Suns steal an unsightly overtime victory in Brooklyn, 108-100

This might have been the least thrilling overtime victory I can recall in recent memory, but like last Wednesday in Orlando, a win is a win is a win.

The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns both slumbered through 45 minutes of basketball with both teams trading leads by default. The Suns went 3-26 from deep in this game and were outrebounded 57-51, yet still managed to force overtime against a sleepy Nets team whose leading scorer (Brook Lopez) shot 6-16 from the field.

The Suns seemed determined to lose this game in regulation, but the Nets were steadfast in their resolve to disappoint their home fans. The Morris twins and Brandon Knight turned in enough clutch buckets to seal the win, and Brooklyn fans unfortunately paid to watch it happen.

The Morris twins and Eric Bledsoe all led the way in scoring with 19 apiece, with Brandon Knight shaking off a 4-16 shooting night to nail the final dagger with 17 seconds remaining in overtime.

The Nets shot 35% from the field, yet were still in control of the game with a few minutes left in regulation.

On to the game notes, and forgive my cynicism. This was not the best example of professional basketball I have seen lately.

Game Notes

1st Quarter

• Funny how as Deron Williams entered the crappy part of his career, he grew a crappy beard to complement the whole process. Didn't Amare do the same thing? Be wary of players who suddenly grow beards. That's all I have to say about that.
• 18/7/5 for Bledsoe on 53% shooting during the last 5 games. Enjoy him. He's not perfect, but he's definitely something.
• Of course, P.J. Tucker missed the team bus for the shootaround this morning. Why? Because this is the 2014/15 season, that's why. Mook starting.
• Suns might lead the league in rebounds given up that actually bounce off the floor. Markel Brown makes them pay from 3.
• Alex Len is a habitual back-tapper.
• Mook handled that 2-on-1 break quite nicely, dumping down to Bledsoe for the layup. I give him a lot of grief, so it's only fair to mention this.
• Bledsoe slashing and dashing early. Awesome show, great job.
• The Suns announcers are still struggling to rid the word 'bugaboo' from their collective lexicon. No one is free from blame here.
• Gerald Green makes a triumphant return from his most recent DNP-CD.
• And Gerald Green is doing everything he can to earn his next DNP-CD. Awful turnover, followed by a wild drive early in the shotclock that had no chance. It took a while but we're finally seeing Indiana Gerald.
• Tucker checks in after missing the bus earlier today. No word on whether or not he remembered his milk money.
• Aaaaand another turnover from Gerald. Watching him play has gone from exhilarating to painful.
• Brook Lopez draws a cheap foul on Len that Len could've easily avoided. These are the things that will improve over time.
• Hornacek continues to leave Gerald in the game, even as he embarrasses himself at every opportunity. Most recently, another wild drive that barely drew rim. Someone needs to pull the plug on this ASAP.
• This one got real ugly real quick. 21-19 Brooklyn after a Thad Young 3.
• And now a Green airball. My god, make this stop. Someone, anyone.

2nd Quarter

• Marcus Thornton in. Rejoice.
• The Marcus Morris pound-pound-pound-20-footer might be my least favorite play in the history of basketball.
• Wright with an alley-oop crush off the PnR. It looks so easy, can't help but wonder why it isn't featured more. And by more, I mean a LOT more.
• 28-27 Nets in a bit of a snoozer thus far.
• Mook battles underneath for the putback. Now THIS is good.
• Markel Brown is apparently a human being with a head and torso and limbs and can dunk a basketball.
• Though Deron Williams no longer resembles a star player, he can still get star calls. Bricks a floater, but gets a call for running into Len.
• Bledsoe attacks in transition. And-1. More please.
• D-WIll bags his first FG with 1:50 left in the half.
• B-Knight to B-Wright! This needs to happen more, and not just because of the cute name thing.
• Wright follows with a block that leads to a Kieff transition layup. Suns finishing the half strong.
• Suns 0-13 from deep, but lead 50-46 at the half. This probably bodes well.
• Kieff leads the way with 11 quiet points in a half that no player or team really stepped up to take control of. Brook Lopez leads Brooklyn in scoring despite going just 2-5 from the field.
• Yawn.

