The Suns came out blazing, then hit a lull, and still took a halftime lead over the Knicks in Phoenix. Devin Booker set the tone with a clean midrange stroke and fearless drives. New York steadied itself late in the second quarter, but the hole is there. This second half will test Phoenix’s touch and New York’s grit.
Halftime in Phoenix. Suns up after a white hot opening burst. Booker stamped the first quarter.
First half snapshot
Phoenix owned the opening minutes. The ball popped, the pace was sharp, and the rim looked huge. Booker was surgical from the elbow and the arc. A Suns wing joined the party with quick-trigger threes from the corners, and the crowd fed the run.
New York answered with toughness. Jalen Brunson slowed the tempo, hunted his spots, and got the Knicks into sets. Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo pressed the glass and the passing lanes. The Knicks shaved the margin before the break, and they looked far more settled.
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How Phoenix built the edge
Booker drove the narrative. He worked high screens, pulled up with space, and punished switches. Kevin Durant drew help with simple actions, which opened clean catch and shoot looks. Grayson Allen spaced to the wing and kept defenders honest. Jusuf Nurkic screened big, rolled with force, and created passing angles.
Frank Vogel staggered minutes to keep a creator on the floor. Phoenix leaned into simple, clean reads. One action, one advantage, kick to the arc, rise in rhythm. When the Suns’ feet were set, the shots fell. When they were rushed, the Knicks climbed back into it.
New York’s best stretch came when it forced two to the ball on Booker. Help came early, hands stayed active, and the Knicks ran after misses. Phoenix’s shot diet cooled, and the game tightened.
The Knicks’ halftime checklist
Tom Thibodeau will not blink. He will ask his group to win with defense, boards, and poise. New York knows the path. It starts with getting the ball out of Booker’s hands and ending trips with one shot.
- Trap Booker on the catch and rotate behind the play
- Send a second body late at drives, then rebound with five
- Push off defensive boards, hunt early threes for DiVincenzo
- Let Brunson control tempo, attack mismatches and draw fouls
Brunson must stay aggressive. Isaiah Hartenstein’s screens can free him to the foul line area, where his footwork is elite. Hart has to fly to the corners on kick outs and then sprint back to the glass. If New York owns those dirty details, the math tilts their way.
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Can Phoenix sustain the touch
Sustaining hot shooting is the test. Booker can carry a unit, but Phoenix needs balance. Allen and Eric Gordon must keep cutting hard when shots do not fall. Nurkic has to punish smalls on switches, not with post dribbles, but with quick seals and touch passes. Durant can steady everything with simple, strong plays. One dribble, rise, net.
The Suns also need to win the middle of the third quarter. That is when New York often makes its push. Limit live ball turnovers, value each halfcourt trip, and defend without fouling. If Phoenix gets to the bonus early, the pressure shifts back to the Knicks.
Phoenix thrives when the first pass is on time and the second pass is on target. Crisp execution beats pressure.
The stakes and the scene
This matchup carries a playoff edge. The Knicks bring a road warrior vibe. Their fans travel and they roar when the hustle pops. The Suns ride a surge from a hungry home crowd, and Booker’s swagger fits the moment. Both teams expect to win games like this, not just compete.
The coaching battle matters too. Thibodeau will ride his core minutes. Vogel will keep a creator on the floor at all times. The chess piece to watch is the second defender on Booker. If New York commits to it, Phoenix must beat the clock with quick swings and cuts. If the Knicks back off, Booker’s rhythm returns in a flash.
What decides the finish
Three things stand out. First, the turnover battle. New York needs extra shots, Phoenix needs clean ones. Second, the glass. The Knicks feast on second chances, and that breaks Phoenix’s flow. Third, free throws. If Brunson lives at the line, the game slows and favors the Knicks. If Booker piles up trips, Phoenix keeps the cushion.
The first punch belonged to the Suns. The last one will come down to control and trust. If the Suns keep sharing and guarding without fouls, they close it. If the Knicks drag this into the mud, and Brunson owns late time, we will be tight in the final minute.
Conclusion
This one started fast, then got real. Phoenix showed flash, New York showed fight. Booker lit the fuse, and the Knicks answered with force. Halftime belongs to the Suns. The second half belongs to whoever wins the small stuff. Buckle up.
