Kevin Durant posted a season-high 43 points against the Detroit Pistons last night. but, unfortunately, his scoring outburst wasn’t enough to compensate for the Suns’ 19 turnovers on the night. The Slim Reaper himself was far too loose with the ball, conceding 8 turnovers in 39 minutes of action.
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“I got to be more patient,” Durant reflected after the game. “Most of the time when I turn the ball over, it’s because I’m trying to play too fast. When I see a trap I get so excited that we got numbers… So, I just gotta slow down and try to relax a little bit more.”
"I got to be more patient."
Kevin Durant on passing out of double. Committed 8 turnovers. 3 of his 8 turnovers offensive fouls.
"Most of the time when I turn the ball over is because I'm trying to play too fast. When I see a trap I get so excited cause we got numbers." #Suns pic.twitter.com/CMTLYoFDFt
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 22, 2024
Mike Budenholzer’s offense has been trending in the wrong direction without Devin Booker. KD faced similar pressure during their last game against the Pacers after Book checked out in the third quarter. A groin strain kept him out for the rest of the night and forced him to miss the home game last night as well.
In his absence, defenses are trapping Durant more often and causing a high rate of turnovers from the 36-year-old. In the loss to the Pacers, he had 5 turnovers, contributing to the Suns’ total of 16 at Footprint Center.
“29 points off our turnovers, that’s a game. I can’t lead the team in turnovers,” the 14-time All-Star had said on Thursday. Unfortunately, he led the team in turnovers for the second consecutive game against the Pistons. This time, the result was deadlier for Phoenix as Detroit generated 34 points off of their mistakes last night.
Despite the severity of the problem, the Suns have taken a leap in terms of their playmaking efficiency this season. Without any real point guards on the roster last year, Booker was often running as the team’s lead guard and it led to the team finishing with the sixth most turnovers per game (14.9) last season.
Conversely, despite their errant run over the past two games, Phoenix is top 10 in maintaining control of the ball this year. Coach Budenholzer’s off-season changes addressed much of the Suns’ depth concerns, but when they are bitten by the injury bug, the Arizona-side struggle to take advantage of their superstars.
Over the last two games, Durant is averaging 40 points on 66% true shooting. As far as his role goes, the team cannot expect more from the veteran forward. However, without Booker’s gravity in the lineup, KD is forced to generate more plays while facing more of the defense’s attention. And with the added offensive pressure on his shoulders, Durant is also struggling to bolster the Suns’ defense, as they have conceded 253 points over their last two games.
Phoenix is ranked 24th in defense so far, which is plenty to counteract all the good their 9th ranked offense is doing. Due to their style of play, the Suns have played the 6th fewest possessions this year. Despite their lack of pace, the team can still stand a chance to compete if they are just able to corral more rebounds.
They are the 4th worst team on the offensive glass this season, and that is largely due to the injuries Jusuf Nurkic has faced throughout the campaign. If there is one area the Suns need to shore up before the trade deadline, it would be their interior presence.
