The Grizzlies had to face yet another loss to a short-handed Suns. The Suns still had Devin Booker, of course. Memphis, on the other hand, continued to struggle without their superstar, Ja Morant. Though the league allowed them to sign 10-day hardship contracts, Shaquille Harrison and Jaylen Nowell couldn’t drop any big points.

But Durant’s absence definitely hit the Suns hard. A constant presence since the season began, KD turned out to be the player everyone relied on to turn the tide. And Booker confirmed the sentiments.

Devin Booker gives props to KD for his efforts in uplifting the Suns

Not having Durant on the floor seems to have made his teammates realize just how valuable he has become. Of course, everyone is aware of the talents Kevin Durant brings wherever he goes. But the intensity of his absence was felt by Phoenix tonight. Devin echoed the same post-game, “You gotta understand, you can’t make up for what Kevin Durant does.”

Finishing 3-1 in the West A group, the Suns hold the second position. It’s a waiting game now. Having played their final game in the In-Season tournament, the Suns will have to see how other West teams perform to find out if they have a chance at the wildcard spot.

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So far, Vogel has had at least one star player on the floor to get his Suns going. Tonight, it was Devin Booker’s turn to take the lead. And he shouldered the responsibility, showcasing a stellar performance.

The Grizzlies did not back down in the face of adversity

One thing everyone has to agree on is how Memphis continues to fight tooth and nail despite its very obvious struggles. Tonight’s game was no different, though it was the Grizzlies’ bench that outshined here. David Roddy scored 14 points while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 13 points and seven rebounds outscoring Phoenix’s reserves by a margin of 37-24.

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Unfortunately, their brave contributions were not enough to tackle the highly efficient and organized Suns. Always staying close behind Phoenix, the Grizzlies looked for any and every opportunity for a breakthrough. But the Suns still had Booker on the court.

Trying to outscore him is a task unto itself. Especially when they are without their own shooter, Morant. Booker scored a season-high 40 points. With brilliant contributions from Gordon and Goodwin, Phoenix flew past the Grizzlies with a 110-89 victory.

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