the Western Conference's true title contenders.
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The Western Conference feels wide open. How could the trade deadline have an impact? Here are four potentially massive moves.

4 potential NBA trade-deadline deals that would shake up the West

When Chris Paul joined Devin Booker on the Phoenix Suns after a trade last season, it wasn&rsquo;t always easy to decide who would be the finisher when games got tight.
These days, it&rsquo;s just intuitive. Such as Wednesday night, when Booker fueled the Suns through three quarters and Paul sealed the deal.
Booker had 43 points and tied a career high with 12 rebounds, Paul scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and the Suns extended their winning streak to eight with a 105-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good feeling now, but it came with a learning curve,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;There was a lot of trial and error, but now we&rsquo;ve been in enough situations where we know what to expect.&rdquo;
Booker paced the Suns through three quarters, but didn&rsquo;t get a shot in the fourth until he missed a runner with 3:45 to play. Paul took over the offensive burden with his mid-range jumpers and drives to the basket.
&ldquo;You only build that trust by playing together in games, close games like that,&rdquo; Paul said.
The Jazz trailed 98-94 when Hassan Whiteside committed an offensive foul and a technical. Booker made two technicals around a jumper that beat the shot clock to give the Suns the cushion they needed.
Playing without Donovan Mitchell (concussion) and Rudy Gobert (left calf strain), the Jazz got a boost from Jordan Clarkson, who scored 16 of his team-high 26 points in the fourth quarter. Whiteside had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Mike Conley also scored 16 points and added 10 assists for the Jazz, who dropped their ninth game in the last 11.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re playing without Rudy and Donovan right now. But it doesn&rsquo;t mean we can&rsquo;t run back. ... This is about committing to the things consistently that allow you to (grow),&rdquo; Utah coach Quin Snyder said of his team&rsquo;s inconsistent effort.
The Suns were also missing two starters in Jae Crowder (wrist) and Deandre Ayton (ankle), but Bismack Biyombo had 12 points in his first start of the season.
He said it was just &ldquo;a gut feeling&rdquo; to decide on Phoenix when he had suitors trying to bring him back to the NBA, but playing with Paul and Booker made his choice easy.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re good at closing games. ... Believers have wills, not wishes. Those guys have wills,&rdquo; Biyombo said.
Early on, the Suns simply outhustled and outran the Jazz, turning turnovers and missed shots into easy points in transition. Booker, with 21 points, outscored the Jazz by himself in the first quarter and the Suns blocked five shots on their way to a 39-18 lead after one period.
&ldquo;Chris can read the game and when Book has it going like that, he typically goes to sets where he can get him in catch-shoot environments," Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. "But when he&rsquo;s in a groove like that, I think our team feeds off it.&rdquo;
Booker had 26 points in the first half &mdash; a season high for the Suns &mdash; but they collectively went 5 for 17 in the second period.
It took 35 field goal attempts on Monday to score 33 points, but he was far more efficient this time around, going 16 for 28 and adding nine free throws. Booker became the Suns&rsquo; career leader in games scoring 40 or more points with 16.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t take these moments for granted," Booker said. "Coming into a tough Utah building and it being rowdy here and us only having nine men and still coming up with a win &mdash; that&rsquo;s why you see a smile on our faces.&rdquo;
The Suns&rsquo; top-ranked defense frustrated the Jazz until Clarkson started hitting some perimeter shots.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re just trying to find our way. Regardless of the losses, I think we&rsquo;re heading in the right direction as far as staying connected,&rdquo; Conley said, despite Utah&rsquo;s worst stretch of the season.
The same teams played a tight one Monday with Phoenix prevailing over an extremely short-handed Jazz team, 115-109. Conley, Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O&rsquo;Neale sat out in Phoenix, but returned for Wednesday&rsquo;s rematch.
ALL-STAR STARTER SNUB?
The most recent release for NBA All-Star voting tabulations showed Booker fifth among guards in the Western Conference. His coach thinks that is a joke.
&ldquo;So many guys are getting so many more votes than him &mdash; it&rsquo;s laughable," Williams said. "When you look at what he&rsquo;s done not just lately but all season long and the wins we have, you know he should be a starter on the All-Star team. Tonight was one of those games where I think he proved that point.&rdquo;
Booker, who heard chants of &ldquo;M-V-P!&rdquo; from the Utah crowd at times, says he&rsquo;s not worried about votes anymore.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m in a different phase of my career now ... and I&rsquo;ll let the politics and media popularity contest figure itself out,&rdquo; Booker said.
The starters are scheduled to be announced Thursday.
TIP-INS
Suns: JaVale McGee (knee), Frank Kaminski III (knee) and Cameron Payne (wrist) were other primary Phoenix contributors out with injury. ... Booker got a technical foul in the second quarter. ... The Suns outscored the Jazz 22-3 on fast-break points and scored 22 points off Utah&rsquo;s 14 turnovers.
Jazz: Bogdanovic, frustrated with a scoreless first quarter with a pair of turnovers, threw the splint that was protecting his left ring finger avulsion fracture but had it on again when he returned in the second quarter. ... Trent Forrest turned his ankle after making a twisting baseline jumper in the fourth quarter. ... The Jazz only led once in the game by two points.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host Minnesota on Friday night.
Jazz: Visit Memphis on Friday night.

