The Phoenix Suns are on an upward trajectory, while the Miami Heat face increasing challenges. Eric Gordon led the Suns with 23 points off the bench, and Devin Booker added 22 in their 118-105 victory over the Heat during Monday’s NBA action. This win extends the Heat’s losing streak to seven games.
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal also played key roles for Phoenix, scoring 20 and 19 points, respectively. The Suns have been in impressive form lately, going 8-2 in their last 10 games and achieving a rare season sweep over the Heat, a feat they last accomplished in the 2020-21 season when they reached the NBA Finals.
Booker, Durant, and Beal each contributed seven assists. The Suns dominated much of the game, leading by as much as 28 points and entering the final quarter with a commanding 100-74 advantage. Despite their lead narrowing in the fourth quarter, the Suns secured the win.
“Trying to get wins, that’s the name of the game,” Booker said after the Suns got a split of their Florida back-to-back following a Sunday night loss in Orlando. “We have some things to figure out defensively, and we’ll do that. This was a good win today, on a back-to-back, against a really good team.”
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For Miami, Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 26 points. However, the Heat, who were once 24-16 and fifth in the Eastern Conference, have now slipped to a 24-23 record. They currently find themselves in the play-in tournament range, trailing the Indiana Pacers for a guaranteed playoff spot.
Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro added 21 and 17 points for Miami, respectively. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra emphasized the need for resilience and effort through these challenging times, believing that something great could emerge on the other side.
“I just want to see the effort, the toughness, the physicality, the force, the multiple efforts to get through this to see what’s on the other side,” Spoelstra said. “We know that there’s something that potentially can be great on the other side. But you got to go through it. You’ve got to go through the fires together and these uncomfortable times together.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Updates
The Suns played without Grayson Allen in the second half due to a sprained ankle, and Beal wore a protective mask for his broken nose. Suns coach Frank Vogel lauded the team’s bench, which contributed 48 points, critical on the second night of a back-to-back.
“Proud of those guys,” Vogel said. “That’s what it should look like on the second night of a back-to-back.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Updates
This losing streak is Miami’s first seven-game slide since the 2007-08 season, the year before Spoelstra took over as head coach. The Heat must overcome this hurdle to aim for playoff success, a feat not achieved by a team with a seven-game losing streak since the Portland Trail Blazers in 2016.
“We have to get over this hurdle,” Spoelstra said, “one way or another.”
Looking ahead, the Suns will face the Brooklyn Nets, while the Heat will host the Sacramento Kings in their next games.
