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The Phoenix Suns start the game with Eric Bledsoe, Gerald Green, P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris, and Alex Len. This is the first "on purpose" start for Len who will replace Miles Plumlee in the starting line-up tonight. Goran Dragic is still out with a back strain, and is missing his second straight game.
The Milwaukee Bucks begin with Brandon Knight, O.J. Mayo, Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Larry Sanders to start the game. John Henson and Ersan Ilyasova are inactive for the Bucks tonight.
First Quarter
The Suns start off with a jump shot from Markieff, and then Len swallows up Sanders in the paint for a stop inside. Keef hits again, and then Green gets a fast break but he misses on the euro step around the defender. Alex Len is playing good defense and grabbed a tough offensive rebound inside, but missed the put-back. Keef then scores and is fouled for the and-one...he starts 3/3 from the field.
Suns are playing good defense, but so far, only Keef has been able to find the basket. Green finally gets one to go after missing his first three attempts. Len is really doing a good job of defending and bodying-up in the paint, getting some tough rebounds. P.J. Tucker fast break ends in a....miss. But Bledsoe is there to clean it up. Suns up 11-4. Timeout Bucks.
Len picks up a foul and Plumlee comes in for him. Isaiah Thomas also enters the game for Green. Jared Dudley still knows how to sell the foul, as he flops beautifully on a shot to get to the line. Marcus Morris gets his first basket at the other end.
Kendall Marshall just scored on the Suns...
Another sloppy play of the game as Marcus and Green fail to connect on a pass. Gerald zigged when he should have zagged. Suns still having trouble executing on offense, but the defense is better...so there's that.
The Suns finally start clicking a little at the end of the quarter to take a 12 point lead.
At the end of the first quarter, the Suns lead the Bucks 26-14. Markieff is the leading scorer for the Suns with 10 points and 4 rebounds. O.J. Mayo leads the Bucks with 4 points and 1 rebound . The Suns are shooting 44% from the field. The Bucks are shooting 31% from the field.
Second Quarter
With two minutes left in the quarter, Keef hits a shot and then gets fouled on the next possession...He now has 17 points, but is the only Suns player in double-figures.
Third Quarter
Alex Len starts the third quarter with a big block on Jabari Parker. Green tried another three, and missed again, he is now 1/12 from the field...When Green is off, he's really off.
On the next possession, Jabari and Tucker got tangled up and Jabari went down with what looked like a serious left knee injury. He had to be carried off the court. Really hate to see that happen...Get well soon Mr. Parker.
After about three minutes, Eric Bledsoe became only the second Suns player to join Markieff in double-digit scoring...finally. Markieff is continuing to score as he now has 21 points on 7/9 shooting...without Keef, the Suns would be in big trouble tonight.
Green finally hits another shot...a three...to bring his total to 2/14 from the field so far. There's a Kobe Bryant joke in here somewhere.
Side note: Markieff's bandage near his ear reminds me of when I get a little too crazy with the razor while shaving.
Plumlee gets fouled with a flagrant-one. He hits 1/2, and then Green dribbles the ball off his foot. Another missed opportunity to pull away.
2/15 now...
Bucks cut the lead to six, but T.J. Warren draws the contact to get to the line. Jerryd Bayless gets to the rim for a pass that he converts, but then Isaiah is fouled on a three point shot. He only hits two though...it's been that kind of night for the Suns on offense.
Warren fouls Bayless at the end of the quarter to send him to the line to shoot free-throws. Suns had a strange line-up with only one guard, three forwards, and one center. Suns only up 5 now.
At the end of the quarter, the Suns lead the Bucks 72-67. Markieff is the leading scorer for the Suns with 21 points. Brandon Knight leads the Bucks with 16 points. The Suns are shooting 38% from the field. The Bucks are shooting 45% from the field.
Fourth Quarter
Game Over, Suns Lose