Devin Booker had 43 points and tied a career-high with 12 rebounds in a 105-97 Suns victory over the Jazz on Wednesday night.

Booker leads Suns past Jazz 105-97 for 8th straight win

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; The Golden State Warriors kept it close despite being short-handed, setting the stage for a player to take over down the stretch.
One did &mdash; and it wasn&rsquo;t Stephen Curry. Otto Porter Jr. took late-game honors.
Curry had 33 points, Porter scored seven of his 19 during a key late stretch and the Warriors regained to top spot in the NBA from Phoenix, beating the Suns 116-107 on Saturday.
&ldquo;I drew up every play, I completely organized every aspect of it,&rdquo; Warriors coach Steve Kerr said sarcastically. &ldquo;Otto was great. He&rsquo;s just added so much to our team with his shooting from that position and his rebounding and defense.&rdquo;
Golden State arrived in the desert short-handed, missing three of its top four scorers to health and safety protocols: Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee and Jordan Poole.
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Curry carried most of the load, overcoming a mediocre shooting night to crack 20 points for the first time in nine Christmas games. He finished 10 for 27, including 5 for 16 from 3 to help the Warriors end Phoenix&rsquo;s 15-game home winning streak.
Porter hit a step-back 3 and a pair of jumpers in a span of 1:02.
&ldquo;Coach drew up a couple plays that freed me open,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;Did a good job of finding me, was able to find a rhythm.&rdquo;
The Suns had their chances, keeping it close until the closing minutes in a raucous home atmosphere. They couldn&rsquo;t close it out, failing to score over the final 3:01 to lose for the third time in 28 games.
Chris Paul had 21 points and eight assists to take up some of the slack from leading scorer Devin Booker, who was held to 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Deandre Ayton added 18 points and Mikal Bridges 17.
&ldquo;They created those breaks. They played harder than us,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s rare when I say that about our team. They outworked us more consistently for 50-50 balls, timely offensive rebounds, diving out of bounds to save balls.&rdquo;
The two teams with the NBA&rsquo;s best records played in just the third Christmas game in which both teams had a winning percentage of at least .800.
Playing on Christmas is nothing new to the Warriors. This was their ninth straight Christmas Day game and 11th in 12 seasons. The Suns, once regulars on the Christmas schedule, were in their first since 2009.
Both teams put on an after-the-presents offensive show at Footprint Center, sending oohs and aahs across the Footprint Center with each dunk and 3-pointer.
Curry had 11 points in the first quarter and Payton a massive rebound slam as the Warriors built an early 10-point lead. The Suns revved it up in the second quarter, going on a 15-3 run and taking a 62-58 halftime lead on Paul&rsquo;s last-second 3-pointer.
The teams continued to trade 3s and baskets in transition, neither able to gain any separation until Golden State went on a short run to go up 107-99.
The Suns pulled within two, but Porter hit consecutive jumpers and a long 3 to stretch Golden State&rsquo;s lead to nine.
&ldquo;They wanted it more and they played like it,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;We just have to take this loss and move on to our next game.&rdquo;
MISSING COACHES
The four players weren&rsquo;t the only ones Golden State had in health and safety protocols. The Warriors also had four coaches out, forcing Kerr and his staff to shuffle responsibilities.
&ldquo;Missing all those guys was really bizarre,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;The group did a really good job. These are strange times for a lot of reasons, but I&rsquo;ve never seen four coaches out at the same time.&rdquo;
TIP INS
Warriors: Reserve G Moses Moody also was out in health and safety protocols. ... Draymond Green was called for a technical foul in the second quarter while arguing for a push-off by Booker. ... Curry has made a 3-pointer in 156 straight games, one off the NBA record he set from 2014-16. He&rsquo;s also made least two 3-pointers in 15 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA with Phoenix&rsquo;s Cam Johnson.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee), F Abdel Nader (knee) and F Dario Saric (knee) were all out. ... Paul was called for a technical foul in the third quarter after aggressively giving the ball to one of the officials after a non-call on a drive to the basket. ... Johnson went 2 for 5 from 3 to continue his streak of making at least two to 15 games.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host Denver on Tuesday night.
Suns: Host Memphis on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA:&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

Curry scored 33 points and added six assists in the Warriors victory.

