Josh Huestis elevated to contest another Phoenix second-chance attempt right before halftime. When Huestis came down, he was met by a pat on the head from Steven Adams, who appreciated the defensive effort with the Thunder down a defensive star.
From defensive rebounding to free throw shooting, there were a number of reasons the Thunder trailed the sub-.500 Suns by 10 at halftime and lost by 14, but the start of the play was a major one. Defending the pick-and-roll, Huestis was up in Phoenix guard Devin Booker's face. Adams was up high alongside Huestis to force the ball out of Booker's hands.