PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have been eliminated from the NBA Playoffs after a Game 6 loss Thursday night to the Denver Nuggets.
The loss comes without Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton who were both sidelined with injuries.
Cameron Payne led the Suns with 31 points in Thursday night's loss.
Phoenix was eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals in a blowout at home for a second straight season despite a blockbuster trade deadline deal for Durant, a 13-time All-Star and one of the game's most prolific scorers. The 34-year-old had some good moments in the playoffs, but made just 1 of his first 10 shots on Thursday as the Suns fell into a huge hole.
“It was a bad feeling,” Durant said. “It was embarrassing. They came out and got us in the mouth and we couldn't recover.”
Suns guard Devin Booker was brilliant in most of the postseason, averaging 36 points per game on 60% before Game 6. But the three-time All-Star finished with just 12 points on Thursday.
The home team won the first five games of the series until the Nuggets broke through in Game 6.
Denver will go on to face the winner of the Lakers and Warriors series in the Western Conference Finals.
