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Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns tried to stay alive in the fourth quarter against the LA Lakers. Phoenix had been chasing the host team for much of the game before engaging them in a seesaw battle late in the final period. Both the Suns and the Lakers were going all out for a slot in the semifinals on Thursday against the already-qualified New Orleans Pelicans. Durant was expected to play a major role before the game was going to be decided.
The LA Lakers had ball possession with 7.4 seconds left in the game. Phoenix quickly fouled him once he received the ball, hoping that "AD" would miss his free throws. LA’s superstar big man hit the first but missed the second, giving the Lakers a 106-103 lead.
The Suns quickly pushed the ball before the Lakers’ defense could set. Kevin Durant got the ball from the backcourt and promptly did this:
Basketball fans held their breath as KD’s shot arced over the air before it barely hit the rim. Laker Nation inside Crypto.com Arena erupted in relief and excitement after Durant failed to nail the shot. The Lakers have booked their ticket to Las Vegas once the potential game-tying 3-pointer fell short.
The LA Lakers dodged a bullet with Kevin Durant’s missed triple. He had missed just two out of six attempts before that shot. He finished the night with 31 points, hitting 12-17 field goals. The Phoenix Suns wanted the ball in his hands, he just couldn’t convert. Perhaps the “Slim Reaper” was a little tired that he couldn’t give the ball just a little bit more push.
Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns will regroup following the quarterfinal loss to the LA Lakers
With the loss, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns will concentrate on their push for the playoffs. They have a 12-9 record but have lost three of their last four games. The Suns will have a two-day break before they play their next five home games on their home floor.
Phoenix’s next five opponents will be the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards. Except for the Wizards, every team during that stretch has a winning record. Even if they’re playing in front of their home fans, they can’t get complacent.
Suns fans will be hoping that during the five-game homestand, they’ll finally be able to see their Big 3 play together. Phoenix has yet to have a game where Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are all available. They need to regroup and they badly need their trio of superstars to be healthy.
