The Phoenix Suns won their 2024-25 regular season home finale in 117-98 fashion over the San Antonio Spurs, giving home fans one last feeling of victory at PHX arena.
With the Suns being eliminated from postseason contention earlier in the week, Phoenix only had pride to play for - especially missing Kevin Durant from the lineup.
“I think they’re all competitors. I think they wanted to have our last home game have a better feeling to it," head coach Mike Budenholzer said of his squad after the win.
"Just go out and play good basketball. Get some stops and play together. They did it.”
The win over San Antonio stopped an eight-game losing streak for Phoenix.
“I think we consistently played hard the whole game. We played for each other regardless of the situation, still saw smiles on our faces. That is just playing with pride," said Devin Booker, who finished with 18 points and five assists.
There hasn't been much joy for the Suns to play with this season for a multitude of reasons, though Friday night was the rare opportunity for Phoenix to comfortably enjoy a win.
“A lot of people don't smile on the floor, but it's like when you played this game when you were five years old, you smiled, and it was fun. When you get to the NBA, it's the same thing, it's just a fun game," Bradley Beal said after the win.
"I think a lot of times we get caught up in X's and O's and the box score and, we eliminate the fact that we're human beings, and we play the game because it's fun. This is the most fun sport ever created, so there's always going to be joy in that. And I feel like every time I step on the floor, I try to find that joy for sure.”
Phoenix will conclude their regular season on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings.
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