In a thrilling battle, the Phoenix Suns secured another hard-fought victory against the Utah Jazz on Saturday, emerging triumphant with a final score of 140-137.

Despite missing Bradley Beal due to injury, the Suns were led in scoring by the impressive performance of Kevin Durant, who notched 39 points during his 46 minutes on the court. Lauri Markkanen showcased his scoring prowess, leading the Jazz with 38 points. The Suns maintained a narrow lead of 115-113 until the final moments of the fourth quarter when the Jazz managed to tie the score, forcing the game into overtime. The intensity continued into double overtime, with the Jazz once again tying the score at 127-127 in the last second. However, the Suns ultimately emerged victorious, securing the win with a final score of 140-137.

Match recap:

First Quarter

Before the game, Will Hardy mentioned Lauri Markkanen’s focus on improving as a halfcourt isolation scorer, particularly starting with the ball above the three-point line. Markkanen showcased this development with five points in the first quarter, executing strong isolation drives.

The Suns responded to the Jazz’s 7-2 start with a 14-3 run, securing easy transition baskets.

Similar to the previous night, the Jazz took a moment to adjust their double-teaming strategy against Kevin Durant, resulting in two turnovers in the first quarter.

Talen Horton-Tucker provided a significant boost for the Jazz in the first quarter, scoring eight points on perfect shooting, matching the total scoring of the Suns’ bench.

At the end of the first quarter, the Jazz and Suns were tied at 30.

Second Quarter

The Suns initiated the second quarter with a 19-11 run, finding a rhythm with Durant in halfcourt plays.

Despite the Suns’ strong defensive efforts, the Jazz found offensive success through second-chance points.

Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson injected energy late in the second quarter, connecting with Markkanen on two assists. George also delivered a highlight-reel dunk, engaging the fans.

At halftime, the Jazz trailed the Suns 61-56.

Third Quarter

The Jazz started the second half with a 5-0 run, tying the game at 61 as the Suns struggled with contested shots.

Offensively, the Jazz targeted Grayson Allen with repeated attacks, achieving moderate success.

With the score tied at 70, Jordan Clarkson committed a series of fouls, resulting in only one point for the Suns.

Both teams had opportunities to seize control in the third quarter, but missed shots and sloppy play prevented either from taking a substantial lead.

Late in the third quarter, officiating became contentious, with tough calls on both ends, though the whistle largely favored the Suns.

After three quarters, the Jazz trailed the Suns 85-84.

Fourth Quarter

Although the Jazz started the game shooting poorly from three (7-30), they quickly knocked down two deep balls in the fourth quarter, taking a 90-88 lead with 10:28 left to play.

Collin Sexton played a pivotal role for the Jazz in the fourth quarter, contributing both offensively and defensively, including knocking down threes and winning 50-50 balls.

Durant and Devin Booker took control for the Suns in the late stages, connecting on challenging mid-range jump shots.

Booker missed a potential game-winner in the final second, leading to the game going into overtime tied at 115.

Overtime

The Suns started overtime with a 5-0 run, as Durant facilitated open shots against the Jazz’s aggressive double-teaming.

The Jazz struggled to generate easy shots, and exhaustion became apparent in the late stages of the game.

Despite Collin Sexton’s buzzer-beating layup, the game went to double overtime tied at 127.

Second Overtime

Durant dominated the second overtime, scoring the first eight points for the Suns, establishing a 135-130 lead.

The Jazz faced challenges in creating quality looks, visibly affected by exhaustion.

Markkanen and Collins tied the game with timely shots, but former Jazz player Grayson Allen’s three-pointer gave the Suns a 138-135 lead in the final minute.

Durant was initially called for a foul against Markkanen on a last-second three, but the officials overturned the call on a Suns challenge, securing the Jazz’s ninth loss of the season.

With this hard-fought win, the Suns improved their season record to 7-6. The team will return to the Footprint Center on Tuesday for an In-Season Tournament matchup against the Portland Trailblazers at 7 p.m. Fans can catch the live broadcast of Tuesday’s game on 3TV and Arizona’s Family Sports Network.