Game ID: 22400806
Phoenix Suns @ Chicago Bulls
Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET
United Center, Chicago, IL
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
CHI 30 28 32 27 117PHX 20 40 33 28 121
CHI vs PHX ScoutingCHI vs PHX Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
CHI availability going into 2/08 · 2 days' restOUT Terry missed 2 since 2/04, returns tonight: 4 min (29% of 14)
OUT Horton-Tucker missed 4 since 1/31, out tonight
BACK White back 1/29 after 4, 32 min since (97% of 33)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 27 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/11 · 2 days' restOUT Ball missed 2 since 2/05, out tonight
OUT Horton-Tucker missed 5 since 1/31, returns tonight: 8 min (62% of 12)
BACK Terry back 2/08 after 2, 4 min since (29% of 14)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 28 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/12 · back-to-backOUT Ball missed 3 since 2/05, out tonight
BACK Terry back 2/08 after 2, 9 min since (66% of 14)
BACK Horton-Tucker back 2/11 after 5, 8 min since (62% of 12)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 27 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/20 · 7 days' restOUT Ball missed 4 since 2/05, returns tonight: 30 min (134% of 22)
BACK Terry back 2/08 after 2, 9 min since (66% of 14)
BACK Horton-Tucker back 2/11 after 5, 8 min since (62% of 12)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 27 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/22 · 1 day's restOUT Terry missed 2 since 2/12, returns tonight: 4 min (31% of 14)
OUT Horton-Tucker missed 2 since 2/12, out tonight
BACK Ball back 2/20 after 4, 30 min since (134% of 22)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 26 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/24 · 1 day's restOUT Williams missed 2 since 2/20, out tonight
OUT Horton-Tucker missed 3 since 2/12, returns tonight: 7 min (56% of 12)
BACK Ball back 2/20 after 4, 30 min since (133% of 22)
BACK Terry back 2/08 after 2, 7 min since (54% of 14)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 24 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/26 · 1 day's restOUT Dosunmu missed 2 since 2/22, out tonight
OUT Williams missed 3 since 2/20, out tonight
OUT Smith missed 2 since 2/22, out tonight
BACK Ball back 2/20 after 4, 22 min since (101% of 22)
BACK Terry back 2/22 after 2, 13 min since (94% of 14)
BACK Horton-Tucker back 2/11 after 5, 7 min since (59% of 12)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 26 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 2/28 · 1 day's restOUT Vučević missed 2 since 2/24, out tonight
OUT Dosunmu missed 3 since 2/22, returns tonight: 23 min (75% of 30)
OUT Williams missed 4 since 2/20, out tonight
OUT Smith missed 3 since 2/22, returns tonight: 13 min (86% of 15)
BACK Ball back 2/20 after 4, 24 min since (108% of 22)
BACK Terry back 2/22 after 2, 14 min since (107% of 14)
BACK Horton-Tucker back 2/24 after 3, 7 min since (56% of 12)
NEW Buzelis 19 to 27 min over the last 5
CHI availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restOUT Vučević missed 3 since 2/24, out tonight
OUT Williams missed 5 since 2/20, out tonight
OUT Horton-Tucker missed 2 since 2/26, returns tonight: 15 min (118% of 12)
BACK Dosunmu back 2/28 after 3, 23 min since (75% of 30)
BACK Ball back 2/20 after 4, 26 min since (117% of 22)
BACK Smith back 2/28 after 3, 13 min since (86% of 15)
BACK Terry back 2/22 after 2, 12 min since (87% of 14)
NEW Giddey 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Collins 20 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Buzelis 19 to 27 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/08 · back-to-backOUT Durant missed 2 since 2/05, out tonight
BACK Morris back 1/31 after 3, 8 min since (64% of 13)
BACK Bol back 1/31 after 3, 11 min since (84% of 12)
NEW Allen 24 to 29 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/11 · 2 days' restOUT Durant missed 3 since 2/05, returns tonight: 43 min (117% of 36)
OUT Beal missed 2 since 2/07, out tonight
BACK Morris back 2/07 after 2, 14 min since (113% of 13)
NEW Allen 24 to 31 min over the last 4
NEW Bol 12 to 18 min over the last 4
PHX availability going into 2/12 · back-to-backOUT Beal missed 3 since 2/07, out tonight
BACK Durant back 2/11 after 3, 43 min since (117% of 36)
BACK Morris back 2/07 after 2, 14 min since (113% of 13)
NEW O'Neale 24 to 31 min over the last 5
NEW Allen 24 to 30 min over the last 4
NEW Bol 12 to 24 min over the last 4
PHX availability going into 2/20 · 7 days' restOUT Beal missed 4 since 2/07, returns tonight: 33 min (102% of 32)
OUT Ighodaro missed 2 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Morris missed 2 since 2/11, out tonight
BACK Durant back 2/11 after 3, 42 min since (116% of 36)
