On January 12, 2025, Beijing time, the 17-win and 19-loss Suns faced off against the 9-win and 27-loss Jazz at home. This was a must-win game for the Suns, who were ranked 12th in the West. Could they pull it off? The Suns continued to bench Bill and Nuki, starting with Jones, Booker, Dunn, Durant, and Plumlee. On the Jazz side, Collins, George, Clarkson, and Sensabo were absent, with Sexton, Collier, Porter, Markkanen, and Kessler starting.
In the first quarter, Plumlee made a putback, followed by Markkanen's layup. Plumlee made 1 of 2 free throws and a dunk, while Booker scored 7 consecutive points, giving the Suns a 12-2 lead. Kessler scored 4 points in a row, but Durant and Dunn responded, maintaining a 10-point lead. Markkanen and Phil scored, but Durant and Booker responded, keeping the lead at 8 points. Williams, Phil, and Mihai reduced the gap to 1 point. Iguodala, Allen, and Durant scored, but Mihai, Williams, and Mills caught up, leaving the gap at 1 point. Durant and Morris extended the lead to 4 points, ending the first quarter with the Suns leading 31-27.
In the second quarter, Mihai scored 4 points to tie the game, but Booker and Bill extended the lead to 5 points. Porter hit a three-pointer, and Okogie and Bill added 5 points, extending the lead to 7 points. Porter and Kessler scored, but Booker kept scoring, with Allen and Durant also contributing, increasing the lead to 16 points. Sexton, Kessler, and Markkanen narrowed the gap to 10 points. Dunn, Durant, Bill, and Iguodala scored, while Sexton and Markkanen tried to catch up, leaving the halftime score at Suns 65-54. Booker had 22 points at halftime, Durant 11, and Markkanen 12.
In the third quarter, Markkanen made 1 of 2 free throws, and Durant responded with a mid-range shot, keeping the Suns' lead at 12 points. However, Sexton, Collier, and Markkanen went on an 11-0 run, reducing the gap to 1 point. Dunn extended the lead back to 6 points. Markkanen, Sexton, and Kessler scored, but Durant, Booker, and Iguodala responded, bringing the lead back to 11 points. Mihai and Williams scored, but Booker's mid-range shot kept the Suns ahead 87-79 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Mihai made a layup and Williams made 1 of 2 free throws, reducing the gap to 5 points. Durant and Iguodala extended the lead to 9 points. Jouban and Williams narrowed it to 3 points, but Allen hit three consecutive three-pointers and Booker dunked, increasing the lead to 14 points. Kessler and Markkanen brought the gap back to 9 points. Durant and Booker kept scoring, while Sexton, Markkanen, and Williams tried to catch up, leaving the gap at 9 points with 32 seconds left. The suspense faded, and the Suns ultimately defeated the Jazz 114-106, refusing to be reversed.
Durant scored 25 points with 5 rebounds and 7 assists on 11 of 19 shooting. Booker had 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals on 12 of 20 shooting, performing impressively. Bill scored 12 points with 2 rebounds and 3 assists on 4 of 10 shooting. Allen had 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Dunn contributed 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. Plumlee had 6 points and 10 rebounds, with a game-high +22 plus-minus.
Markkanen scored 24 points with 4 rebounds and 2 assists on 7 of 18 shooting. Sexton had 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kessler contributed 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Mihai had 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. Rookie Williams scored 13 points with 2 rebounds and 2 assists, setting a career scoring record.
After the win, the Suns overtook the Spurs to become 11th in the West, dropping the Spurs to 12th. The Suns' performance improved after benching Bill, as they realized that the three superstars should be used separately to better distribute the ball and improve overall play. Additionally, the Suns' starting lineup's defense improved after Dunn started, making them more stable.
The Suns must thank Bill: As a superstar, he accepted coming off the bench, and this spirit of sacrifice is commendable. His sacrifice has allowed the Suns to see the light at the end of the tunnel.