Sports

The Suns needed to show fire in Game 3, but all they could muster was a flicker

PHOENIX — Devin Booker stood with the remainder of his Phoenix Suns teammates as the ultimate seconds ticked right here Friday evening. But earlier than Game 3 went ultimate, the Suns guard turned and ducked by means of an enviornment exit behind the Phoenix bench. A fast getaway.

That’s OK. Hundreds of followers left early too.

Confirmation hit exhausting for this crew Friday evening. Don’t misunderstand: Phoenix’s first two losses in this Western Conference first-round collection didn’t make anybody assume the Suns had a main reversal in them. Not with how they had performed. But these setbacks had come on the highway in Minnesota. Game 3 in the desert would show for positive simply how a lot fire the Suns had.

As it seems, simply a flicker.

If that.

Third-seeded Minnesota wore down sixth-seeded Phoenix, by no means trailing in a 126-109 win that gave the Timberwolves a commanding 3-0 collection lead. Game 4 is Sunday, and it’d supply a ultimate probability for the Suns to show the pleasure they have lacked for many of this collection. Or that they can no less than battle for 48 minutes. That’s the attention-grabbing half.

The Suns have battled Minnesota, staying aggressive by means of the primary half in all three postseason video games, but something happens in the second half. One crew is prepared, the opposite shouldn’t be.

‘Third quarter kicking our ass, ain’t it?” Suns guard Bradley Beal stated.

For the collection, Minnesota is plus-34 in the third. In Game 3, the Timberwolves outscored Phoenix 36-20, hitting photographs, making stops and sucking the joy from a dwelling crowd that had arrived at Footprint Center prepared to explode. Instead, because the Suns walked to the bench on the finish of the third quarter, many booed.

“Rightfully so,” Booker stated.

Give the Suns credit score in that respect. At least they perceive that they have been outclassed. Minnesota is the higher basketball crew — there’s no questioning this — but Phoenix shouldn’t be in this place. Even with a flawed roster that has no true level guard and restricted depth, the Suns needs to be extra aggressive. Instead, Minnesota has posted wins of 25, 12 and 17 factors. This has been a landslide, with each contest determined throughout a comparable stretch.

Asked if he could clarify Phoenix’s third-quarter woes, Booker stated merely, “No, I cannot.”

Kevin Durant’s try: “We’re playing in spurts, man. Just like we’ve been doing all season. Good couple minutes, bad couple minutes. And in the playoffs, you can’t have that.”

Phoenix trailed 59-53 at halftime. To begin the third quarter, Durant missed a 13-footer. Royce O’Neale missed a 3. Jusuf Nurkić dedicated a turnover. Just like that, Minnesota led by 10. By the time Naz Reid dunked 9 minutes later, the margin had swelled to 22. The Suns pulled to inside 12 in the fourth quarter but could get no nearer.

The Suns’ third-quarter woes have outlined the collection. A six-point deficit Friday at halftime ballooned to 22 by the tip of the third. (Joe Camporeale / USA Today)

“Guys were competing, but they were being outplayed,” Suns coach Frank Vogel stated, including that Phoenix had made defensive changes, switching up coverages, mixing in zone, all to no avail. “Part of it is they’re making shots and we weren’t. That slows your momentum down.”

The Suns haven’t misplaced three in a row since December. They haven’t misplaced three in a row by double digits since December 2022. They look overwhelmed and shell-shocked. It’s not like this has been an Anthony Edwards postseason coming-out occasion. A younger star lastly breaking by means of. Edwards has been nice — he scored 36 on Friday — but the Timberwolves have gotten important contributions from almost everybody.

In Game 2, Jaden McDaniels had a breakout recreation, scoring 25 factors. In Game 3, Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit 4 3s and scored 16 off the bench. Overall, 5 of Minnesota’s prime seven gamers are scoring above their season averages in this collection. Only Reid and Karl-Anthony Towns usually are not. For Phoenix, it’s the other. Of its prime seven gamers, solely Beal is scoring above his season common. The Timberwolves are assembly the second, the Suns are working from it.

“We put ourselves in a hole, we got to dig out of it,” Booker stated.

They insist they’ll preserve combating. “I’ve never been swept a day in my life,” stated Beal, who led Phoenix with 28 factors. “I’ll be damned if that happens.” But they perceive extending this collection is not going to be straightforward.

“It’s an opportunity for us to do something that’s never been done before. We’re going to embrace that,” Vogel stated of rallying from an 0-3 deficit. “You’re playing for pride and you’re playing for an opportunity to keep fighting. That’s what this group wants.”

At instances, it’s exhausting to inform.