Stephen Curry, Warriors beat Suns 116-107 to regain top spot in NBA

Cam Johnson played some of the best basketball of his three-year career when All-Star teammate Devin Booker was out with a hamstring injury.
Now Booker's back, Johnson's still pouring in the points, and it has made the NBA-leading Suns even more dangerous.
&ldquo;It's just a fun team to play for," Johnson said. &ldquo;You see guys coming out, playing hard and when we win games, we're just excited to play basketball. It's like we were when we were kids. That's the beauty of it.&rdquo;
Booker scored 30 points, Johnson added 21 while making five 3-pointers on 7-for-7 shooting and Phoenix won its fifth straight game, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-101 on Thursday night.
Booker splashed home a long 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to give the Suns an 82-69 lead after they trailed by three at halftime.
Booker &mdash; the two-time All-Star who was in his third game back since missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury &mdash; gave Phoenix some momentum midway through the third quarter when he grabbed an offensive rebound and drove the baseline for a dunk. Luguentz Dort was there to meet him at the rim but fouled Booker as the ball was deflected up in the air and still somehow fell through the hoop.
It was part of an 25-9 run that helped the Suns take control.
Deandre Ayton added 19 points &mdash; including an emphatic dunk in the final minute that earned a technical after he slapped the backboard &mdash; and 12 rebounds. Chris Paul had 16 points and seven assists.
Johnson was the catalyst for another great night from the Suns' bench. He made all seven of his shots from the field while grabbing a season-high nine rebounds.
&ldquo;He's been playing well for a while,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;I've said this a number of times &mdash; we look at Cam as a starter. To bring a guy off the bench who can shoot like that, attack the basket and go to the other end and defend. He puts the work in and he's more than just a shooter.&rdquo;
The Suns improved to 26-5 for the season and have won 25 of their last 27.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 29 points for the Thunder, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. The Thunder shot just 38.5% from the field and 26.8% from 3-point range.
The Thunder proved a tough opponent for much of the night and rallied for a 48-45 halftime lead after trailing by as many as 15 points. Oklahoma City closed the second quarter on a 24-8 run.
&ldquo;From where we have come from at the start of the year to now, 30 games later, you can definitely see improvements,&rdquo; Thunder guard Josh Giddey said. "Earlier in the year that 15-point lead would have gone to 30. Now we are able to kind of control those leads and weather the storm.
&ldquo;You've got to take positives out of games like this ... We fought our way back.&rdquo;
HOME SWEET HOME
The Suns are on a 15-game winning streak at home. It's the eighth time in franchise history that they've won 15 straight at home. They'll get a chance to stretch the winning streak to 16 against the Warriors on Christmas Day.
The 25-year-old Johnson said it's the first time he's played on Christmas at any point in his basketball career and said he has so many memories as a kid of eating a huge holiday meal and watching NBA games on TV all day and all night.
&ldquo;It's like a dream come true,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;Playing on Christmas, getting out there, super excited for that.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Thunder: F Derrick Favors was out for rest. ... Dort played college basketball at Arizona State.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee), F Abdel Nader (knee) and F Dario Saric (knee) were all out. Kaminsky has missed the past 17 games while Nader has missed 15. Saric has been out since tearing the right ACL in his knee in Game 1 of last year's NBA Finals. ... The Suns are 22-0 when taking a lead into the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Thunder: Host New Orleans on Sunday.
Suns: Host Golden State on Saturday.

Devin Booker scored 30, Cam Johnson added 21 while making five threes on 7-for-7 shooting and Phoenix won its fifth straight.

NBA-leading Suns win 5th straight, beating Thunder 113-101

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Deandre Ayton scored 24 points, Chris Paul added 15 points and 11 assists, and the Phoenix Suns tied a franchise record of 17 straight wins by beating the Golden State Warriors 104-96 on Tuesday night in an early showdown between the NBA&rsquo;s top teams.
The Suns won despite losing star guard Devin Booker to a left hamstring injury in the second quarter. He had 10 points and two rebounds in 15 minutes. The 25-year-old appeared to get hurt when driving to the basket for a layup, grabbing at the back of his left leg before walking to the locker room a few minutes before halftime.
Even without Booker, the Suns led 56-54 at halftime and 80-78 going into the fourth quarter. The game stayed tight, and neither team led by double digits until Landry Shamet knocked down a 3-pointer &mdash; on an assist by Paul &mdash; with 54.4 seconds left.
It was a highly anticipated showdown, as Suns and Warriors have NBA&rsquo;s best records. It was also the first time in league history that two teams from the same division played each other with winning percentages of .850 or higher after at least 20 regular-season games, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
The game mostly lived up to the hype &mdash; at least until the Warriors, who had their seven-game winning streak snapped, went cold in the fourth quarter.
Jordan Poole led Golden State with 28 points. Stephen Curry &mdash; who came into the game averaging 28.6 points per game &mdash; had 12 points on 4 of 21 shooting, including 3 of 14 from 3-point range.
The Suns limited the Warriors to just 42 points in the second half.
The Suns and Warriors are now both 18-3. The only other time Phoenix has won 17 straight games was during the 2006-07 season. They&rsquo;ll go for their franchise record 18th win against the Pistons on Thursday.
The Suns hadn&rsquo;t lost since Oct. 27 when Harrison Barnes hit a game-winning 3 at the buzzer for the Sacramento Kings.
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TIP-INS
Warriors: F Andre Iguadola (right knee), G Damion Lee (personal), G Klay Thompson (right Achilles recovery) and C James Wiseman (right knee recovery) didn&rsquo;t play. ... F Andrew Wiggins was bothered by back spasms earlier Tuesday but played. He finished with 10 points in 33:17 minutes. ... The Warriors lost despite a 51-35 rebounding advantage and leading 40-14 on points in the paint.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (right knee), F Abdel Nader (right knee) and F Dario Saric (right knee) didn&rsquo;t play. ... Booker hasn&rsquo;t missed a game this season. He was averaging nearly 24 points per game before Tuesday. ... Cam Johnson started the second half for Booker and finished with 14 points. ... Ayton finished 11 of 19 from the field and also had 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host the Suns on Saturday.
Suns: Host the Pistons on Thursday night.

