Turnovers spoil Suns’ momentum as Chicago wins 124-117 in another preseason test

The Phoenix Suns’ preseason is turning into a study in the same lesson repeated in different ways. For the second straight game, they had a chance to close, but an inability to sustain focus and control the ball helped Chicago claim a 124-117 win. The contest stayed competitive through most of the second half, and Phoenix’s rotation flashes suggested their core could play with pace and purpose, yet the late phases reinforced a clear theme: turnovers remain a problem that can wipe out even good starts.

Phoenix’s best moments came when they were able to get stops and keep their offensive possessions organized long enough to build real separation. According to Yahoo Sports’ game recap, the Suns pushed ahead by as many as 15 points in the middle of the second quarter. When a team can create that kind of cushion in the preseason, it usually means the defensive energy is present and the ball is moving with enough consistency to turn stops into points.

The Suns also drew notice for how connected their effort looked on the defensive end. The recap points to color commentator Rex Chapman’s description that it “looks like the Suns are playing with eight players out there,” a line meant to capture how quickly Phoenix appeared to be communicating, rotating, and reacting. In preseason games, that kind of intensity matters because it is often the difference between good defensive stretches and defensive effort that collapses as the pace swings and reserves enter.

That energy did not last for the full arc of the game. The Suns led by only two when they went to the locker room, a significant narrowing from the 15-point advantage earlier in the half. The recap frames the drop-off as a focus issue, with turnovers and the inability to finish possessions allowing Chicago to stay connected and eventually take control of the rhythm.

In the second half, the scoreboard picture stayed tight for long enough that Phoenix still had paths to regain leverage. But the final result, a seven-point loss, was shaped by what the recap described as a “crumbling” from the back end of Phoenix’s roster. Preseason benches often reshape both the shot quality and the execution level on a possession-by-possession basis, and when turnovers compound those mismatches, it becomes difficult to hold a lead or even keep the margin stable.

The most telling detail may be how consistent the pattern has been across two preseason games. The recap explicitly links the outcome to the same concern, turnovers, and suggests Phoenix’s core can show enough potential to win stretches, but that the team has not yet put together the full package of ball security, sustained defensive attention, and late-game discipline.

For Suns fans, the immediate takeaway is not that Phoenix cannot compete, it is that they are still searching for the maturity to protect momentum. The encouraging part is the ability to create runs and defend with purpose. The concern is that the same issues can erase that work quickly, especially as rotations expand and the game becomes more chaotic.

Up next, Phoenix will likely be judged on whether they can reduce unforced errors and keep their defensive intensity from fading between quarters and late in games. If turnovers continue to drive negative swings, it will limit how much the team can learn from its other positives, because opponents do not need perfect execution when giveaways keep them in every possession.