On a night when history was made, the Phoenix Suns once again found themselves trapped in a familiar script. It seems that every time something special unfolds — whether it’s the enshrinement of Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire into the Ring of Honor or a milestone so rare it has stood untouched for nearly 37 years — the Suns find a way to stumble at the finish line.

Last night was no different, as they let another moment of greatness slip through their fingers, falling in overtime to the Portland Trail Blazers.

You can pin this loss squarely on two things. Questionable decision-making and pure, unfiltered shit luck.

Playing Plumlee over Richards and Nurkic is pure negligence

— John Voita (@DarthVoita) February 4, 2025

The Suns rolled the dice by going small against former number one overall pick Deandre Ayton, and while it paid off offensively, their defense once again unraveled at the worst possible moments.

Ayton feasted, dropping 25 points and 20 rebounds on his former team, and in a cruel twist, the same guy who had attempted just 44 free throws all season (hitting a shaky 61.4%) suddenly transformed into a sniper, going 7-of-8 from the line. Meanwhile, the Suns — true to form — couldn’t grab a rebound to save their lives.

And if anyone happens to stumble across Tyus Jones, please let him know the Suns could really use his services.

It’s yet another somber chapter in the Phoenix Suns’ long, cruel history. A night that should have been about celebration, was once again tainted by disappointment. This is the ghost of the past knocking, a reminder that for this franchise, joy is fleeting, and purgatory is the default state. No matter how special the moment, the Suns always seem to find a way to let the darkness creep in.

It is on brand for the Suns, in a game in which a franchise milestone occurs, to lose

— John Voita (@DarthVoita) February 4, 2025

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

There wasn’t much sunshine to be found in the Suns’ Saturday night beatdown at the hands of the Trail Blazers. But if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s Devin Booker stacking BSB’s like a ‘90s kid hoarding pogs at recess.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Devin Booker

34 points (9-of-18, 3-of-8 3PT), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, +4 +/-

Kevin Durant

27 points (10-of-21, 2-of-9 3PT), 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers, -4 +/-

Bradley Beal

25 points (8-of-17, 3-of-8 3PT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, +12 +/-

Royce O’Neale

14 points (5-of-8, 4-of-7 3PT), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, +1 +/-

Mason Plumlee

6 points (3-of-4, 0-of-0 3PT), 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, +12 +/-

Grayson Allen

11 points (4-of-9, 3-of-8 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers, +2 +/-

Who do you have for this one?

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