Atlanta, GA
Phoenix Suns: Turnovers, giving up 3s, what else we learned in loss at Atlanta Hawks
ATLANTA — Dominate.
That’s the word Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel used in describing their approach to this seven-game road trip that began with an impressive win at Dallas followed up by back-to-back losses to Indiana and Orlando in which they wilted in the fourth quarter.
The Suns responded with two straight wins at Miami and Brooklyn to set the table to finish the marathon trip facing two sub .500 teams Friday at Atlanta and Sunday at Washington.
Win those two, Phoenix would be sitting 10 games above .500, a major achievement when considering the new-look roster that dealt with multiple injuries under a new coaching staff.
The Atlanta Hawks didn’t allow that to happen.
Hitting 17 shots from 3 and scoring 21 points off 17 Phoenix turnovers, the Hawks (21-27) exploited the Suns’ weaknesses in handing them a 129-120 loss before a crowd of 16,536 at State Farm Arena.
Now the Suns (28-21) will look to finish the trip with at least a winning record on Sunday, as they face the lowly Wizards (9-38), who have the second-worst record in the league next to Detroit.
Here’s what we learned from Friday’s loss, as the Suns lost despite scoring 60 points in the paint and 23 fast-break points.
Quick numbers
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 35 points to lead the Suns as all five starters reached double figures. Devin Booker added 24.
Atlanta’s Trae Young went for a team-high 32, hitting 7-of-11 from 3 while Bogdan Bogdanovic came off the bench to score 23 points. He connected on 4-of-7 deep ones.
Beal is trying not to make excuses, but he found himself bleeding from the nose after taking a hit on it in the first half on a foul.
Tough guy, my friends. Tough guy.
He said after the game players have shot the ball well wearing a mask. He played with one from a broken nose during his playing days with the Wizards in the 2015-16 season.
His coaches and teammates are quick to come to his defense. He posted a double-double of 14 points and 10 assists, but turned the ball over four times, shot 5-of-16 and didn’t make a three on seven attempts.
Since he returned in the fourth quarter at Indiana from going down after taking an elbow from Myles Turner, Beal is an (ugh) 20-of-63 from the field overall (31.7%), making only two out of 26 3s.
Two. Wow.
Beal has missed 24 games this season with back issues and an ankle sprain. His toughness can’t be questioned, but what can be is whether Beal should be playing.
No way he’s missing Sunday’s return game to Washington, where he spent 11 seasons. He’s the second all-time leading scorer in franchise history and has the record for most 3-pointers made.
D.C. is his home. The fans will give him his flowers, but after that one, he might want to consider sitting out a game just to further find out if the mask can be improved.
The Suns had already started the game without much sense of urgency.
The Hawks were cooking them from deep as Young led the 3-point barrage. They failed to bring the physicality on defense they displayed against Brooklyn.
The game was late in the fourth with the Hawks up seven, but Eric Gordon’s 3 with 2:41 left gave them a little bit of hope.
Enter the NBA replay center in Secaucus, N.J.
Any field goal made close to the 3-point line are reviewed with one of the review triggers being did a player jump from out of bounds on their shot.
The replay concluded that Gordon was jumped from out of bounds on the 3.
Huh?
By the time the PA announcer told everyone in the arena Gordon’s 3 was taken off the board and Dejounte Murray made two free throws, the Suns trailed by nine with 2:24 remaining.
The game isn’t over, but it’s not a good look for the Suns.
Gordon said after the game he was in his usual spot on a corner 3, but added if he was out of bounds, it’s OK for him to jump back in, set his feet and shoot.
There lies the conundrum.
The toughest part of this rule is it takes away momentum from the team that’s on the wrong side of it. You look up and see the scoreboard literally change.
That can be demoralizing. The Suns still had time, but the replay has never been able to make the change on the spot. That’s why it’s called a review.
Booker’s importance
Yeah, he picked up his fourth foul with 1:04 left in the third with Phoenix up two, 95-93.
Booker felt Dejounte Murray hooked him a little bit and sold the call, but he took ownership of the first three fouls. Still, if a guy collects his fourth in the third quarter, they usually come out the game.
Wonder if Vogel is second-guessing that now.
Josh Okogie replaced Booker to give the Suns a lineup of Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks and Beal, who is dealing with the nose.
Durant was taking his usual rest at the end of the third.
Vogel is thinking the Suns can hold on a minute and change right? Not this time.
