By Tiffany Williams –
The Phoenix Suns detonated for three quarters Sunday night in Phoenix — then collapsed in spectacular fashion.
Up 22 with 9:53 left, cruising 103-81 and pounding the Hawks with turnover-fueled chaos, Phoenix looked ready to pocket another home win. Instead, they suffered a meltdown that will follow them for a while. Atlanta ripped off a ruthless 25-5 blitz, shredded the Suns’ defense, and stormed back to steal a 124-122 stunner at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Suns drop to 8-6, now 6-2 at home, and walk away knowing they handed this one away. The Hawks? They leave town looking like thieves in the night.
Atlanta torched Phoenix for 47 fourth-quarter points, shooting 64% from the field and 50% from deep. The Suns, who had suffocated Atlanta through three quarters, suddenly couldn’t get stops, couldn’t secure rebounds, couldn’t hold onto the ball. The fourth turned into a horror reel of lost bodies on the glass, blown coverages, and empty possessions. Royce O’Neale nearly saved the night with a 54-footer at the buzzer — but nearly is all Phoenix got.
Dillon Brooks carried the Suns early and often with 34 points, his second straight 30-plus game — the first time he’s done it in his career. Devin Booker tagged on 27 and continued one of the strongest scoring starts in franchise history. But none of it mattered once the fourth-quarter avalanche buried Phoenix.
Collin Gillespie looked like a revelation off the bench — until a cramp forced him out during the Hawks’ run — finishing with 15 points, a career-high 8 boards, and 7 assists, breaking a franchise mark for most assists by a bench player through 14 games. Ryan Dunn and Jordan Goodwin again injected energy, combining for 26 on efficient shooting.
But Atlanta’s trio of Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker took over when it counted. Okongwu bulldozed his way to 27. Johnson delivered 25 and 10. Alexander-Walker pumped in 26, refusing to miss when the Hawks needed him most. Dyson Daniels added 11 and 12 assists, doing the dirty work that kept the comeback alive.
And the coaches didn’t sugarcoat anything.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott said, “That’s part of what I just said in there, just a great third quarter and the fourth quarter wasn’t… 47 points in the fourth, anyone can look at that and know that’s probably not a recipe for success any night.”
Booker didn’t hide from the truth either: “Game’s never over. The quicker we can regroup after the commotion of whatever the situation was that happened, the better for the team.” And on the collapse: “I say defense, they scored too many points and then got over forty, they are getting offensive rebounds and they’re playing desperation basketball so typically that’s hard to guard and we had a tough time with it tonight.”
Gillespie admitted the turning point: “Defensively, we kind of gave in a little bit… I’d have to watch the film to see exactly what it was.” And on allowing crucial offensive rebounds: “We definitely could have a done better job… we got to hit bodies…”
For Atlanta, Quin Snyder marveled at his team’s resilience: “It would have been really easy… for us to capitulate on some level and that didn’t happen… that’s a unique game, to be on the road and have that happen, get blitzed like that in the third and then respond the way we did.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker explained his mindset: “In that moment… I was trying to stay calm… Just riding the wave and the next possession, that’s all I can control and that I’m going to focus on.”
Dyson Daniels embraced his defensive challenge, saying about Booker: “It’s fine, obviously, Book’s a really talented scorer… I just come out here and try to make it harder…”
Phoenix had this game locked. Atlanta kicked down the door anyway. And the Suns — after forcing 17 Hawks turnovers and scoring 23 points off them — watched everything they built evaporate in the final 12 minutes.
A brutal loss. A brutal lesson. And a reminder in Booker’s own words: “Game’s never over.”
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