Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is a significant piece for the Suns. And not just because he's a superstar.

Durant is the only member of the Suns' big three — and one of just two players, including Damion Lee — to win an NBA championship.

Durant, the Suns and the other two members of the “Big 3,” Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, lost to another contender in the West, the LA Clippers, 138-111 Monday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Phoenix is 19-18, good for ninth in the West, and is 4 1/2 games behind LA for a top-four seed.

“They got some great scorers over there,” Durant said. “…They make shots…”

Durant, who is averaging 29.6 points (fifth in the league) and is shooting 47.4 percent from 3-point range, good for best in the league, in the game led the Suns with 30 points.

Phoenix recently had a four-game winning streak but has lost two straight and three of four including their 113-97 win over the Miami Heat Jan. 5.

“Keep grinding,” said Durant.

“Keep putting that work in every day and as players, we've got to come out there with more of a sense of urgency knowing that alright, we just got to be better.”

The Suns in the last eight games are averaging 118 points, which is a positive turn from their streak of nine losses in 12 contests, when they exceeded 120 points once.

Phoenix returned guard Bradley Beal, who played fewer than 10 percent of his minutes with the Washington Wizards in 2022-23 at point guard. However, he can take pressure off of guard Devin Booker, who has been the defacto point guard.

Beal, who is in his first year with the Suns, seems to be a leader who uses his voice most on the roster, including Durant and Booker.

“We all were in certain situations before we came here, the team's are different,” he said. “Now, we have a lot of help. So it's a little different…

Beal followed that comment and said the Suns have to make sacrifices to win. Booker feels the Suns can figure it out.

“I'm confident in everybody in here,” said Booker, who had 20 points but six turnovers against five assists.