The Hawks closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 100-95 lead going into the fourth.
Maybe he reinserts Booker to begin the fourth, but then that’s not showing confidence in the guys on the court. Besides, Durant checked back in at the start of the fourth.
By the time Booker returned with 9:28 remaining in the game, Phoenix trailed by nine after a Murray layup forced Vogel to call a timeout.
Booker has talked about the need to have at least two of the Big 3 on the court. Vogel didn’t think that was necessary at that point in the game.
Turns out it was. See if Vogel trusts Booker to play with four fouls when put in that situation again.
Bol Bol is back from his right foot sprain that kept him out nine games, but hasn’t played in Phoenix’s last two games. The 7-footer felt confident he could play Wednesday at Brooklyn, but Vogel said before the game he wanted him to get a “practice or two” in before playing him.
After not seeing action against the Nets, Bol played an hour of pickup ball Thursday and looked good, Vogel said.
Still, Vogel didn’t play Bol Friday, saying he was sticking to the frontcourt rotation of Josh Okogie, Keita Bates-Diop and Drew Eubanks to start, but would play Bol if needed.
The Suns were saying they were hopeful Bol played during the road trip. They have one more game left on it Sunday against the Wizards.
Grayson Allen returned after missing Wednesday’s win at Brooklyn with a right ankle sprain suffered in the first half of Monday’s win at Miami.
Up next — Beal returns to D.C. in road trip finale
Now it’s Beal’s turn.
This seven-game road trip has been a reunion tour of sorts for the Suns. Vogel coached against his former teams Indianapolis and Orlando. Durant faces his former team in Brooklyn as did Yuta Watanabe. Josh Okogie played in home Atlanta area against the Hawks.
Now, Beal will face his former team for the first time in Washington D.C. since the offseason trade that sent Chris Paul to the Wizards, who later dealt Paul to Golden State and got Jordan Poole in return.
Jordan Goodwin also played for the Wizards, but not nearly as long as Beal, who spent 11 seasons in D.C. Should be a memorable return for the three-time All-Star, who was a major fixture there.
The Wizards are 3-7 in their last 10 games as they have the second-worst record in the NBA behind Detroit. They removed Wes Unseld Jr. from his head coaching duties into a front office role last month and named Brian Keefe interim head coach.
The Wizards are 2-3 under Keefe, losing their last two to the Clippers and Heat.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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Folks, Opening Day is tomorrow.
To. Morr. Ow.
As such, we’re starting to get predictions flooding in from everybody who’s bold enough to try to call how arguably the most unpredictable sport in North America is going to shake out from now all the way until October. The staff here at Battery Power will share our predictions with y’all later on and if you haven’t voted in our survey asking where you think the Braves will finish in the NL East this season, you’ve still got a chance for the time being.
Everybody’s dropping their two cents in the can and that includes Keith Law of The Athletic. His season preview is a massively comprehensive piece and I highly suggest that y’all subscribe and go check it out, since he’s been doing great work for a long time now and he’s continuing to do so with articles like this. As such, Law is feeling very bullish about the Atlanta Braves’ chances of winning the World Series for the first time since 2021 — to the point where he’s predicting that they’ll be the ones lifting the “piece of metal” once the season comes to its conclusion in October.
Here are his thoughts on the Braves heading into 2025:
Atlanta didn’t make any huge moves this winter, but they’ll get Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., back early this season, and that may be all they needed to do. Sean Murphy’s injury opens the door for their top prospect Drake Baldwin to get some big-league time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he acquits himself well enough to make demoting him a tough decision. Jurickson Profar probably won’t repeat his huge 2024 season, but he could give half of that value back and still be an upgrade for them in left.
He goes on to predict later on in the article that the Braves will end up toppling the Red Sox in the World Series. Needless to say, that’s a result that would make everybody in Braves Country and this corner of the internet in particular very happy. Of course, it’s much easier said than done — especially in a sport such as baseball where the long marathon to the Postseason often can turn into a face plant during the sprint to the World Series.
Still, there’s plenty of reason to feel optimistic about the Braves as they head into the 2025 season. Everybody’s 0-0 to start the season but it’s clear that the Braves have very good reason to feel like this could be their year once again. As usual, we’ll see what happens!
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty ranked Metro Atlanta’s No. 1 Brokerage
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty proudly ranked as Metro Atlanta’s No. 1 brokerage for the fifth consecutive year. In 2024, our advisors sold a remarkable $4.3 billion in total sales, a testament to our unwavering commitment to our clients and the communities we serve.
At Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, we exist to help you live the life you dream of. Our clients benefit from our global presence, dynamic marketing strategies, and unparalleled professional service. Through our commitment to exceptional service and results, we proudly ranked No. 1 in total sales across the six-county Metro Atlanta area, including the areas of Buckhead, Intown, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, North Fulton, and South Forsyth.
REPRESENTING ALL PRICE POINTS.
In addition to record-setting sales, 45% of our transactions in 2024 were under $650,000, showcasing that luxury isn’t a price point, but a level of service shaped by the insight our advisors provide.
“Each of my clients gets the same level of attention because, to each one, it is their most important transaction. The stories are all unique,” says Betsy Akers, No. 5 advisor with the Atlanta REALTORS® Association, who sold properties ranging from a $35 million luxury estate to a $550,000 listing in 2024.
Her client-first philosophy perfectly reflects our mission: build lifelong relationships by treating every client like family.
EXTRAORDINARY REPRESENTATION.
A snapshot of our 2024 highlights:
Chase Mizell, the No. 2 advisor for volume sold with the Atlanta REALTORS Association, launched Entelechy II, a $40 million masterpiece in Sea Island, Georgia designed by the late John Portman, the iconic Atlanta-based architect renowned for transforming skylines.
“It’s estates like this that remind me why I do what I do — connecting extraordinary properties with discerning buyers who appreciate the artistry behind them.”
Bayne Battleson Group, led by Sam Bayne and Ashley Battleson, earned the No. 3 spot for team volume with the Atlanta REALTORS® Association. Sam brought the buyer for Georgia’s largest publicly listed sale of the year—a $35 million estate. Despite starting at a lower price point, their client was captivated by the 50,000± square foot property. After weeks of negotiations, the seller finally accepted.
Kevin McBride and Jessica Sheevy earned the No. 3 and No. 4 spots for volume sold with the Atlanta REALTORS® Association, driven by their success with The Dillon in Buckhead. The 2.5-year project redefined luxury condominium living, with 95 units sold in just a year, bringing the building to near sell-out status as only four units remain. Their strategic use of live video content documenting the entire process was a game-changer, reaching a 6,000-person prospect and homeowner list and making a powerful impact.
The Boyd Team, led by Kim Boyd and Kathryn Boyd Crabtree, earned the No. 2 spot for homes sold and No. 5 for volume sold with the Atlanta REALTORS® Association. One of their standout transactions was a heartwarming homecoming in Collier Hills, where they reunited former owners with their beloved home—representing both sides in a rare, “Father of the Bride”-style twist.
Bonnie Majher, who earned the No. 6 spot for volume sold with the Atlanta REALTORS® Association, made a lasting impact by helping a client sell their home just in time to be by her husband’s side in his final moments — a powerful reminder that real estate is about far more than closing deals.
REMEMBERING OUR FOUNDER, JENNY PRUITT.
In 2024, we lost our beloved Founder and CEO, Jenny Pruitt. Jenny’s remarkable legacy continues to inspire us. She made immeasurable contributions to the real estate industry, the advancement of women, and our community. She was a genuine servant leader, guided by her incredible faith.
“If you find your purpose in life, you will discover your passion! When you are doing something that you are passionate about, you will be fulfilled. I feel like I never worked a day in my life because I love what I do.”
YOUR COMMUNITY IS OUR COMMUNITY.
Jenny’s dedication to giving back lives on through our commitment to over 30 arts, charitable, and educational organizations across Georgia and beyond. From donations and sponsorships to volunteering, mentoring, and board leadership, we remain passionate about strengthening the communities where we live and work.
GLOBAL REACH. LOCAL IMPACT.
In 2024, Sotheby’s International Realty® expanded its global presence, opening 37 new offices worldwide, bringing its total to over 1,100 offices in 84 countries and territories with more than 26,100 advisors. The brand achieved $157 billion in 2024 sales volume, demonstrating the power of its international reach, referral network, and unrivaled brand recognition.
Click to view properties exclusively represented by Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty.
Every home is unique. Every client is one of a kind.
Source:
TrendGraphix, Top 5 Firms, January 2025. January 1 – December 31, 2024. Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett Counties. All Property Types; All Price Points.
The Atlanta Hawks have won three in a row and seven of their last ten games coming into tonight’s matchup with the Houston Rockets. This game is going to be an interesting matchup between one of the league’s hottest offenses vs one of the league’s best defenses. Houston won a close matchup in Atlanta earlier this season and another close game could be on the way.