The Phoenix Suns tied a franchise record of 17 straight wins by beating the Golden State Warriors 104-96 on Tuesday night.

No Booker, No Problem: Suns beat Warriors 104-96 to win 17th straight

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker had 23 points, Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 14 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns won their 13th straight, rolling past the San Antonio Spurs 115-111 on Monday night.
Cameron Payne added 20 points off the bench for Phoenix, which had six players finish in double figures. Phoenix finished with 25 assists and went 45 for 87 (51.1%) from the field.
San Antonio point guard Dejounte Murray had 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his seventh career triple-double. But the Spurs have now lost five straight and eight of 10 for their second-worst start in franchise history.
The Suns were patient on offensive despite the Spurs' quicker pace. San Antonio outscored Phoenix 20-10 to open the fourth quarter, pulling with 100-95 with 6 minutes remaining.
The Suns went on a 10-0 run following a timeout. San Antonio responded, outscoring Phoenix 10-2 to pull within 114-109 with 38.6 seconds remaining.
The Spurs are winless when trailing by double digits, and they matched a season-low with five 3-pointers on 20 attempts.
TIP-INS
Suns: Frank Kaminsky missed his fourth straight game after suffering a stress reaction in his right knee. Kaminsky is averaging 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 22.8 minutes this season as the primary big man off Phoenix&rsquo;s bench. &hellip; Cameron Johnson had 18 points after scoring a career-high 22 in Sunday&rsquo;s victory against Denver.
Spurs: Doug McDermott missed the game with an inflamed right knee. He sat out three games earlier this season because of soreness in the same knee. &hellip; Keita Bates-Diop made his fourth career start and first since his rookie season in 2019. &hellip; Jock Landale remains under the league&rsquo;s COVID-19 health &amp; safety protocols. ... San Antonio&rsquo;s worst start came in 1997 when the club went 2-13.
UP NEXT
Suns: At Cleveland on Wednesday.
Spurs: Host Atlanta on Wednesday.

The Phoenix Suns won their 13th-straight game on Monday night, rolling past the San Antonio Spurs 115-111.

Suns win 13th-straight game, rollling past Spurs 115-111

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 13 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 10 games, beating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 on Wednesday night.
Chris Paul drove to the basket and was about to fall out of bounds before finding Ayton for the dunk and a 100-96 lead with 1:27 left. Paul had seven assists in the fourth quarter and finished with 14.
Booker hit a long 3-pointer with the shot-clock expiring with 50 seconds left to seal it. The Suns scored 37 points during a stellar fourth quarter.
Dallas lost for the second time in the last seven games. The Mavericks were playing their first game this season without star guard Luka Doncic, who suffered sprains to his left knee and ankle in the waning moments of a victory over Denver on Monday.
Even without their best player, the balanced Mavericks nearly won. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 22 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 21, and Jalen Bruson had 18.
The game was tight throughout, though the Mavericks usually had a slight advantage. Booker gave the Suns their first lead of the fourth quarter at 87-86 when he made a driving layup with 5:32 left.
Dallas took a 73-68 lead into the fourth quarter after Trey Burke hit a shot just before the third-quarter buzzer.
The Mavericks held a 46-45 lead at halftime. Booker had 15 points for the Suns, and Ayton added 10 points and eight rebounds. Porzingis had 14.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Ayton finished with his 100th double-double in 186 career games, which is the quickest to that mark in franchise history.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Doncic and Maxi Kleber (left oblique strain) didn't play. Doncic is averaging 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game. ... Frank Ntilikina scored 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting. ... The Mavericks shot 16 of 32 (50%) from 3-point range.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee soreness) didn't play. ... It took the Suns nearly four minutes to score their first point. Phoenix missed its first seven shots and fell into an 8-0 hole before Ayton made a fallaway jumper. ... Paul missed his first nine shots of the night before making a 15-foot jumper early in the fourth quarter. He has seven points. ... Landry Shamet scored 11 points off the bench. JaVale McGee added 10 points and six rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Mavericks and Suns play each other again on Friday night in Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 10 games, beating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 on Wednesday night.

