Suns give up 139 points to Rockets, drop sixth straight game

PHOENIX — When functioning fully, the Phoenix Suns are going to be able to win some shootouts this season.

But as they continue to work through missing players — this time Deandre Ayton (right ankle sprain) and Ricky Rubio (illness) — all while seeing their quality in team play dip in recent weeks, they aren’t built to win like that as a team.

For the second straight night and in what has been an overall theme in the past 10-plus games, their defense let them down and they couldn’t keep up with the Houston Rockets in a 139-125 loss.

Head coach Monty Williams thought his team “fought” after playing last night in Oklahoma City. There were mishaps he mentioned, but Houston also had James Harden (47 points) and Russell Westbrook (30) combine for 77.

“What can you say about that,” Williams said of that duo.

Houston scored at least 34 points in the first three quarters on Saturday, meaning the Suns scoring at least 30 points in those quarters as well didn’t amount to an advantage.

Harden is going to take a whole lot of shots, some of them fairly low in quality, so you’ll catch him having some inefficient nights. Even in those nights, however, he’s sensational and Houston is tough to beat.

But Saturday was one when he was playing that style with efficiency, which turns the Rockets into a borderline juggernaut.

Harden scored 29 of his 47 in the first half, including 18 in the first 10 minutes. He was 15-for-27 from the field and made nine three-pointers.

“It’s how you weather that storm,” Devin Booker said of what to do when the pair has it going.

Houston shot 58.6% from the field, including 19-for-41 (46.3%) from deep.

Booker had 19 points and nine assists, seeing the extra level of defensive attention he’s used to since Rubio was out. Elie Okobo started in Rubio’s place and played well, scoring 17 points.

Kelly Oubre Jr. dropped 26 points and Ty Jerome provided a career-high 15 off the bench.

The reality of being the type of team the Suns currently are with defensive shortcomings is that they need to take advantage of every little opening to get back in the game.

So, while Harden is resting and Westbrook is chucking early in the fourth quarter with the Suns down eight, that was a little window.

Two Booker missed shots and an Elie Okobo miss from three later and Phoenix was back to trailing by 13 in a game they were consistently within reach of.

Harden then comes back in the game after a timeout and hits three ridiculous three-pointers back-to-back-to-back to put the Rockets up 18 with 5:45 to go, icing the game.

At some points with stars playing that way, you can shrug your shoulders and say “what can you do?”

The Suns, though, are a team that’s reeling because they didn’t maximize winnable games against Memphis, San Antonio and Portland, now making this the sixth defeat in a losing streak instead of a strong effort after playing the night before.

They are going to continue to tumble, not being able to look at this as a night with many positives.

Fortunately, for a team battling through injuries, they’ve got only one game in five days, the one in question against Denver on Monday.

Phoenix’s situation has gone from getting everyone healthy and then clicking back into place as the great team they were in the first three weeks of the season to being in need of a reality check.

“We need a break but we have to come in with a big-time focus Monday morning so we can take advantage of these days off,” Williams said.

“But if you look around the league, everybody’s dealing with [injuries.] I don’t have a hallmark card for this situation. This is the NBA. This is a get-to. Our guys are tough enough to deal with it and we’ll come back Monday and compete and try and get another win.”

With that break, they follow it with games against the Warriors, Kings and Trail Blazers, three opponents they should beat and will serve as a good barometer for where they’re currently at.

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