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The Phoenix Suns (39-28) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (17-50) by a score of 107-96 on Friday evening at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
Phoenix and Charlotte both went with the starting lineups that both teams have typically used over the last two months - and Phoenix obviously came into opening tip with a sizable advantage.
The Suns jumped out to a quick 10-3 lead, but lulled for much of the remainder of the opening twelve minutes before gaining a rhythm over the last two minutes.
The Suns led 28-26 after the first frame. Eric Gordon paced Phoenix with 8 points, while Charlotte was lead by Grant Williams - who also pitched in 8.
Phoenix continued to build momentum in the second quarter, building up the lead to 12 with 3:39 remaining in the half behind a deep pull-up two from Devin Booker.
Phoenix took a lead of 54-45 going into the half behind an Eric Gordon three-point shot near the end of the second.
The Suns' offensive showing in the first 24 minutes was very much a balanced effort, as every player who entered the game scored at least two points.
Phoenix truly opened up the game in the third quarter - to the tune of 38 points in the 12 minute frame.
Phoenix went into the fourth quarter with a 92-67 lead behind strong third period contributions from Booker and Bradley Beal.
Phoenix once again continued the troubling trend of fourth quarter play - as they were outscored 20-7 across the first six minutes of the final 12.
The Suns were able to hold off an improved Hornets effort over the closing minutes of the game despite continuing to stall on offense.
Key Performances
Devin Booker - 21 PTS, 6 REB, 11 AST
Kevin Durant - 13 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST (20 points away from passing Shaquille O'Neal on all-time scoring list)
Eric Gordon - 14 PTS, 4 3PM
Jusuf Nurkic - 13 PTS, 21 REB, 1 BLK
Miles Bridges - 17 PTS, 10 REB
What's Next
The Suns face the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday morning.
More must-reads:
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Bulls reinforce directionless future with questionable Josh Giddey offer
Josh Giddey, like most of his fellow restricted free agents, has spent much of the summer holding out for the best possible contract offer. The 22-year-old has reportedly been looking for a deal that pays him close to $30 million annually, but that's a pipe dream for a player who hasn't made positive contributions on a winning team. However, he may have just received the best offer he'll get from the Chicago Bulls — or any team, for that matter. Following extension talks that have spent weeks in limbo, the Bulls put a long-term offer on the table, according to Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson. The deal would reportedly pay Giddey an average of $20 million per year, a much more reasonable number. Giddey will be hard-pressed to find a more lucrative contract offer, despite his potential. No matter how long he waits, no team is going to throw borderline All-Star money for a player with pronounced weaknesses. He has averaged 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game across four seasons. For that reason, Giddey should take Chicago's offer. But even if the Bulls do keep their guy, an extension of this magnitude would only reinforce what many believe about the team: It's a franchise with no direction. Possessing a roster without a true star, the Bulls are setting themselves up for disappointment if they expect Giddey to reach that level of effectiveness. The franchise would be better off betting on Coby White's future rather than a guard who struggles to both shoot and defend. Giddey should be elated that the Bulls decided to meet him halfway on a contract offer, especially considering his lack of other suitors. If an extension does get done, though, Chicago will eventually look back and wonder if those resources could have been better spent elsewhere. With a return to the draft lottery likely, the Bulls don't have any expectations for 2025-26. But rather than try something new after several years of underperforming and missing the playoffs for three straight seasons, Chicago is falling into the trap of committing to mediocrity.