Our own Rohan Raman gave an in-depth preview for tonight’s game:
“Coming into tonight’s game, the Hawks are 5th in the NBA in PPG, 14th in FG%, 16th in 3PA, 19th in 3P%, 2nd in FTA, 25th in turnovers, and 13th in rebounding. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 17th in points per 100 possessions, 18th in effective field goal percentage, 21st in turnover percentage, 13th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 7th in free throw rate.
Currently, the Hawks rank 27th in PPG allowed, 28th in field goal percentage allowed, 15th in three-point attempts allowed, and 27th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 18th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 28th in effective field goal percentage allowed.
The Rockets’ offense has been an inconsistent unit all season. They are 17th in the NBA in PPG, 25th in FG%, 20th in 3PA, 23rd in 3P%, 5th in FTA, 13th in turnovers, and 1st in rebounding. Per Cleaning the Glass, Houston is 13th in points per 100 possessions, 26th in effective field goal percentage, 10th in turnover percentage, 1st in offensive rebounding percentage, and 25th in free throw rate.
Fortunately for them, Houston’s defense has been a top-five unit throughout the season. They rank 5th in PPG allowed, 5th in field goal percentage allowed, 2nd in three-point attempts allowed, and 10th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Rockets are 3rd in points allowed per 100 possessions and 2nd in effective field goal percentage allowed.
Trae Young had 21 points and nine assists during his last outing against the Rockets, but the Hawks star has been on a torrid scoring run as of late. In his last 10 games, he’s averaging 27.8 points and 10.9 assists on 45.2/34.5/94% shooting splits. Young will likely draw Fred VanVleet on defense, which is a tough matchup. VanVleet is in the midst of one of his better seasons on defense – his defensive box plus-minus of 1.5 is the second-best mark of his career and his penchant for defensive communication/timing is critical to Houston’s effectiveness on defense. However, the Rockets are fresh off of getting torched by Jamal Murray for 39 points, so they aren’t immune to struggling against opposing ball-handlers.
The hallmark of this Rockets team is running teams off the three-point line. They are excellent at stifling attempts and rarely allow teams to get hot. That’s because they have athletic, smart and versatile defenders like Tari Eason and Amen Thompson. Atlanta is short on offensive creators not named Trae Young, but this could be an area where Zaccharie Risacher makes a difference. In his last 10 games, he’s averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 rebounds on 50/38.6/80% shooting splits. His handle is improving and his confidence in his shot is growing with each game. Atlanta did not have him for their last matchup against Houston, so his performance could be critical in a Hawks victory. Georges Niang is going to be critical in this matchup – he’s the team’s best volume three-point shooter and the Rockets are likely going to clamp down on him. If he can’t get some shots to fall, that could be a problem for the Hawks.
Although it’s an excellent defense, Houston’s scheme isn’t great at stopping teams in the paint. weakness of the Rockets. They’re 18th in opposing points in the paint (OPITP) and the duo of DeAndre Jordan and Aaron Gordon collected 24 points and 19 rebounds during Houston’s last game. The Hawks rank 3rd in PITP largely due to the emergence of Onyeka Okongwu. Okongwu’s averaging 15.4 points and 10.9 rebounds on 58/50/88.5% shooting splits in his last 10 games. He has an interesting matchup tonight against Alperen Sengun. Sengun is an excellent playmaker and he deserves respect as a scorer, but I’m interested to see how well these two centers guard each other. Okongwu has been a solid rim protector while Sengun is defensively limited.
Atlanta’s bench has been among the best in basketball – they rank 4th in bench points per game and 7th in FG%. However, the Rockets’ second unit is a bit weaker on offense. They are 25th in points per game, but their bench is 3rd in defensive rating. If the Rockets can clamp down on the Hawks’ scoring from their second unit, this could be a rough game for Atlanta’s offense.”
According to Fanduel Sportsbook, the Rockets are 8.5 point favorites against the Hawks tonight and the total is set at 236.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
This is going to be a nice test for the Hawks after a relatively light schedule. Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu, and Caris LeVert are playing well coming into the game, but a road test against a team full of defenders that can give both Young and LeVert a lot of trouble. Expect a close game, but the Rockets find a way to get the win at home.
Final Score: Houston 119, Atlanta 112 (ATL +8.5 and Under)
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