3rd Quarter

• Suns shooting 42%. Brooklyn shooting 36%. Good defense? Sluggish offense? It's so hard to tell the difference sometimes.
• Bledsoe leaves his feet on a pass 20 feet from the hoop. Backcourt violation. That's what you call one of those 'unforced errors'.
• Hornacek responds with his best migraine face.
• Nets forget to cover Markieff on an out-of-bounds. Lionel Hollins calls a timeout emphatically.
• Markieff travels in another unforced error, Len picks up his fourth foul by defending Mason Plumlee too hard on a low-post iso. Are they trying to tank? Is that what this is? Somehow they still lead, 54-51.
• Mook drives hard to the rack for 2. Liking that.
• Suns over the foul limit with 7:31 left in the 3rd. That's a bold strategy.
• Knight dishes to Kieff who dishes to Wright for the dunk. A bang-bang-bang play. That's what I'm talking about.
• Bled with the PUJIT. 62-55 Suns.
• Jarrett Jack with a PUJIT of his own. It's a battle of PUJITS! Only one PUJIT will be left standing!
• Knight and Mook somehow find a way to come up scoreless on a 2-on-1, via a misfired lob pass and a missed bunny putback.
• Suns now 0-15 from 3. And yet, they STILL LEAD.
• Nodded off for a moment. Nets now lead 64-62 and Archie Goodwin is in.
• Archie quickly scores on a drive and then draws FTs in transition. Wake me up, Mongoose!
• Jarrett Jack throws it into the second row on a routine feed into the post. No one was even contesting the pass or the entry. This is just ... I don't even know.
• Wright with a putback dunk, Bogdanovic answers with a 3. Basketball things!
• Bogdanovic connects again, Hornacek calls for a TO.
• /Switches over to a Benny Hill episode, doesn't immediately notice a difference
• Bogdanovic hits AGAIN from deep. Tucker misses to make the Suns 0-16. I think the Suns are losing by quite a bit right now but haven't checked yet.
• Yeah, they are. 80-69 Nets.

4th Quarter

• 25-7 run by the Nets to close out the 3rd quarter, and I'm not convinced that they were ever entirely awake during the whole thing.
• Hornacek now going with Len and Wright together. Why the hell not.
• Marcus Thornton doing work!
• Suns giving up ORebs like charity. 15 now.
• Cory Jefferson is now dunking all over everything. Nets 86-73.
• No T.J. Warren yet. If not tonight, when?
• Suns now 0-19 from 3 because they haven't lost that way yet.
• ESPN announcers trying SO HARD to make it sound like there are still playoff implications for the Suns.
• 0-20.
• 0-21.
• (sorry, I'm running out of storylines here)
• Tucker drops a 3 to make them 1-22 on the night. Forgive me but I've misplaced my exclamation points.
• Tucker hits a 2 with a foot on the line (the fourth such instance for the Suns tonight by my count), and somehow the Suns are still in this.  92-85 Nets.
• Bled with 2 FT's ... Suns on 11-1 run to cut it to 5. Hmm...
• Jarrett Jack long two-pointers might be the best play in the Suns' arsenal right now. 5 point game, 2:17 remaining.
• Knight, 2-12 on the night, draws a pair of clutch FT's. 92-89 Brooklyn. 1:37 left.
• Nets miss, Suns board...and Mook ties it with a 3.
• Seriously. Seriously???!?!?!?!!?
• And then Mook draws a charge on D-Will. I have no idea what's going on right now. 93-93, :41 left, Suns ball.
• Jarrett Jack long 2's again save the Suns. Overtime, much to the chagrin of the national audience.

Overtime

• ISO Joe gives the Nets the lead, Knight quickly evens it up with a drive.
• MarKlutch Morris drops an ISO 2, 100-98 Suns.
• Brandon Knight drills a clutch fadeaway, Suns up 104-100 with 17.5 seconds left!