The Phoenix Suns finished their seeding schedule perfect after blasting Dallas, 128-102, Thursday but won’t be able to continue their magical run in the Orlando Bubble.
With Memphis beating Milwaukee, 119-106, and Portland escaping with an 134-133 victory over Brooklyn at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Phoenix will miss out on the play-in tournament in the Western Conference despite going 8-0 in the seeding games.
The Suns (34-39) needed Memphis or Portland to lose and neither did.
The Bucks faced Memphis (34-39) without reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who served a one-game suspension after headbutting Mo Wagner in Tuesday’s win over Washington.
The Nets gave Damian Lillard and the Blazers (35-39) all they could handle before falling at the end as Caris LeVert missed a last-second jumper. Lillard finished with 42 points as Portland will be the eighth-place team in the play-in tournament.
So Memphis will have to beat the Blazers twice to earn the eighth and final playoff spot.
The Suns posted their longest winning streak since the 2009-10 season when they won 10 a row to finish as the only team to go unbeaten in the bubble.
That was the last time Phoenix made the playoffs.
The Suns won’t get a chance to break that decade drought. They have the same record as the Grizzlies, who went 2-6 in the bubble, but lost the head-to-head tiebreaker, 3-1.
Phoenix went out on a winning note as All-Star Devin Booker scored 27 points with 23 coming in the first half when first-time All-Star Luka Doncic saw action for the Mavericks, who sat Kristaps Porziņģis (heel).
Doncic scored 18 points, all in the first half in 13 minutes.
Up next
Phoenix’s season is over as Portland and Memphis will meet in the play-in.
Game 1 is Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on ABC and Game 2, if necessary, is Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. Both games will be played at The Field House.
If Portland wins Game 1, they’ll advance and play the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs. if Memphis wins Game 1 to force a Game 2 and win that, it’ll take on the top seed in the West.
What a run
The Suns pulled off something that only they could’ve believed and even then likely had some self-doubt about actually doing it.
Then they proceeded to win eight straight games in the NBA restart, something the Suns haven’t done in a decade. Without Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) or Aron Baynes (knee) seeing any action in the scrimmages or seeding games, Phoenix defeated six teams that are in the playoffs.
- Dallas (twice)
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Indiana
- Miami
- Oklahoma City
- Philadelphia
The Thunder and Sixers rested five key guys. Miami and Dallas, in the second game, sat important players, but that shouldn’t diminish what Phoenix accomplished going 8-0.
The first two wins over Dallas and Los Angeles, both by two points and decided on the game’s final play, set the tone for what followed.
Player of the game: Devin Booker
He didn’t score 35 points for a fourth straight game, but was on his way to doing so.
Booker had 23 of his game-high 27 at the half. He added seven rebounds, five assists and didn’t turn the ball over to cap a run of basketball that greatly elevated his NBA status.
His buzzer beater to stun the Clippers over two stud perimeter defenders in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard put the bubble on notice. He proceeded to average 30.5 points in Phoenix’s eight seeding games.
Next to Portland’s Damian Lillard, Booker has been the best player in the bubble.
Respect has been put on his name.
What went well/who played well
Outside of getting the win, Phoenix frustrated Doncic early and didn’t allow him to get his teammates involved. Without Porzingis, Doncic needed other players to come up big and the Suns made it tough for him to facilitate as evidence of him not having an assist.
The Suns finished with 34 assists to only five turnovers.
Individually, Phoenix had six guys reach double figures, but Dario Saric once again came through with a standout effort.
Scoring 16 points, Saric continued to thrive off the bench after losing his starting spot essentially to injury after injuring his ankle in scrimmage play against Boston.