Booker scores 24 points, Suns beat Mavs for 10th straight

A year-and-a-half ago, the thought of an NBA front office choosing to model themselves after the Phoenix Suns would&rsquo;ve seemed laughable. After all, you need to experience success in order for teams to try to duplicate it.&nbsp;
From July 2015 through July 2019, the Suns were by far the worst team in the NBA, accumulating a 113-280 record. It wasn&rsquo;t particularly close either; the New York Knicks had the league&rsquo;s second-worst record over that span, yet they won 17 more games than the Suns during that five-year stretch.
Entering last season, the Suns hadn&rsquo;t made the playoffs since 2009-10, which was Steve Nash and Amar&rsquo;e Stoudemire&rsquo;s final season together in Phoenix. This 10-year dry spell marked the league&rsquo;s second-longest active playoff drought (trailing only the Sacramento Kings&rsquo; 15 years) and the fifth-longest in NBA history.&nbsp;
Then, after a decade of mediocrity, the Suns began to change how they are perceived.&nbsp;
It started when they hired head coach Monty Williams, who&rsquo;s beloved and respected around the NBA. From day one, he made it his mission to shift the league-wide view of Phoenix.
"That was Monty&rsquo;s biggest thing coming into [his first] season... We had many conversations, and he said his first step is we need to change the perception of this team and how people view us,&rdquo; Devin Booker told <a href="https://uproxx.com/edge/devin-booker-interview-suns-last-dance-jordan-kobe-nba-best-gamer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dime Magazine</a> last year. &ldquo;And if that&rsquo;s having to get a little nasty, play tougher, more physical, [then we will], but people are going to know when they play against us [that we&rsquo;re] some talented, hard-working guys... I think that the first step in recreating a franchise or a culture is gaining respect from around the league."
While the Suns missed the playoffs by half a game in 2019-20, they turned heads with their strong play and 8-0 record in the NBA Bubble. From there, the team took off. 
The additions of Chris Paul and Jae Crowder took Phoenix to the next level, and suddenly, Phoenix emerged as a legitimate contender atop the Western Conference standings. During last year's playoffs, the Suns became the first team to advance to the NBA Finals immediately after snapping a 10-year postseason drought. 
The turnaround was nothing short of miraculous, with Phoenix going from worst to first seemingly overnight. However, in reality, the Suns had quietly been heating up for some time &mdash; with Booker honing his game as he approached superstardom, Ayton taking the next step in his development and the team's chemistry continuing to improve.&nbsp;
After becoming a juggernaut, the Suns began receiving a lot of national recognition and praise. James Jones was named the NBA&rsquo;s Executive of the Year, Williams was the runner-up in the NBA&rsquo;s Coach of the Year race and Paul finished fifth in Most Valuable Player voting. Phoenix's decision-makers now had credibility, and other teams want to know what buttons they pushed to undergo this transformation.
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What were the keys to the Suns&rsquo; success? They made smart hires (such as Jones and Williams), assembled/developed a terrific young core (led by Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges), acquired the right veteran pieces (including Paul, Crowder, Dario Saric, Frank Kaminsky and, last season, Torrey Craig) and stressed the importance of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/phoenix-suns-credit-tough-conversations-and-constructive-criticism-nba-finals-run-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">communication and accountability</a>.
Rival organizations are taking notice and trying to follow Phoenix&rsquo;s blueprint.&nbsp;
For example, the Portland Trail Blazers are using a similar approach as they plan for the future. In recent months, Damian Lillard has had several meetings with the Blazers&rsquo; front office and owners to discuss the organization&rsquo;s long-term plans. Over the offseason, the six-time All-Star questioned whether the Blazers were doing enough to build a contender around him, but he has since committed to staying in Portland. He recently revealed that the Suns have come up during his chats with the Blazers brass.
&ldquo;The conversations I&rsquo;ve had with Neil [Olshey], he didn&rsquo;t promise me we&rsquo;re about to get LeBron; they didn&rsquo;t tell me we&rsquo;re about to go get a superstar player because I don&rsquo;t think you need all superstar players to win,&rdquo; Lillard recently told <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/amid-chaotic-offseason-damian-lillard-meeting-lebron-james-decision-loomed-sealed-recommitment-trail-blazers-200041277.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Sports</a>. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got CJ [McCollum]; he&rsquo;s an All-Star-level player. We&rsquo;ve got [Jusuf] Nurkic; he&rsquo;s one of the best centers in the league. It&rsquo;s the way you piece the team together.
&ldquo;If you look at Phoenix, they don&rsquo;t have a bunch of stars. They got people who are really good at what they do and understand their roles. Chris Paul and Devin Booker are All-Stars, but Deandre Ayton is a quality center, Jae Crowder is an experienced, quality stretch 4-man that&rsquo;s tough, Cam Johnson is nice and Mikal Bridges is my favorite small forward in the league. You just look at how that team is put together and they&rsquo;re in the Finals coming out of the West. That&rsquo;s what my vision is. 
"I don&rsquo;t see us just landing star players. I&rsquo;m Dame Lillard, and CJ is CJ McCollum. We have the core pieces to do the same thing that Phoenix did. It&rsquo;s just how you fill that in. We just got on the same page &mdash; me, Chauncey [Billups] and Neil. We all spoke and we got on the same page as far as what my thoughts were and how I feel like we can win it. That was good enough for me. I had trust in that. But, we&rsquo;ll see; they can&rsquo;t guarantee me anything and I can&rsquo;t guarantee anything to them, but we got on the same page.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17143631_lg.jpg" alt="" width="649" height="468" />
Making the postseason hasn't been a problem for the Blazers, as they've clinched a playoff spot in eight-straight seasons. However, they've had a hard time advancing deep into the playoffs (aside from their Western Conference Finals trip in 2019, when they were ultimately swept by the Golden State Warriors).
The Blazers are currently 6-8, which slots them at No. 9 in the West. Portland has the NBA's seventh-best offense (scoring 107.8 points per 100 possessions) and 18th-ranked defense (allowing 106.1 points per 100 possessions). While it&rsquo;s not the start that the team had hoped for, there&rsquo;s still plenty of time to turn things around.
&ldquo;Look, I didn&rsquo;t come out here [to lose],&rdquo; Larry Nance Jr. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com</a> before the season. &ldquo;I had a comfortable, cushy situation in Cleveland; I lived close to my family, I was happy and it was all good. I did not come out here to half-ass this thing. I&rsquo;m all in, and that means going for it all. Last year, we saw a few teams come out of nowhere; the Hawks came out of nowhere, the Suns came out of nowhere. There were teams that surprised some people, and that&rsquo;s fully what I&rsquo;m planning on doing here.&rdquo;
The Hawks are an interesting comparison, especially since they struggled out of the gate last season. Like the Suns, the Hawks made a huge leap in 2020-21, going from a 20-win team to within two wins of the NBA Finals. And like Phoenix, Atlanta's turnaround was largely due to bringing in the right leaders (GM Travis Schlenk and head coach Nate McMillan), building a talented young core (Trae Young, John Collins, De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu), acquiring key veterans (such as Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams) and getting hot at the right time.
For the Blazers to follow in the Suns&rsquo; or Hawks&rsquo; footsteps, Nance stresses that they&rsquo;ll need to make significant strides on the defensive end.
&ldquo;Last year, the Blazers finished sixth in a loaded Western Conference and their defense was 28th. Their defense was 28th!&rdquo; Nance <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com</a>. &ldquo;If we move that up to, say, 12th, that&rsquo;s a potent combination. Anytime you can surround guards like we have here with guys that are willing to grind on the defensive end behind them? Whew, that&rsquo;s a winning combo."
It remains to be seen whether the Blazers (or any team) can replicate what the Suns or Hawks did last season. After all, that kind of turnaround is extremely difficult to pull off &mdash; even if the blueprint is right in front of you.&nbsp;

