Game Recap: Late collapse in 89-85 loss to Wolves makes it 3 straight L’s for the Suns

Another tough heartbreak for all of us fans.

The Phoenix Suns disappoint once again as they lose three straight here in the Summer League. This time, a loss came at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves 89-85. The Suns saw an excellent performance from Boogie Ellis, someone who had been somewhat polarizing among fans in his recent games. Ellis finished with a team-high 23 points, showcasing a solid off-ball scoring ability for the Summer Suns. That being said, he did have 12 points in the first quarter, so not only were the Suns quiet, but he was as well as the game continued.

Unfortunately for us fans, Koby Brea, who was expected to play, did not participate in this latest game due to a left thumb sprain.

For the Timberwolves, they had some great performances as well, but their standout player was Robert Dillingham. After a quiet first quarter for the team, he went deep into his offensive bag and produced 23 points with seven boards and seven assists as well. Leonard Miller was also a beast for the Wolves, posting a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Game Flow

First Half

The Suns, who were embarrassed over the last two performances, got the rest they needed and came out hot to start this game. They began with an early 10-4 lead, in which both Khaman Maluach and Boogie Ellis had a three to start the scoring for the Suns.

Alongside that was some solid work from the sophomores Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, as they had a nice play, continuing to build on their chemistry from last season.

Defensively, the Suns held their own in the first half, as the Wolves were playing some careless basketball to start. With both teams struggling to take control of the ball, the contest resulted in a high number of turnovers, which is typical of the Summer League.

The first quarter ended with some strong offensive work from Ryan Dunn, as well as some quality defensive plays from Khaman Maluach. The Suns ultimately doubled the point total of the Timberwolves, finishing with a score of 32-16.

In the first half, we saw a lot of Oso Ighodaro and his ability to run the point guard as well. I like the new point-forward build they’re trying to run for him, as it shows how much more relaxed he is going into this year.

We then ultimately saw the reverse of the first quarter in the second, as the Suns now looked like the disorganized offensive team, with the Wolves starting on a 6-0 run. The Suns took over three minutes to register their first points, in the form of a free throw as Ryan Dunn split the pair of shots.

The Suns did, though, have some fun with Khaman Maluach in the first half. They have been trying to determine what he can bring to the Suns and have experimented with every aspect of his game. Regardless of whether he is shooting threes, playing down low in the post, or being a lob threat, they are trying to find his strong suit. He showcased once again that he is a raw prospect but has the tools to be a successful piece in the future.

Even with them struggling offensively in the second quarter compared to the first, the Suns finished out the half with a 10-point lead, 42-32.

Second Half

To start the second half, the Summer Suns appeared to be a shadow of their past regular-season selves, as they allowed the Timberwolves to claw their way back into this contest and regain control of the game. To start the quarter, the Suns only scored 5 points in the first 4 minutes of the quarter, while the Wolves went on an 8-0 run.

This resulted in the Suns losing the lead and now being on the ropes in a game they had complete control of in the first quarter. The old Suns from last year never left, right?

Ryan Dunn also had a scary fall in this quarter, but fortunately, he walked off it and continued to play throughout the contest.

Rasheer Fleming, in this quarter, seemed to find his comfort zone out there with the Suns in his second game with the team. His ability to play off the latest point forward for the Suns, Oso Ighodaro, allows him to create solid looks by cutting to the basket.

At the end of the third quarter, we saw the Suns in a close game vs the Timberwolves, now with a score of 59-57, in which they barely held a lead.

That being said, the Suns changed the narrative of the last two quarters as they came out striking hot in the fourth. Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn similarly took command as they did in the first, creating some good looks offensively.

Unfortunately, once again, the Suns experienced another cold streak, as the Wolves went on an 8-1 run at the end to close it out and prove they were the superior team.

The Suns, despite their relentless effort, ultimately fell short in this one, 89-85, to a team that has gone on to remain undefeated in the Summer League so far.

The Suns still have a lot to learn as a team, but they have shown some significant growth throughout the summer league so far, even if they haven’t won since the first game.

Up Next

The Suns await to see who they will face in the consolation game, which will take place over the weekend. Then, following that, the team heads back to Phoenix, awaiting training camp and the other moves that will transpire for this roster before opening night.

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