On January 17th, Beijing time, the NBA 2024-25 season regular season continued with the Washington Wizards hosting the Phoenix Suns. This was the first matchup between the two teams this season, with the Suns winning both encounters last season, showing a clear advantage. However, since the New Year, the Suns have been struggling, currently holding a record of 19 wins and 20 losses, ranking 11th in the West. Additionally, there has been infighting in the team's locker room, with some players expressing frustration over their roles and positions. Subsequently, head coach Budenholzer made drastic reforms, demoting one of the three giants, Beal, and Nurkic to the bench, which had an immediate effect, with the team's recent form improving.
In contrast, the Wizards have chosen to tank, currently with a record of 6 wins and 32 losses, suffering a 7-game losing streak and ranking last in the East. The team's core player Kuzma has been put on the trading block, but the market is not good, as his performance has indeed been poor this season due to injuries and other reasons; however, Poole has experienced a resurgence, averaging 21.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game this season compared to last.
Before the game, American media ESPN also provided the latest win probability prediction for today's game, with the Wizards having only a 28.1% chance of winning, while the Suns' win probability stands at a high 71.9%. Obviously, the American media favors the Suns to continue their winning streak against the Wizards. In terms of starting lineups, the Wizards were without Bagley, Saddiq Bey, and Brogdon, fielding a starting five of Culibaly, Poole, Kuzma, Karinington, and Sar; the Suns were without Nurkic, with Beal unlikely to play, and their starting lineup consisted of Durant, Booker, Plumlee, Jones, and Dunn.
In the first quarter, Booker hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc and then assisted Plumlee in scoring a layup, prompting a timeout from the Wizards after a 7-0 start for the Suns. Culibaly's forced three-pointer missed, Durant hit a three-pointer and followed it up with a pull-up jumper for five more points, and then Booker made a tough layup for a 2+1, as the Suns went on an 11-3 run to lead by 15 points. Sar completed an alley-oop dunk and then blocked Dunn's layup on defense, reducing the deficit to 10 points for the Wizards. Allen hit consecutive threes and then scored on a drive, going 3-for-3 for eight points. At the end of the first quarter, the Suns led the Wizards 34-21 by 13 points.
In the second quarter, Booker hit consecutive pull-up jumpers, reestablishing a 15-point lead for the Suns. Khyri George hit back-to-back threes to stop the bleeding, and Allen responded by hitting another three and then stealing and dunking. Durant assisted Dunn with a baseline pass for a layup, and then Dunn hit a forced three-pointer, scoring seven points in a row to help the Suns extend their lead to 20 points. However, Durant and Booker made low-level mistakes, with the Suns committing five turnovers in a row, allowing the Wizards to go on a 9-0 run and reduce the deficit to 11 points. Durant's signature fadeaway jumper went in, followed by Booker hitting a three-pointer from the top of the arc to score five points and stop the bleeding. Durant and O'Neal made another turnover, Poole hit a trailing three-pointer, and Culibaly scored on a fastbreak dunk, ending the half with the Wizards trailing by 11 points at 55-66.
At halftime, on the Suns' side, Durant shot 5-for-9, including 1-for-3 from three-point range, scoring 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal; Booker shot 6-for-12, including 2-for-4 from three-point range, scoring 18 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block; Allen became a key player, shooting an efficient 7-for-8, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, scoring 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. On the Wizards' side, Poole shot 5-for-12, including 2-for-7 from three-point range, scoring 14 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
It is worth noting that the Suns shot a combined 27-for-43 in the first half, with a 63% shooting percentage; they made 9-of-16 threes, with a 56% shooting percentage. In comparison, the Wizards shot 21-for-44, with a 48% shooting percentage; they made 6-of-21 threes, with a shooting percentage of less than 29%.
In the third quarter, Poole grabbed Durant to disrupt his fastbreak, and after the referee reviewed the play, he was called for a Clear Path foul. Booker hit a difficult step-back three-pointer against Sar's defense, reestablishing a 22-point lead for the Suns. Jordan Poole and O'Neal traded threes, Durant scored four points through a combination of shooting and free throws, and the Suns continued to widen the gap. Corey Kispert made consecutive drives to the basket, scoring six points in a row, and Montrezl Morris' turnover was stolen, with Justin Champagnie scoring on a fastbreak layup. At the end of the third quarter, the Wizards trailed by 21 points at 83-104.
In the fourth quarter, Justin Champagnie hit consecutive threes, Valanciunas scored in the paint and drew a foul, making both free throws, and the Wizards went on a run to reduce the deficit to 15 points, forcing a timeout from the Suns. T.J. Jones hit a three-pointer to stabilize the situation, and Booker's crucial three-pointer almost sealed the game. Ultimately, the Suns easily defeated the Wizards, handing them their eighth consecutive loss. Moreover, after the Suns' victory, their record, along with the Warriors and Kings, stands at 20 wins and 20 losses, successfully changing the landscape of the West. The Suns have finally seen the reality that as long as Durant and Booker can maintain their form, even in the competitive West, the team still has the ability to compete.
Full game data: On the Wizards' side, Poole shot 6-for-16, scoring an empty 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 turnover; Sar scored 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks; George scored 24 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. On the Suns' side, Durant shot 8-for-16, scoring 23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 2 turnovers; Booker contributed 35 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers; Allen became a key player, efficiently scoring 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.