New report sheds light on how Cowboys view Micah Parsons situation
It is no secret that the relationship between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys is not on solid ground, but that does not necessarily mean it is tarnished beyond repair. On the latest episode of his podcast, which was released on Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter predicted that Parsons and the Cowboys are "headed towards divorce." Schefter said the two sides have not spoken since April and that it seems like a matter of when — not if — they part ways. Longtime NFL reporter Josina Anderson was told the situation is not quite that grim, at least from the Cowboys' perspective. Anderson reported on Tuesday evening that the relationship between Parsons and Dallas "has not deteriorated to the point of an imminent divorce." "I did not detect any obvious tones of concern in my sourced conversation when I recently asked about ESPN's Adam Schefter's report stating he sees 'these two sides headed towards a divorce, in time.' ... I just feel Dallas has so much history with protracted (and) sensitive negotiations, thus my current impression is the club remains unrattled, at this time," Anderson wrote in a post on X. Parsons is earning just over $24M in the final year of his rookie contract this season. The 26-year-old had 12 sacks in 13 games last season and has 52.5 sacks in 63 career games. Parsons is arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL when healthy. Although Parsons has formally requested a trade, the Cowboys maintain that they have no intention of dealing their four-time Pro Bowl defensive end. The only real leverage Parsons has is creating a headache in Dallas. He remains under contract, and the Cowboys also can use the franchise tag on him in each of the next two seasons. If Parsons were to sit out regular-season games, his contract would eventually toll. Even with Jerry Jones publicly taking shots at Parsons, one massive contract offer could change everything.
Aaron Judge seemed annoyed with Aaron Boone over troubling health update
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered a concerning update on Tuesday about Aaron Judge's recovery from an elbow injury, and the slugger did not seem thrilled about that. Judge returned to the Yankees' lineup on Aug. 5 following a 10-day stint on the injured list. The two-time American League MVP had a flexor strain in his throwing elbow, and he has been slotted in as New York's designated hitter since he returned. In an interview with WFAN on Tuesday morning, Boone said he does not believe that Judge will get back to "throwing like he normally does" at any point for the remainder of the season. Judge was caught off guard by his manager's remarks. Before Tuesday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Judge told reporters that he is unsure of why Boone provided the pessimistic update. "I don’t know why he said that. He hasn’t seen me throw the past two weeks," Judge said. "I’m pretty confident I’ll get back to that.” Boone later admitted that he may have misspoken during the WFAN interview. Many were surprised by the apparent disconnect between Judge and Boone. It is possible that what Boone said in the initial interview was accurate, and Judge did not want that information to be made public. The alternative is that Boone is not completely up to speed on his best player's recovery from an injury, which would be a bad look for the manager. Judge is batting .333 with 39 home runs and 91 RBI this season. His bat is far more important to the Yankees than his glove, but he has struggled at the plate a bit since returning. Judge is batting just .229 with a .429 slugging percentage in 11 games since he came off the injured list.
Commanders' Terry McLaurin reportedly wants more money than previously thought
Previous reports indicated that unsettled Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was looking to land "parts" of the five-year, $150M contract that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave DK Metcalf earlier this year. For an article published on Wednesday morning, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic offered an update regarding why McLaurin and the Commanders haven't come to terms on an extension after the 29-year-old requested a trade on July 31. "One person with knowledge of McLaurin’s contract negotiations said the veteran receiver has asked for more than DK Metcalf," Jhabvala revealed. McLaurin is in the final year of his current deal and will turn 30 years old in September. To compare, Metcalf will turn 28 in December. That said, McLaurin emerged last season as the favorite target for quarterback Jayden Daniels as Daniels guided the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game. "McLaurin believes he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL," Jhabvala added. "He’s been the Commanders' leading receiver every season since he entered the league (in 2019), and last year had the second-most receiving TDs in the league behind Ja’Marr Chase’s 17. He also ranked third in (expected points added) on targets and seventh in catch rate among receivers with at least 100 targets last year, but among that same group, McLaurin’s total receiving yards (1,096) ranked 12th and his average yards after the catch ranked 25th." Daniels seemed optimistic while speaking about the ongoing contract standoff during the ESPN broadcast of Monday's preseason game between the Commanders and Cincinnati Bengals when he said he knew McLaurin would "be coming through the door soon." However, Jhabvala noted that "it wouldn’t be a surprise if the [Commanders have] set a maximum range of $27M to $28M a year in average annual value for McLaurin." That seems to suggest the two sides aren't all that close to coming to terms on an agreement. It's unclear if McLaurin is willing to forfeit money by sitting out Washington's Week 1 game against the New York Giants on Sept. 7 amid his desire for a pay raise. If he isn't, he may have to soon accept the offer that's on the table to guarantee himself future earnings beyond the upcoming season.
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