Here is a head scratcher.
A female staff member for the Phoenix Suns inquired to me, is the Miami Heat mascot “Burnie” a fireball? My head-scratching answer was well he is a depiction of the fireball featured on the team’s logo. The staff member argued she was close in the description. The banter would continue, where Burnie was called “flame guy,” leading to more head scratching.
It was just that kind of game.
Devin Booker scored 20 points, Phoenix dominated the fourth quarter, and the Suns snapped their club-record 17-game losing streak by embarrassing the struggling Heat 124-121 on Monday night. The Suns shot 78 percent in the final period and scored 72 points after halftime to stun a Heat team that dropped its sixth straight home game.
What a head-scratching game.
“Hallelujah,” said the Suns’ rookie and No. 1 pick in last year’s draft Deandre Ayton, after ending their losing streak.
Former Heat guard Tyler Johnson was in the building as he scored 18 points for Phoenix, who have been winless since Jan. 12.
“These are my guys,” said Johnson, who was traded earlier this month. “Obviously, I want to see them be successful. I would never wish for anything negative on their careers. Luckily I’m in the opposite conference, so it is a little bit easier to cheer for them. I hope they figure it out. I know they will.”
Jamal Crawford and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 16 and were huge down the stretch for the Suns, while Ayton and Troy Daniels each had 14 and Josh Jackson scored 11 for the Suns.
“This game hurts,” Dwyane Wade said.
Wade played against the Suns for the 23rd and final time. The Heat was 17-5 with him against Phoenix, and Chicago went 1-1 against the Suns in Wade’s one season as a member of the Bulls. He averaged 22.9 points in the 23 games against the Suns.
Phoenix improved to 2-42 this season when trailing after three quarters, and snapped a 42-game losing streak in road games when trailing entering the final period.
With 18.9 to play Kelly Olynyk connected on a 22-foot jumper to give the Heat a 121-120 lead. However a foul by Josh Richardson on Devin Booker began the free throws made by the Suns and miss shots the Heat could not recover from.
Miami lost despite scoring 70 points in the paint. And this is now the second season in franchise history with multiple home losing streaks of six or more games.
Head scratcher.
The beat goes on.
The Suns’ host New Orleans on Friday. The Suns begin a four-game homestand — the Heat host Golden State on Wednesday.
