The Phoenix Suns (14-31) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (26-19) 98-95 on Saturday night.
This was expected to be a high-scoring game, but the two offenses really struggled with both rosters being extremely shorthanded. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good game though, as the action in the closing minutes was just fantastic. Archie Goodwin was the hero, as he hit the game-winning three with less than a second to go. What won the game for the Suns was the rebounding though, as they snatched down 52 boards to the Hawks 43. Both teams shot 40 percent from the field and took a combined 58 three-pointers. Atlanta actually came into this game as a double-digit favorite, so it ended up being quite the upset.
The Atlanta Hawks had to play this game without Paul Millsap and it's obvious with this result how important he is to this team. Atlanta struggled mightily on the offensive end of the floor, as the post players for the Suns dominated this game. Kent Bazemore kept his team in it with some huge shots late and finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Al Horford had a nice all-around game as well, as he tallied nine points, 16 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in the defeat. Dennis Schroder once again played down the stretch and scored 16 points with Jeff Teague's continuing to struggle. The Hawks will look to play better in their next game on Monday against the Denver Nuggets.
The Suns played with some fire here for the first time in quite a while and the future is bright even though the present is dark. This was only their second win in their last 16 games, and it was easily their best defensive performance. Tyson Chandler was just a monster down low, as he snatched 17 rebounds in the first half alone. Chandler finished the game with 13 points, 27 rebounds and five assists in a spectacular performance. All the starters played well here, as all five players scored in double-figures and combined for 84 points. Archie Goodwin led the team with 24 points and has been filling in brilliantly for Brandon Knight, who is dealing with an abductor strain. Alex Len was a beast down low as well, as he amassed 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Phoenix will look to build on this win when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in their next game on Tuesday.
