Did Kevin Durant foul Lauri Markkanen on last play of Suns-Jazz? Exploring controversial call that bailed Phoenix out

The Phoenix Suns (7-6) had a controversial ending to their win over the Utah Jazz (4-9) on Sunday (Nov. 19.) Kevin Durant appeared to foul Lauri Markkanen on the last play of the game. However, the foul call was overturned via a coach's challenge, giving the Suns their seventh win of the season.

When looking at the play, it does appear to be a clear foul by Durant. He is in his landing space for the jump shot, which is classed as a shooting foul due to the risk of an awkward landing.

The NBA generally punishes defenders for not allowing space to land. In the clip above, you can see that Markkanen has to turn his body to create some space for his feet to touch the ground and has to turn toward the crowd to get clear of Durant.

Furthermore, the clip clearly shows contact between Durant and Marrkkanen on the shot release. Yet, it's important to note that the superstar forward touches the ball before he touches Markkanen, which likely deems the move a basketball play and makes the shot contest legal.

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Bradley Beal's health should be a concern for the Phoenix Suns

Since joining the Phoenix Suns this summer, Bradley Beal has made three appearances in 13 games. The All-Star wing is supposed to be the third star on his new team, yet it would appear his injury struggles are forcing a slow start to life in Phoenix.

Beal hasn't played in more than 60 games for the past four seasons. He has been dealing with a string of injury problems in recent years.

Now, the Suns are having to navigate the opening weeks of the new season without their marquee summer addition, which should be a cause for concern.

If Beal isn't healthy enough to be on the court, Phoenix's lack of bench depth will be exposed. The point of this season's roster was the elite three scorers the front office had put together and the pressure they could generate on defenses as they interchanged in the rotation throughout a game.

The Suns need Beal to be healthy if they want to contend for a championship. They need him on the court so he can begin building chemistry with his new teammates, especially with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Three games over the first 13 is a worrying sign, especially if his absence continues into December.