Game Recap: Suns Drop Preseason Opener
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The Phoenix Suns finally returned to action on Sunday night for their first preseason game of the year.
In town was Australia's Adelaide 36ers, part of the NBL and eager to prove they could keep up with some of the best basketball players in the world.
After an offseason full of rumors, ridicule and criticism, basketball is back in the Valley.
Here's how the action shaped up in Phoenix's return to play:
Suns' Starting Lineup:
PG- Chris Paul
SG- Devin Booker
SF- Mikal Bridges
PF- Cam Johnson
C- Deandre Ayton
First Quarter
The first bucket of the preseason belonged to Devin Booker, who drove to the right of the rim and finished off the glass.
Mikal Bridges flashed a brilliant stretch of play, blocking a jumpshot before hitting a three-pointer on the other side of the court. The next possession, Bridges was able to hit the free-throw line after drawing a foul.
At the first timeout, the Suns and 36ers were tied at 14 with 7:27 remaining in the first quarter. Center Deandre Ayton was 3-of-4 with six points in the opening stretch of play.
Despite opening with a 6-0 run out of the timeout, the Suns still trailed Adelaide for most of the first quarter.
Phoenix would roll their second lineup of Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, Damion Lee, Torrey Craig and Jock Landale.
Landale, who has garnered some hype in training camp, notably grabbed three offensive rebounds in one possession, a testament to his hustle.
Adelaide would continue to lead through the opening 12 minutes of play, hitting 55% of their shots from downtown while the Suns made just one-of-nine.
The Suns finished the first quarter down 33-28.
Second Quarter
Adelaide extended their lead to double digits, pacing Phoenix thanks to spectacular shooting. All eight players who had touched the floor for the 36ers were shooting 50% or higher.
Chris Paul managed to find himself in foul trouble early, picking up his fourth foul in the first half.
After a pair of free throws with 6:20 left, the Suns trailed 57-41.
Phoenix would eventually draw the lead within single digits, clawing back to a 62-53 deficit despite the 36ers knocking down 11-of-20 from three-point land.
Not much changed from the first to the second despite the Suns slowly chipping away at the lead.
Phoenix would head into the break down 71-59.
The Suns made just 4-of-18 from downtown and were outrebounded 21-20 on the glass in the first half.
First half box score:
Third Quarter
After three minutes of play, the Suns were able to draw within seven points with their starters back on the floor.
A Booker and-1 conversion drew the score to 80-75 with 6:54 left in the third. With 3:43 left, Phoenix trailed 84-83.
Yet a quick 7-0 run against the Suns' second unit by Adelaide built another strong lead for the 36ers. Guard Craig Randall hit a deep three to extend their lead. He finished with eight points in the third.
To that point, Adelaide forward Mitch McCarron had a whopping 12 assists.
Aside from Landale, Phoenix's second unit didn't have many answers for the 36ers. They had plenty of opportunity, as the starters didn't play majority of the second half.
Ish Wainright checked in with 9.6 seconds left, receiving quite the applause from the home crowd.
A last-second put-back from Torrey Craig put the Suns down 96-90 with one quarter remaining.
Phoenix shot 56.5% from the field in the third quarter to cut down the Adelaide lead.
Fourth Quarter
Landale hit a pair of free throws to draw within four points before Randall laced two deep three's to make the lead 102-95.
Randall himself had 28 to that point, and the 36ers were 19-of-35 from beyond the arc. A floater from Randall, to score a quick eight points to begin the fourth quarter, stretched the lead back to double digits.
With 5:51 left, Landale hit the line and converted both free throws to draw within two points, 111-109.
Yet Phoenix's back-ups were unable to hold Randall, as he again took over the fourth quarter despite drawing a fifth personal foul with over three minutes left.
The lead hit double digits with 2:41 left after another three-pointer, helping put away Phoenix for good.
The Suns would lose 134-124.
The 36ers had three players with over 20 points: Randall (35), Robert Franks (32) and Antonius Cleveland (22).
Adelaide finished with a whopping 24-of-43 in three-point shooting while hitting 90% of their free throws.
The Suns made a mere nine of their 34 three-point attempts.
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