Devin Booker Catches Fire as Phoenix Suns Torch Grizzlies in 4th Quarter Blowout
Basketball is a game of runs, sure, but every so often, a team delivers a knockout punch so swift and devastating it leaves the home crowd in completely stunned silence. On Monday night inside the FedExForum, the Phoenix Suns delivered exactly that kind of blow to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Trailing a chaotic, back-and-forth affair heading into the final frame, Phoenix flipped a switch that few teams possess. They erupted for a jaw-dropping 40-point fourth quarter, burying the Grizzlies 131-105 and sending a clear, resounding message to the rest of the Western Conference: The Suns are hunting for a guaranteed playoff spot, and they are bringing serious firepower.
Devin Booker Puts on an Absolute Masterclass
If you want to understand what a pure scorer looks like at the absolute peak of his powers, just roll the tape on Devin Booker’s Monday night performance. He didn’t just beat the Memphis defense; he dismantled it surgically.
Booker poured in a game-high 36 points on a blistering 16-of-24 shooting from the floor. But here is the stat that truly captures the sheer absurdity of his night: He didn’t attempt a single free throw. It was the second-most points scored in a game without a free-throw attempt in the entire history of the Suns franchise. From smooth midrange pull-ups to a wildly emotional, straight-away banked 3-pointer right at the third-quarter buzzer, Booker was playing a different game than everyone else on the floor. It was a spectacular display of human shot-making, reminding us all why he remains one of the most feared offensive weapons on the planet.
The Fourth Quarter Surge That Broke Memphis
Despite Booker’s brilliance, the Grizzlies—a scrappy, resilient bunch despite a brutal 25-50 season—refused to roll over. They matched the Suns shot for shot through the first 36 minutes. When Memphis standout GG Jackson threw down a thunderous dunk to open the fourth quarter, the game was knotted up at 91 apiece. The FedExForum was rocking, and an upset felt genuinely possible.
Then, the Suns slammed the door shut.
It started with the dirty work. Rasheer Fleming, who finished with 11 crucial points, battled his way to a gritty offensive rebound. His massive putback with just over 11 minutes remaining gave the Suns a lead they would never surrender. That single hustle play ignited a backbreaking 11-0 run, instantly sucking the life out of the building.
From there, the floodgates opened. Oso Ighodaro threw down a monster dunk, and Collin Gillespie caught absolute fire. Gillespie, who had been quiet all evening, scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter alone, operating flawlessly alongside Jordan Goodwin, who tallied an absurd five steals on the night. Before the Grizzlies even knew what hit them, they were staring down a massive double-digit deficit.
A Complete Team Effort for the Suns
While Booker will understandably dominate the morning headlines, this victory was born from spectacular ball movement and unselfish basketball. The Suns tied their season-high with a staggering 39 team assists, slicing through the Memphis defensive rotations with ease. They shot an incredible 50.5% from the field and rained down 17 three-pointers on the night.
Jalen Green provided the perfect secondary scoring punch, notching 21 points and grabbing six rebounds. Whether it was slicing to the rim or knocking down timely triples, Green’s electric energy fueled the Suns during moments when the offense stalled.
For the Grizzlies, who were led by Tyler Burton’s 17 points and Cam Spencer’s 16, the fourth quarter was simply too overwhelming. They fought hard, but you simply cannot survive an offensive avalanche of that magnitude when a championship-contending roster finally clicks into gear.
Playoff Implications for the Phoenix Suns
This was more than just a regular-season win; it was a survival test. The Suns, now sitting at 42-33, are locked in a grueling dogfight for one of the coveted top-six playoff berths in the Western Conference. With a brutal stretch of road games still looming—starting with a quick turnaround against Orlando before heading to Charlotte and Chicago—this was a trap game the Suns simply couldn’t afford to drop.
They showed vulnerability early, but their late-game execution was nothing short of brilliant. When the pressure dialed up, the Suns responded with pure, unadulterated dominance. If they can bottle up the magic of that fourth-quarter explosion and carry it through the remainder of this road trip, nobody in the West is going to want to see Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs.
