December 14, 2024
Dunn (ankle) scored 13 points (5-6 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT) and added two blocks, one steal and one rebound across 13 minutes Friday in the Suns' 134-126 win over the Jazz.
ANALYSISThe Suns were without
Bradley Beal (knee) on Friday, but the team was otherwise back to full strength with Dunn,
Kevin Durant (ankle) and
Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) returning from three-, three- and five-game absences, respectively. While Dunn delivered strong numbers during his time on the court, he likely won't see his minutes climb much further now that Durant is back in the fold. Dunn's output on the defensive end (0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game this season) was fully expected after he shined on that end of the court during his collegiate career at Virginia, but the rookie's development as a perimeter shooter has been a more unexpected surprise. He's knocking down 1.2 three-pointers per game at a 32.4 percent clip for Phoenix after going 12-for-51 from distance (23.5 percent) over his two seasons in college.