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Final Score: Phoenix Suns Lose To Milwaukee Bucks 96-94

It was a sloppy game that the Suns were not able to finish.

By Sean Sullivan
Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

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

Gerald gets a steal and leads a fast break but is fouled. Refs check for clear path foul, but nope.  Side out of bounds for the Suns, common foul.

Jared Dufley steals a pass from Thomas, and Tolliver gets back to prevent the fast break, but has to fould Knight who went for the poster dunk.  He makes  both free throws.  Tolliver  then hits a three at the other end, but then fouls Jarred Bayless to pick up a quick 2nd foul.

Miles Plumlee misses a turnaround, fade-away jumper...but it almost went in...seriously.  Sanders fouled him on the shot though, and he hits one of two from the line.  Isaiah misses a stop-and-pop jumper with an air-ball...I'm thinking that ankle isn't 100% right just yet.  Bucks have cut the lead to just five...Then Tucker hits a very timely three to end the run, for now.

Alex Len scores at the rim, and-one, as soon as he re-enters the game, then another three from Tucker, but another Suns turnover leads to a Bucks fast break.  But Markieff hits a three to put the Suns back up by 10.  But then Chris Middleton hits a basket and the Suns turn the ball over on another sloppy play...Phoenix just can't seem to pull away because they aren't taking care of the ball.

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.

Keef gets another basket to get to 19, nothing more to see here.

At the end of the second quarter, the Suns lead the Bucks 53-44.  Markieff is the leading scorer for the Suns with 19 points and 4 rebounds. Brandon Knight  leads the Bucks with 12 points, 2 assists, and 4 rebounds.  The Suns are shooting 40% from the field.  The Bucks are now shooting 47% from the field.

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

O.J. Mayo hits a three to start the quarter to cut the lead to just 2 points.  Then the Suns have a shot clock violation.  The Suns get a break as O.J. Mayo attacks the basket but Bledsoe is able to draw the charge, but then Isaiah commits an offensive penalty as well.

Alex Len grabbed Giannis down by the back of the jersey on a shot attempt.  Flagrant-one is assessed.  He only makes one free throw though, and then Suns get a steal, but Tucker turns it over...Ugh.

Isaiah makes a much needed three to put the Suns back up by four.  Then Isaiah attacks the rim for a lay-up. Suns now up 6 again.

Timeout.

Isaiah hits another three and is taking over when the Suns need him the most.  Then another three...Isaiah is on FIRE!

Then Jared Dudley answers back to cut the Suns lead back down to seven.  Then Brandon Knight gets a shot at the rim off another Suns turnover...They aren't out of the woods yet.

Middleton then hits a jumper and just like that, the lead is back down to three...They just can't finish this team off.

Offensive foul on Keef...and then ZaZa Pachulia gets the basket as the Suns lead is down to one.  Then a three-second violation on the Suns.  Bucks can take the lead here...but don't.  They miss, fortunately for Phoenix.

Len gets fouled with what looked like a flagrant, but the refs call it a common foul.  He hits both free throws though. Suns back up three.  But Pachulia hits the shot. at the other end..back to one.

Tucker misses a three and then the Bucks get an open layup, Bucks take their first lead of the game.

Gerald gets fouled and re-takes the lead.

A lot of other weird things happen, but it goes down to the wire.  Keef hits the go-ahead shot, and the Bucks hit the buzzer beater...

Killer.

Game Over, Suns Lose



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