The final game of 2024 for the Phoenix Suns was another loss against an injured opponent.

The Suns were intact tonight, at least from the Big Three perspective. It was the first time since December 19th that Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were on the court together. But it wouldn’t last. It was Beal’s turn to get hurt when he left in the second quarter with a bruised hip. As @PHXFansAZ tweeted, this was the Big Three’s run this season:

• Game 2 – Beal injured
• Game 4 – Beal returns
• Game 4 – Beal injured
• Game 6 – Beal returns
• Game 9 – Durant injured
• Game 11 – Beal injured
• Game 17 – Durant returns, Beal returns
• Game 18 – Beal injured
• Game 20 – Beal returns, Durant injured
• Game 24 – Durant returns, Beal injured
• Game 26 – Beal returns, Booker injured
• Game 32 – Booker returns, Beal injured

The Memphis Grizzlies were not on the other side of the ball. But don’t tell them that. And never tell the Suns that. Because if they have the chance to play down to the level of the competition, if they have the chance to lose the mental edge, then they do it. And they did.

The Suns never had a lead against the Grizzlies. Sure, they kept getting close, but they could never take control. Every opportunity to decide the game ended in a missed shot or a careless loss of the ball. A total of seventeen turnovers, each one a nail in the coffin.

Meanwhile, Jaren Jackson Jr. tore through Phoenix’s interior defense and dropped 38 points, while Desmond Bane added 31 of his own. That’s right: Even though Memphis was dealing with numerous injuries, its two best players combined to score an incredible 69 points on 25 of 48 shooting.

On the side of the suns? Durant poured in 29 points and Booker added just 16. That’s a combined 47 points, significantly less than the firepower Memphis brought to the table. In his return, Booker struggled through a brutal 4-of-20 shooting night that was emblematic of the Suns’ difficulty converting when it mattered most.

The Suns end the 2024 calendar year with a season record of 15-17.

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Game flow

First half

As expected, the Grizzlies started the game outplaying the Suns’ interior defense, and without Jusuf Nurkic there wouldn’t be much resistance. Mason Plumlee was sent off almost immediately.

The Grizzlies had an 11-2 lead right before the goal and Mike Budenholzer decided to go for Oso Ighodaro at five.

Jaren Jackson Jr. enjoyed the paint, scoring 19 points on 7 of 9 shooting in the first quarter. He had three and one chances as he attacked at will and picked up two fouls on Mason Plumlee and two fouls on Oso Ighodaro.

The Grizzlies outscored the Suns 20 to 12 in the game, and Phoenix shooting 25% from distance didn’t help their cause either. The Suns trailed by 10 points after one quarter.

The second quarter began with a glimmer of hope for the Suns, a 7-0 run sparked by the unmistakable rhythm of Devin Booker, fresh back in the lineup and moving like he had something to prove. Five of those points were his, his sweater falling with a precision that suggested release. The Suns clenched their claws, grasping for any semblance of momentum.

But like a slap in the face of reality, Memphis responded. A 13-5 counterattack orchestrated by the relentless Desmond Bane erased any ground Phoenix had gained and pushed the deficit back to 11.

Devin Booker stepped back onto the court, ready to remind us all what the Suns could look like if they were at full strength. And just as the cheers for his return swelled, Bradley Beal hobbled off stage left with a bruised left hip. Because of course he did. That’s the Phoenix Suns’ season in a nutshell: One star rises while another falls. It’s not a roster; It’s a revolving door of injuries.

At this point it’s less tragic and more sitcom absurdity. Who’s next? Do they draw straws in the locker room and bet on whose turn it will be to sit out? Don’t get me wrong, injuries are not their fault. But the timing, the consistency, the sheer predictability of it all? It’s reminiscent of Shakespeare in its cruelty, except no one laughs. Well, maybe we are, because if you don’t laugh, you cry.

JJJ had 25 for Memphis and Desmond Bane had 17, while KD had 16 points and Booker was 3 of 10.

At halftime the sun sets at 2 p.m.

Second half

Phoenix opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run and fought back within striking distance. The halftime break seemed to do its job, giving the team a chance to regroup and recalibrate after the loss to Bradley Beal. This was an undermanned Grizzlies team, after all.

The Suns increased their intensity, forced turnovers and steadily increased their lead. They would reduce the gap to three. Then two. Then four. But just when it looked like the tide was about to turn, Memphis responded with a dagger. A clutch three, a contested midrange, a momentum-breaking bucket.

Every time Phoenix got closer, the Grizzlies found a way to put the lead out of reach.

This trend continued throughout the third quarter. Phoenix beat the Grizz 31:22 in the third round, but still couldn’t take the lead with a deficit of 91:86 in the fourth game.

Monte Morris was very valuable in this game as he was given extra minutes with Bradley Beal out due to injury. He embodied the drive that this team has so often lacked, although to their credit they have had it in the last four games. Morris scored 12 points off the bench.

For the second time in a week, the Suns found themselves in the middle of an upset. No punches were thrown, no slaps, but tensions rose as Devin Booker and a guy named Cam Spencer exchanged heated words and a jab. The argument broke out after Spencer tried to grab the ball out of Booker’s hands while he was busy negotiating a call.

The Suns held the Grizzlies to 95 points for over two minutes in the fourth quarter, but only managed to score three points themselves in that span. Once again they have failed to capitalize on opportunities – a recurring theme that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The parallels between this squad and the 2017-18 Suns are breathtaking. Except for the small detail of a $223 million payroll.

With 5:02 left and a deficit of 103-97, the Suns went into the bonus. Could free throws save them? No.

The Suns once again got within two points, but when it came time to reduce the deficit, they faltered. A Memphis threesome. A missed defensive rebound that led to a Desmond Bane layup. A Phoenix miss on the other side. Then an And-1 from Memphis to seal the deal. The Suns fall short and lose, 117-112.

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Next

The 2025 calendar year begins with a three-game road trip beginning this Saturday at Indiana. See you then, Bright Side.

Happy New Year. Cheers to 2025.