After the Suns' miraculous turnaround, rival teams (like the Blazers) are trying to follow Phoenix's blueprint and duplicate their success.

Rival teams copying Suns' blueprint in hopes of becoming a contender

If you had Frank Kaminsky scoring a career-high 31 points in the year 2021 on your bingo card, go ahead and pick out your lottery numbers for an automatic winner. Kaminsky&rsquo;s performance on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, propelling the Phoenix Suns to a 119-109 win, was awe-inspiring.
Kaminsky was upfront about his recent stretch in the NBA during his postgame media availability. He&rsquo;s known the opportunities for him in Phoenix, and anywhere else, have been sparse at best. When Kaminsky&rsquo;s team option from the Suns was declined after the 2019-20 season, he signed a veteran-minimum deal with the Sacramento Kings and was cut during preseason play. Kaminsky thought this could be it for his career &mdash; a disappointing result for a former lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
However, the Suns had one open roster remaining and decided to use it on Kaminsky, who they claimed on waivers immediately after his release from Sacramento. Kaminsky sparingly played last season, but he did have that familiarity with the Suns&rsquo; system that head coach Monty Williams desired for a reserve big man. Kaminsky even started a stretch of games for the Suns last season alongside Deandre Ayton, actually thriving within that role.
Wednesday was the latest example where Kaminsky&rsquo;s &ldquo;stay ready&rdquo; mentality has continued to pay off in The Valley. Now, Kaminsky is forcing Williams&rsquo; hand once Ayton returns from a leg contusion suffered last week.
Excluding the game on Nov. 4 against the Houston Rockets where he only logged four total minutes, Kaminsky has become a vital rotation piece for Phoenix over the last week-plus. Take a look at the four games he&rsquo;s been relied upon off the bench for Phoenix:
Nov. 2 vs. Pelicans: 17 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists on 5-of-8 FGA in 29 minutes
Nov. 6 vs. Hawks: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block on 7-of-10 FGA in 29 minutes
Nov. 8 vs. Kings: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block on 4-of-9 FGA in 22 minutes
Nov. 8 vs. Trail Blazers: 31 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block on 12-of-18 FGA in 32 minutes
It&rsquo;s a mind-boggling rise for Kaminsky, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.8 blocks while shooting 62.2% over those four contests. When Kaminsky&rsquo;s number has been called upon by Williams, he&rsquo;s delivered with authority every single time. It&rsquo;s a factor his head coach continues to notice consistently from the veteran big.
&ldquo;I just found that out when we [were] bringing it in and the guys told me that was a career-high for Frank. [I'm] excited for him,&rdquo; Williams said on Wednesday night. &ldquo;I felt like a kid in there just cheering for him, because to do what he does every single day, he&rsquo;s a pro. His ability to mentally stay locked-in, emotionally stay even-keeled and understand that he may not get the call, he may get the call &mdash; to do that day-after-day-after-day, come back in the next day get his work in and go home, have a great attitude. It says a lot about him to see him have a night like that when we needed it.&rdquo;
Without Kaminsky&rsquo;s scoring explosion, the Suns don&rsquo;t win that game vs. Portland. In clutch situations, Kaminsky continued to take the game over and do it all for Phoenix. Whether it was scoring inside or out, grabbing key boards or making crucial passes to the perimeter out of traps, Kaminsky showcased why he could deserve extended run within the Suns&rsquo; rotation moving forward.
&ldquo;I still don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s really hit me yet, but like I said last time it&rsquo;s just a mindset,&rdquo; Kaminsky said of his career-best outing. &ldquo;Go out there and play as hard as you can and be ready for anything. [You] never know when your opportunities are going to come, so you gotta make the most of them. I&rsquo;m just trying to make the most of my opportunity here. It just goes into preparation and staying ready and keeping the same mental approach everyday. Try to stay level &mdash; never too high, never too low. Just keep going with that.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Good morning to everyone. But especially to Frank Kaminsky. <a href="https://t.co/yYCcpJFkM8">pic.twitter.com/yYCcpJFkM8</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/BALLYSPORTSAZ/status/1458823210343018499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

