The Suns, missing Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, were upset by the young Spurs team (114-115). Kevin Durant led Phoenix with 26 points, but it wasn’t enough.
A key play of the game, in which the Suns held the league until the very last moment, was a turnover by Durant. Phoenix was up by 1 point (114-113) and was inbounding with 3 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter.
The ball was inbounded to Durant who was instantly pressured by two Spurs players who managed to rip the ball out of his hands.
Keldon Johnson, who got the ball, scored two points, giving San Antonio its first and final lead of the game with 2 seconds on the clock.
Suns head coach Frank Vogel thought that the Spurs players fouled Durant as they attempted to make the steal, but the game officials did not call it.
“They fouled him. The refs didn’t call it,” Vogel said postgame. “They whacked him on the arm before the ball gets ripped out of his hands. No call. In a situation like that, we tried to get the ball and quick inbounds to our 90% free-throw shooter and we did. But it didn’t work out.”
