PHOENIX — Jusuf Nurkic broke the Phoenix Suns’ franchise record with 31 rebounds, the most in an NBA game in 14 years, but he didn’t want to talk much about the feat after 118-110 loss Sunday night to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In fact, both Nurkic and Phoenix coach Frank Vogel spoke critically of some missed foul calls in a game the Thunder escaped with after blowing a 24-point lead.
“I don’t know, man, I’m just trying to do my role the best I can. But, it’s kind of really messed up when you have 13 offensive rebounds, and 16 shots, then zero free throws,” Nurkic said. “As hard as I work, and I feel like (I’m) getting fouled as (much as) anybody in the league.
“And I’m not here saying — we lost the game, it is what it is — (but) it’s just, it’s not really common sense. At least one (free throw). (To) not even have one? But I know it happens. I ain’t the first one, and I ain’t going to be the last either, unfortunately.”
Vogel, in particular, was focused on how often Suns star Kevin Durant was fouled, in his eyes.
“We’ve got to be better,” he said. “(But) I’ll start by saying they fouled the s— out of Kevin Durant all night. Whether he has the ball and he’s getting stripped three, four, maybe even five times, and every time he tries to get open he’s being held, which is something I really want the league to look at.”
Both Vogel and Nurkic noted the Suns’ 22 turnovers, as well. Oklahoma City had six.
“That’s where it starts, the turnover problem,” Vogel added. “We’ve had issues with it throughout the year. This team is No. 1 in the league in forcing turnovers, we didn’t handle their pressure well enough and their length, and recognizing our length when we try to touch the paint. It was costly.”
Nurkic finished with 14 points, as well, but had five of Phoenix’s turnovers.
“Another turnover issue,” he said. “We got 22? So, I think we all agree in the locker room that this s— has got to change. We’ll see going forward something different.”
Nurkic broke the Suns’ franchise record with 31 rebounds, the most in an NBA game in 14 years. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, in fact, Nurkic’s effort resulted in the most rebounds by any player since Kevin Love had 31 in 2010.
“Incredible,” Vogel said of Nurkic. “The loss aside, you just look at a 31-rebound night, at any point in the NBA history, (it’s) is just an incredible performance. The best in Pheonix Suns history, he is a beast on the defensive end of the court.”
On Nov. 12, 2010, Love, while with the Minnesota Timberwolves, finished with 31 points and 31 rebounds in a 112-103 victory over the New York Knicks. Nurkic was 16 years old when Love posted that total.
“I saw, on the screen, that I had 28,” Nurkic said, when asked if he knew, during the game, he was on his way to history. “But it doesn’t really matter. I mean, it’s great, but we lost the game.”
Nurkic broke the Phoenix rebound record of 27 set by Tyson Chandler against the Atlanta Hawks in January 2016. Nurkic’s previous career high was 23 for the Portland Trail Blazers against the Sacramento Kings in January 2019. The 7-footer had 22 this season against both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets.
“I’m just trying to do my role the best I can,” Nurkic added.
The Suns played without star guard Devin Booker after he sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Houston on Saturday night.
Oklahoma City improved to 42-18 to take a half-game lead over Northwest Division rivals Denver and Minnesota in the Western Conference. The Thunder had won six in a row before losing Thursday night at San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 35 points, and all five Oklahoma City starters were in double figures. Jalen Williams had 22 points, Chet Holmgren 14, Luguentz Dort 13 and Josh Giddey 10. Gilgeous-Alexander also had eight rebounds and nine assists.
Bradley Beal scored 31 points for Phoenix. Ejected Saturday night for a scuffle with Houston’s Jalen Green, Beal played 33 minutes in his second game back from a strained hamstring. Kevin Durant added 20 points, and Eric Gordon had 15 after missing three games because of a groin injury.
Vogel said before the game that Booker’s ankle was still being evaluated and the team would have more information on Tuesday.
Initially Phoenix shook off Booker’s absence, racing to a 17-4 lead. But the Thunder scored the next 10 points and finished the first quarter on a 24-7 run to lead 28-22. Gilgeous-Alexander had 10 points in the period.
Nurkic played seven minutes in the first quarter and had 12 rebounds — but the Suns only had one rebound for the rest of the quarter after he went to the bench for a breather.
Gilgeous-Alexander, second to Luka Doncic of Dallas in scoring average at 31.4 entering Sunday, had 18 points in the first half Sunday as the Thunder led 66-52 at intermission. Beal had 17 to lead the Suns.
Oklahoma City led by as many as 24 before the Suns stormed back to cut it to 86-83 late in the third quarter. Gordon’s 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter made it 91-89, the Suns’ first lead since the first quarter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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