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When the Suns lost Dario Saric in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals to a torn ACL, likely sidelining him for all of the 2021-22 season, they were missing that underrated and valuable reserve off the bench. The Suns did go out sign JaVale McGee to a one-year deal; however, his role wasn&rsquo;t as a connector who can facilitate the basketball in &ldquo;0.5&rdquo; situations, but more of a version closer to Ayton as a rim-rolling big who can defend the paint.
Kaminsky has taken on the role that opened with Saric's absence and run with it recently, becoming a must-use piece to the puzzle in the second unit. Also, as seen over the last week, Kaminsky can play a vital role alongside Phoenix&rsquo;s starters as a stretch big who can facilitate from the top of the key, finding cutters or trailing shooters in the corners.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s one thing specific, he just knows how to play,&rdquo; Chris Paul said postgame.
Paul is right on the money with his short and sweet statement. Kaminsky is just a high-IQ basketball player who can seamlessly fit within the role asked upon. Sure, he has some flaws, but within the right system, those can be canceled out by surprisingly-strong strengths.
Williams mentioned to the media that once Ayton returns from his leg contusion, he will try to keep Kaminsky within the Suns&rsquo; rotation. Coach will have him potentially split minutes with McGee and keep their former No. 1 overall pick more fresh throughout games with a lighter workload.
Many thought the Suns needed to make one more move for a win-now piece to bolster their bench and playoff rotation to an even higher level. Who knows, they may have just stumbled upon their solution to losing Saric with Kaminsky.
From where Kaminsky was to where he is now, his confidence is reaching entirely new heights we haven&rsquo;t seen since his days leading the Wisconsin Badgers to the Final Four. It&rsquo;s a new mentality Kaminsky has honed-in on, and the results over a small sample size have been nothing short of fantastic.
&ldquo;So proud of Frank,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;Glad to be a part of his journey. He&rsquo;s a pro.&rdquo;

Frank Kaminsky has taken on the Dario Saric role and thrived for the Suns. Evan Sidery breaks it down.