NEW Jones 27 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW O'Neale 24 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Bol 12 to 26 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/22 · 1 day's restOUT Ighodaro missed 3 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Morris missed 3 since 2/11, out tonight
BACK Durant back 2/11 after 3, 41 min since (113% of 36)
BACK Beal back 2/20 after 4, 33 min since (102% of 32)
NEW O'Neale 24 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Allen 24 to 29 min over the last 3
NEW Bol 12 to 26 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/23 · back-to-backOUT Ighodaro missed 4 since 2/11, returns tonight: 1 min (7% of 17)
OUT Gillespie missed 2 since 2/20, returns tonight: 1 min (9% of 14)
OUT Morris missed 4 since 2/11, out tonight
BACK Durant back 2/11 after 3, 41 min since (111% of 36)
BACK Beal back 2/20 after 4, 35 min since (110% of 32)
NEW O'Neale 24 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Bol 12 to 24 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/25 · 1 day's restOUT Morris missed 5 since 2/11, out tonight
BACK Durant back 2/11 after 3, 40 min since (111% of 36)
BACK Beal back 2/20 after 4, 37 min since (117% of 32)
BACK Ighodaro back 2/23 after 4, 1 min since (7% of 17)
BACK Gillespie back 2/23 after 2, 1 min since (9% of 14)
NEW O'Neale 24 to 31 min over the last 5
NEW Bol 12 to 19 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/27 · 1 day's restOUT Morris missed 6 since 2/11, out tonight
BACK Beal back 2/20 after 4, 39 min since (121% of 32)
BACK Ighodaro back 2/23 after 4, 1 min since (7% of 17)
BACK Gillespie back 2/23 after 2, 1 min since (9% of 14)
NEW Bol 12 to 19 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/28 · back-to-backOUT Ighodaro missed 2 since 2/25, returns tonight: 2 min (10% of 17)
OUT Morris missed 7 since 2/11, out tonight
BACK Beal back 2/20 after 4, 39 min since (121% of 32)
BACK Gillespie back 2/23 after 2, 3 min since (20% of 14)
NEW Bol 12 to 18 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 126, shooting 42 percent and 32 from three, 23 free throws a game; Giddey at 17 and Vučević at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 12 a night. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 121, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Durant at 31 and Booker at 26 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 11 a night. Without Ighodaro (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where Chicago takes 23 free throws a game to Phoenix's 18. Call it Phoenix 117, Chicago 116, Chicago keeping it close.
2/08 vs GSW 111-132 — CHI notes
CHI lost 111-132. CHI shot 44% (35 of 79) to GSW's 50%, 17 of 39 from three. The glass went 31-44 against them. White led with 27 (7 of 12, 6 of 9 from three, 7 of 7 at the line); Buzelis added 16, Smith 15. Q2 was theirs, 38-21, turning a 3-point deficit into a 14-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 111-73 against them. They led by as many as 24. White's -27 in 34 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/11 vs DET 92-132 — CHI notes
CHI lost 92-132. CHI shot 35% (35 of 100) to DET's 53%, 10 of 47 from three, and went to the line 19 times to DET's 13 — 12 points from the stripe to their 12. The glass went 44-55 against them. Buzelis led with 12 (5 of 7); Giddey added 11. Q4 was theirs, 33-27, the deficit cut from 46 to 40, but the other 3 periods went 105-59 against them. Vučević's -33 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/12 vs DET 110-128 — CHI notes
CHI lost 110-128. CHI shot 43% (37 of 86) to DET's 51%, 9 of 41 from three. The glass went 37-47 against them. Dosunmu led with 23 (9 of 16, 0 of 5 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Vučević added 21, Giddey 17. Q1 was theirs, 32-32, but the other 3 periods went 96-78 against them. Giddey's -29 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/20 @ NYK 111-113 — CHI notes
CHI lost 111-113 in 1 overtime. CHI shot 40% (41 of 103) to NYK's 43%, 19 of 48 from three. Giddey led with 27 (11 of 18, 4 of 6 from three); Vučević added 21, Ball 14. Q3 was theirs, 38-33, the deficit cut from 7 to 2, but the other 4 periods went 80-73 against them. Dosunmu's -16 in 28 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/22 vs PHX 117-121 — CHI notes
