5 takeaways as Phoenix Suns top OKC Thunder with Kevin Durant debut on horizon

Kevin Durant didn’t make his Suns debut Friday night, but those inside Footprint Center 90 minutes before the game couldn’t keep their eyes off him doing his pregame workout.

“I’m like a fan, too,” Suns point guard Chris Paul said. “I’m excited to see what it looks like.”

Durant remained sidelined for Phoenix’s first game after the All-Star break with an 124-115 victory Friday over Oklahoma City before a sellout crowd 17,071.

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Devin Booker scored a team-high 25 points in becoming the all-time franchise leader in 3-pointer made as six Suns (33-28) reached double figures. Booker has 1,152, one better than Steve Nash

Isaiah Joe paced the Thunder (28-31) with a game-high 28. Here are five takeaways as Durant will likely play his first game with the Suns during a four-game road trip that starts Sunday in Milwaukee.

Won’t have to wait much longer

The Suns are in a holding pattern.

They’re looking to build some chemistry, but the entrance of Durant will impact how they move forward. He’s going to open the floor and as Booker has said, make everyone else’s job easier.

Still looking to see how he’s going to perform on defense with this group.

Much is made of him being a secondary rim protector, but if Durant is helping out to block shots, that takes him out of the transition game to get off 3s and find people.

So guarding the ball will still remain paramount, especially after trading away one of the league's best on-ball defenders in Mikal Bridges.

Unchartered territory

Before playing a game with the Suns, Terrence Ross was trying to imagine what it’d feel like to get open shots.

Now he’s experienced it — and took full advantage of it Friday.

Going 3-of-6 from deep, Ross wasso wide open on a corner 3 off a Booker feed in the second half, he had time to leave his hand up and started heading the other way without a Thunder defender in sight.

He seems like the ideal fifth guy to play with Booker, Paul, Durant and Deandre Ayton down the stretch of close games. He looked better defensively Friday than in his Suns debut before the break, but Ross is a streaky shooter.

Case in point. He was 1-of-8 on 3s in that debut against the Clippers that ended in a loss.

He’s going to get open looks in Phoenix. That was far from the case in Orlando.

Making them will greatly determine how many minutes he’ll get to launch.

Okogie keeps rolling

While Torrey Craig has started more games, Josh Okogie continues to show why he’s deserving of that fifth starter spot when Durant returns to join Booker, Paul and Ayton in the starting lineup.

He’s now scored at least 15 points in a career-best five consecutive games. Okogie finished Friday’s win with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Craig had just seven points, but he also grabbed seven boards.

Suns coach Monty Williams has said matchups could determine who he starts between the two, but you’d think he’d settle on one within these final 22 games before the playoffs.

Bringing back Payne

Booker said they put the battery pack in Cameron Payne, who came out blazing after having not played since Jan. 4 when he suffered a right foot sprain at Cleveland.

He scored six of his 14 points in his first four minutes, brought that energy — then he got tired.

Understandable, but Payne brought that change of pace at the one the Suns have missed. Saben Lee held it down, but Payne plays faster and understands what Williams wants.

Curious to see how he looks in a week or so — and if he can stay healthy.

Sunday reunion

Jae Crowder didn’t play one game for Phoenix after he and the Suns “mutually agreed” he wouldn’t attend training camp after helping the Suns reach the finals in 2021 and post the NBA's best record last season.

He voiced his issues with the team’s coaches, but Crowder had Suns players like Paul express their love for him.

Hell, Paul met up with Crowder when the Suns played in Atlanta two weeks ago.

Now they’ll all see him Sunday when Phoenix faces Milwaukee. Crowder ended up there in a multi-team trade after being part of the blockbuster Durant deal.

After the game, Booker asked in his postgame interview how Crowder played.

The veteran forward scored nine points, going 2-of-2 on 3s, in 16 minutes of a 128-99 win over Miami.

“Oh, I’m sure he’s going to be excited, he’s going to be amped up,” Booker said. “But we are, too.”

See you Sunday in Milwaukee.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns top OKC Thunder with Kevin Durant debut on horizon