Kevin Durant didn’t mince words when addressing the Phoenix Suns’ disappointing 127-109 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. The star forward took responsibility for his performance, stating that his struggles contributed to the team’s defeat.
“We had these little spurts where each team would go off and go on a flurry on us, and that’s usually the game. Going on a 12-0 run or 19-5 runs. We’re playing good ball, and then to give up a run like that. It’s tough to fight back when teams score that many points in a row,” Durant said postgame, per Duane Rankin.
Durant, who finished with just 15 points on 5-for-15 shooting, including 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, recognized his need for improvement. “Tonight, if I had made more shots, we probably would have won. I got to force it and probably run up to the ball more. I got to rebound a bit more, four of them is not good enough. If we want us to win, I got to come better than what I did tonight.”
The Raptors, who were coming off a two-game losing streak, were on fire from long range. Toronto made 20 of their 35 three-point attempts, including a perfect 8-for-8 performance in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Immanuel Quickley, Chris Boucher, and RJ Barrett each scored 23 points, with Quickley knocking down 5-of-7 from deep.
Boucher also added 10 rebounds off the bench, while Scottie Barnes chipped in 20 points. The Raptors’ shooting efficiency overwhelmed Phoenix, which struggled defensively throughout the game. Despite their offensive woes, Toronto’s 42 points from their bench—outscoring Phoenix’s 18—proved critical in the decisive moments.
For the Suns, Devin Booker led all scorers with 31 points, and Bradley Beal had 30 on an efficient 12-for-15 shooting night. However, it was Durant’s shooting struggles that stood out. The Suns also struggled from deep, making only 7 of their 28 three-point attempts, tying their season low. The team missed its first five attempts from beyond the arc, and shot just 2-for-13 in the first half.
Phoenix trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half but mounted a late rally. With just over five minutes left in the game, Grayson Allen’s three-pointer trimmed Toronto’s lead to 105-103. However, Toronto responded with back-to-back threes from Boucher and Quickley, extinguishing Phoenix’s comeback hopes.
This loss marks Phoenix’s fifth defeat in their last six games, as they sit 11th in the Western Conference with a 27-30 record. The Suns, who are battling for a spot in the Play-In Tournament, now face the uphill task of regaining momentum in their playoff push.
The Raptors, meanwhile, snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory but remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference at 18-39.