CHI lost 117-121. CHI took 9 more shots (98 to 89), fed by 11 offensive rebounds, but shot 42% to PHX's 48%, 18 of 53 from three, and got to the line 17 times to PHX's 28. Giddey led with 24 (6 of 14, 3 of 5 from three, 9 of 9 at the line); White added 20, Vučević 16. Q1 was theirs, 30-20, but the other 3 periods went 101-87 against them. They led by as many as 13. White's -16 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/24 @ PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Philadelphia comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 114, shooting 44 percent and 27 from three, 21 free throws a game; Maxey at 23 and Embiid at 21 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Edwards (2 straight), Okeke (5 straight), Lowry (4 straight). One day's rest. Chicago comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 125, shooting 41 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Giddey at 18 and Vučević at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Williams (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Philadelphia wins, and the game turns on the defense, Philadelphia allowing 114 a night to Chicago's 125 and the arc, Chicago at 32 percent from three to Philadelphia's 27. Call it Philadelphia 117, Chicago 111.
2/26 vs LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 121, shooting 42 percent and 32 from three, 23 free throws a game; Giddey at 21 and Vučević at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Dosunmu (2 straight), Williams (3 straight), Smith (2 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 116, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 26 free throws a game; Harden at 25 and Zubac at 15 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Powell (3 straight), Leonard (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Chicago wins, and the game turns on the glass, where the Clippers have been minus-2 a night and Chicago minus-6. Call it Chicago 116, the Clippers 115, the Clippers keeping it close.
2/28 vs TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 119, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Giddey at 23 and Vučević at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Vučević (2 straight), Dosunmu (3 straight), Williams (4 straight). One day's rest. Toronto comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 116, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 21 free throws a game; Barrett at 23 and Quickley at 18 a game. Without Rhoden (2 straight), Lawson (2 straight), Battle (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Chicago wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Toronto has been plus-0 a night and Chicago minus-4. Call it Chicago 118, Toronto 113.
3/02 @ IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 113, shooting 52 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Haliburton at 24 and Siakam at 20 a game. Without Isa. Jackson (52 straight). One day's rest. Chicago comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 116, shooting 45 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Giddey at 23 and White at 18 a game. Without Vučević (3 straight), Williams (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Indiana 120, Chicago 115.
2/08 vs DEN 105-122 — PHX notes
PHX lost 105-122. PHX shot 39% (38 of 98) to DEN's 49%, 17 of 50 from three. The glass went 43-56 against them. Booker led with 24 (8 of 19, 3 of 8 from three); Bol added 19, Jones 15. Q4 was theirs, 24-24, but the other 3 periods went 98-81 against them. O'Neale's -20 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/11 vs MEM 112-119 — PHX notes
PHX lost 112-119. PHX shot 45% (41 of 92) to MEM's 43%, 12 of 44 from three. The glass went 42-60 against them. Durant led with 34 (12 of 18, 3 of 4 from three, 7 of 10 at the line); Bol added 18, Booker 17. Q3 was theirs, 31-27, the deficit cut from 12 to 8, but the other 3 periods went 92-81 against them. Jones's -15 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/12 @ HOU 111-119 — PHX notes
PHX lost 111-119. PHX shot 52% (46 of 89) to HOU's 47%, 10 of 26 from three, and got to the line just 11 times against 19 fouls committed. PHX turned it over 17 times to HOU's 11, and HOU turned those into 10 steals. Durant led with 37 (15 of 22, 2 of 5 from three); Bol added 15, O'Neale 14. Q2 was theirs, 23-19, but the other 3 periods went 100-88 against them. They led by as many as 11. O'Neale's -20 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/20 @ SAS 109-120 — PHX notes
PHX lost 109-120. PHX shot 47% (38 of 81) to SAS's 47%, 16 of 44 from three. PHX turned it over 18 times to SAS's 9, and SAS turned those into 13 steals. O'Neale led with 27 (10 of 16, 6 of 12 from three); Durant added 22, Beal 19. Q2 was theirs, 33-29, the deficit cut from 10 to 6, but the other 3 periods went 91-76 against them. Bol's -13 in 10 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/22 @ CHI 121-117 — PHX notes
PHX won 121-117. PHX shot 48% (43 of 89) to CHI's 42%, 10 of 30 from three, and went to the line 28 times to CHI's 17 — 25 points from the stripe to their 17. Booker led with 29 (10 of 20, 4 of 7 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Durant added 27, Beal 25. The hinge was Q2, 40-28: PHX came in trailing by 10 and left it ahead by 2.
