Was that the worst loss of the Suns season?
That’s the question we debated right off the bat of today’s episode.
On the one hand, it’s hard to say that about a 2-point loss on the road to a Pelicans team that went from a nine-game losing streak to fully healthy in one fell swoop. On the other hand, Devin Booker shot a paltry 6-20 from the field, nearly redeemed himself with a solid fourth quarter, then made multiple costly mistakes in crunch time. Letting a winnable game slip through your grasp without your MVP candidate really stings.
Booker was far from the killer he typically is in New Orleans, where dozens of family members often travel from Mississippi to watch him play each season. And as the game came to a close, he had a costly turnover, turned down an open layup, then got his pocket picked on the final play. Ouch.
As a team, the Suns turned the ball over 17 times and allowed a 45-point third quarter to New Orleans — including 21 for star forward Brandon Ingram alone.
The one positive was that Bradley Beal brought exactly the level of efficiency and intensity the Suns will need over the weekend in a back-to-back in Florida. Beal cashed in 24 points and ripped away two steals, guarding Ingram for much of the game.
A good game from Beal isn’t enough to redeem the ugly loss. Whether you agree it was the worst L of the year or not, it was a tough one. And the Suns have already had too many of those.