Frank Kaminsky becoming surprisingly key cog for Suns

After the Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons, 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton shined on the NBA&rsquo;s biggest, high-pressured stage throughout the team's miraculous run to the NBA Finals.
Along the way, Ayton blossomed into a dominant version of himself that was pivotal to Phoenix&rsquo;s success. Although it wasn&rsquo;t what many expected when he first entered the Association, Ayton transformed his game to fit best around Phoenix&rsquo;s dynamic backcourt duo of Devin Booker and Chris Paul.
Ayton focused on the little things offensively to a historically efficient run, as well as transforming into an elite defensive anchor. There were even debates among national NBA media about whether Ayton&rsquo;s player archetype &mdash; a 7-footer with guard-like speed who could switch seamlessly and handle rim-protection duties &mdash; was a more valuable mold than three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Even with the Suns&rsquo; surge to the top tier of the league, there was little question of what the 2021 offseason entailed: run it back. Phoenix accomplished most of that idea &mdash; re-signing Chris Paul and Cameron Payne, plus inking a new 4-year, $90 million extension agreement with Mikal Bridges &mdash; but the organization may have made things very awkward for a team who is even better than it was last season.
Somehow, someway, the Suns have fumbled their opportunity with Ayton. ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski reported three hours before the extension deadline that the Suns and Ayton&rsquo;s representatives <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/extension-talks-between-suns-and-ayton-end-without-a-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed to come to terms on a new multiyear deal</a>.
As news broke near the end of Phoenix&rsquo;s practice on Monday, Ayton was seen wearing Elfrid Payton&rsquo;s No. 2 practice jersey chucking up jumpers alongside fellow bigs JaVale McGee, Frank Kaminsky and Jalen Smith. Over 30 minutes later, Ayton declined to speak with the local Phoenix media on the story that was taking over the NBA&rsquo;s headlines &mdash; and understandably so, because this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-suns-need-to-send-right-message-signing-deandre-ayton-to-his-welldeserved-rookiescale-max-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should have been avoided entirely</a>. Ayton bought into a unique role and thrived within those circumstances, being a key cog to the Suns&rsquo; run in the Finals. However, Phoenix&rsquo;s front office felt Ayton wasn&rsquo;t worthy yet of a five-year rookie-scale max extension.
Bridges, one of Ayton&rsquo;s best friends on the roster, spoke after practice, and he put into realistic terms what this situation could mean for the Suns in 2021-22:
&ldquo;I try to do the best I can to kind of clear his mind and not think about it, but we&rsquo;re humans. It&rsquo;s tough,&rdquo; Bridges said of Ayton&rsquo;s contract situation. &ldquo;Just try to help him, one of my best friends. It&rsquo;s bigger than basketball. I want to play with him... Being around him every single day, I just don&rsquo;t want to lose that.&rdquo;
Ayton has needed to be pushed to put his rare talents on display through his first four seasons, which is maybe why Phoenix was hesitant to hand over the gigantic bag right now. Paul and Booker were constantly in Ayton&rsquo;s ear keeping his motor up, providing tough love along the way in order for the Bahamian big man to reach his immense ceiling.
When Bridges said that he doesn&rsquo;t want to lose having Ayton around, it immediately sparks the thought of an unnecessary distraction for a legitimate championship contender.
Suns head coach Monty Williams also spoke after practice on Monday, quickly going over the Ayton situation. Williams refused to go into details, reiterating that point sternly when asked a follow-up question. However, Williams tried to deflect blame onto himself like the strong leader he is, hammering home how he takes situations like this as a challenge to empower the player.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s on me to help guys get what they want,&rdquo; Williams said of Ayton&rsquo;s non-extension. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my job to help these guys get paid.&rdquo;
The going rate for a 23-year-old center who has flashed All-Defense potential and special touch around the basket is obviously massive. Although the box score numbers last season wouldn&rsquo;t reflect that Ayton deserved max money, the eye test certainly said so with an emphatic yes. Ayton is not even in his prime years yet, so it&rsquo;s absurd to believe real regression is on the horizon anytime soon.
Two teams hold max cap space in a historically-weak 2022 NBA free-agent class: the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons. Now potentially being the No. 1 name available next summer, Ayton will be a top target who could be poached from the Valley. Phoenix, of course, will hold his restricted rights and could match any offer. But imagine the plausible reality where San Antonio throws Ayton a max-offer sheet right when free agency opens on July 1. The Suns would likely match the offer, but exactly was the point of this unnecessary standoff between the front office and Ayton?
&ldquo;We came here together and we obviously always want to be here together,&rdquo; Bridges said of Ayton on Monday. &ldquo;We both want to be here, and I want him here as well. Obviously, I can&rsquo;t do nothing, I&rsquo;m not in the process, but we want him here and I know he wants to be here as well.&rdquo;
This situation will loom over the Suns throughout the 2021-22 campaign, one where hoisting the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy is their only priority. Who knows what happens after this season, though, thanks to Phoenix fumbling away a golden opportunity to lock up one of the most efficient two-ways bigs in the Association before a potentially uglier negotiation nine months from now?
History continues to show the Suns get in their own way when it&rsquo;s not needed. This Ayton saga is the latest example, and it could have real consequences down the road if the relationship between the player and organization isn&rsquo;t mended well behind the scenes.

The Suns passed on a rookie-scale max extension for Deandre Ayton. It's now created an awkward situation for a title contender.

Suns create unnecessarily awkward situation by not extending Ayton

Nekias Duncan previews the Pacific Division for the 2021-22 NBA season.

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Pacific Divison

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<div>
<div id="id__21ryfrdgrid" dir="auto" lang="und">Injury Update: Dario &Scaron;arić (right knee injury) will not return tonight.</div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">&nbsp;</div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1412590375269650434" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoenix Suns (Twitter)</a></div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">&nbsp;</div>
<div dir="auto" lang="und">ANALYSIS: Saric came down awkwardly on his right leg and was quickly removed from the game. The Suns will now look to Frank Kaminsky for solid minutes behind Deandre Ayton in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.</div>
</div>
</div>

The Phoneix Suns have ruled Dario Saric out for the rest of Game 1 with a right knee injury.