2/23 @ TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 114, shooting 43 percent and 35 from three, 21 free throws a game; Barnes at 20 and Quickley at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Poeltl (6 straight), Lawson (13 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 119, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 19 free throws a game; Durant at 30 and Booker at 22 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Ighodaro (4 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Toronto wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Toronto 114, Phoenix 112, Phoenix keeping it close.
2/25 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 120, shooting 44 percent and 34 from three, 25 free throws a game; Morant at 20 and Bane at 18 a game. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 120, shooting 48 percent and 32 from three, 21 free throws a game; Durant at 27 and Beal at 25 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Memphis wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Memphis has been minus-1 a night and Phoenix minus-7. Call it Memphis 120, Phoenix 114.
2/27 vs NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 127, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Durant at 25 a game. One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 26 free throws a game; Williamson at 26 and McCollum at 20 a game. Without Jones (20 straight), Brooks Jr. (5 straight), Boston (6 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the defense, New Orleans allowing 112 a night to Phoenix's 127 and the arc, Phoenix at 39 percent from three to New Orleans's 32. Call it Phoenix 117, New Orleans 116, New Orleans keeping it close.
2/28 vs NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 128, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 28 and Beal at 24 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Ighodaro (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. New Orleans comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Williamson at 24 and McCollum at 21 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Brooks Jr. (6 straight), Boston (7 straight), Payton (37 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the defense, New Orleans allowing 112 a night to Phoenix's 128 and the glass, where New Orleans has been plus-5 a night and Phoenix minus-1. Call it Phoenix 118, New Orleans 117, New Orleans keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
PHXBB B. Beal
BB B. Bol
DB D. Booker
GA G. Allen
KD K. Durant
MP M. Plumlee
NR N. Richards
RO R. O'Neale
CHICW C. White
DT D. Terry
JG J. Giddey
JP J. Phillips
KH K. Huerter
LB L. Ball
MB M. Buzelis
NV N. Vučević
TJ T. Jones
VU Vucevic
ZC Z. Collins
PHX/CHI the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Booker, Durant and Beal help the Suns beat the Bulls to snap a 4-game losing streak
CHIAGO -- — Devin Booker had 29 points and eight assists, Kevin Durant scored 27 points and Bradley Beal had 25 in his return to the starting lineup to help the Phoenix Suns beat the Chicago Bulls 121-117 on Saturday to end a four-game losing streak.
Playing the third of five straight road games, the Suns overcame an early deficit and held off the Bulls. They won for the first time since Jan. 31 with the Big Three of Booker, Durant and Beal in the lineup together.
Josh Giddey led Chicago with 24 points and had 10 assists and eight rebounds. The Bulls have lost six straight.
The Suns missed their first seven attempts and shot 29.2% in the first quarter. Chicago jumped out to a 10-point lead on a buzzer-beating floater from Tre Jones . Phoenix was 16 of 21 from the field in the second quarter and led by two at the half.
Phoenix built a 12-point lead in the third, but Chicago pulled within three entering the final quarter. Chicago evened it up in the final minutes, only for Booker, Beal and Durant to close it out.
Takeaways Suns: Phoenix was able to refocus and quickly get back into the game.
Bulls: Rookie Matas Buzelis had 15 points, but Chicago struggled to get consistent scoring from the rest of its lineup after the first quarter.
Key moment Coby White tied it for Chicago at 111 and made a layup with 34.7 seconds left to pull the Bulls within three, but Beal’ put it away with a 3-pointer from the left wing.
Key stat Chicago committed 21 personal fouls to Phoenix’s 11.
Up next The Suns are at Toronto on Sunday night. The Bulls are at Philadelphia on Monday night.