Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) grabs his eye after being hit in the face hard during the first half against the Charlotte Horn

For the Suns, they need Durant in the lineup to continue their recent hot streak. Phoenix has won three consecutive games and eight of their last 10 contests. They now sit eighth in the Western Conference standings with a 24-21 record after falling all the way to 12th in the standings.

For the Suns, Kevin Durant had 33 points and Devin Booker added 28 with eight assists in the loss, but the Timberwolves were too much to handle. One concerning thing for the Suns was Durant wearing a wrap on his left thumb, although he still shot 13-of-19 from the field and didn't have a single turnover in the game.

The relationship between Kevin Durant and Anthony Edwards is a sign that the NBA's veteran stars are open to mentoring the future faces of the league.

Jan 25, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts after he made a three point shot during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images / Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Devin Booker had a Suns-high 20 points (8-of-13 shooting). His eighth field goal assisted by Royce O’Neale at 9:51 put him under 100 points from breaking the Suns' all-time leading scoring record held by Walter Davis (15,666). But the Suns had a lull after that Booker shot.

Anthony Edwards scored 33 points, Julius Randle added 28 and the Minnesota Timberwolves won their fourth straight game by beating the Phoenix Suns 121-113 on Wednesday night.

Randle enjoyed one of his best games as a member of the Timberwolves on November 17 against the Suns - totaling 35 points and seven assists, including a game-winning three-point knockdown at the buzzer.

Officials in Wednesday night's Wolves-Suns game apologized and admitted their mistake after missing a blatant kicked ball late in the fourth quarter. With less than two minutes left in the game and Minnesota leading 117-106,

NBA trades are not all that uncommon, but when they involve superstar players, it certainly is big news and can be unexpected.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker gets involved in a physical altercation with the Minnesota Timberwolves Jaden McDaniels in the final minutes.