THE Phoenix Suns by no means led in Saturday afternoon’s 114-106 victory over the Utah Jazz (9-28) on the Footprint Middle.
Devin Booker led the Suns (18-19) with 34 factors whereas Kevin Durant added 25 factors, seven assists and 5 rebounds.
The win provides Phoenix back-to-back wins for the primary time since beating the Jazz and Portland Path Blazers final month on Dec. 13 in Salt Lake Metropolis and Dec. 15 in Phoenix.
The Suns beat Atlanta on Thursday at house.
The Suns will finish their three-game homestand Sunday towards Charlotte. The Hornets upset them 115-104 Tuesday in Charlotte within the second straight sport to finish a three-games-in-four-days street journey.
Grayson Allen scored 9 of his 14 factors within the fourth, hitting three 3s within the last 12 minutes of the sport Saturday.
Jusuf Nurkic collected a second straight DNP after seeing no motion in Thursday’s win over Atlanta.
Lauri Markkanen scored a game-high 24 factors for the Jazz, who fell to 0-3 towards Phoenix this season.
The Suns resist the Jazz’s push and didn’t lag behind in fourth place
The Suns took an 87-79 benefit into the fourth quarter after Utah pulled inside a degree once more within the third.
Phoenix responded with a 10-2 burst to go up 77-68 with 6:17 left within the third as Kevin Durant scored the ultimate 5 factors of the run.
The Suns proceed to play with out Nurkic, who noticed no motion for 3 quarters after not taking part in in Thursday’s win over Atlanta.
Mike Budenholzer positioned Beal and Nurkic instead of rookies Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee. Booker leads the Suns with 22 factors whereas Durant scored seven of his 18 factors within the third.
Booker stays scorching, Beal closes quarter as Suns up 9 at halftime
The Suns led by 16 factors within the second quarter as they took a 65-54 halftime lead. Devin Booker stays scorching with 22 factors in 17 minutes. He is 7 of 8 from the sphere, in comparison with 4 of 5 from 3.
Kevin Durant had 11 factors within the first half whereas Beal scored 9 coming off the bench.
The Suns look to enhance to 3-0 towards the Jazz, who’re 2-7 of their final 9 video games.
It was an fascinating finish to the second quarter in that Booker did not end the primary half on the sphere.
Beal changed him with 3:54 left within the half. Beal made 4 photographs in that last 3:54, making two, one among which being a one-handed dunk towards Jazz nice Walker Kessler. It was with Durant, who has six assists, on the court docket.
Nurkic didn’t play the primary half after not taking part in in any respect in Thursday’s win over Atlanta.
Booker begins scorching, Suns lead after first quarter
The Suns took a 31-27 lead after one as Devin Booker scored 10 factors on 4 of 4 taking pictures. He went 2 of two of three because the Suns led by as many as 11 factors within the first quarter.
That is after Booker went 0 of 8 from 3 in Thursday’s win over Atlanta.
Phoenix went on a 10-0 run to construct a double-digit benefit, however Utah responded and lower the result in one twice late within the quarter.
The Suns dedicated 4 turnovers within the quarter, which allowed Utah to get again into the sport.
Kevin Durant added seven factors within the quarter whereas Lauri Markkanen additionally led the Jazz with seven factors within the first.
Nurkic didn’t play the primary quarter after not seeing any motion in Thursday’s sport. Nurkic was faraway from the beginning lineup, as was Bradley Beal earlier this week.
O’Neale nearer to return, one other change in rotations?
Suns ahead Royce O’Neale will miss his sixth straight sport Saturday resulting from a sprained left ankle suffered Dec. 28 with the Golden State Warriors.
O’Neale progressed upon his return, doing a little work on the sphere. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer wouldn’t rule O’Neale out for Sunday’s sport towards the Charlotte Hornets at Footprint Middle within the second sport of a back-to-back.
O’Neale is averaging 10.5 factors, a career-high 44.1 p.c from 3, in his first full season with the Suns. O’Neale, one of many staff’s finest defenders, will seemingly change the rotations which are beginning to take form with the brand new beginning lineup.
The Suns changed Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic within the lineup with rookie Ryan Dunn and veteran Mason Plumlee. Here is what the primary quarter rotations appear like since this main change.
First sub: Beal for Dunn within the sixth minute.
Second sub: Jusuf Nurkic or Oso Ighodaro for Plumlee after six to 4 minutes.
Third sub: Grayson Allen for Tyus Jones after 5 minutes.
Fourth below: Monte Morris for Devin Booker after two minutes.
Kevin Durant performed the whole first quarter.
Budenholzer didn’t face Nurkic in Thursday’s win over Atlanta, alongside Plumlee and Ighodaro. After the match, he mentioned it wasn’t concerning the match.
So what name will he make together with his three huge Saturdays?
As for O’Neale, his return will seemingly imply a participant being faraway from the rotation.
Morris possibly? He is been stable, however O’Neale provides them extra measurement and size. With Beal having the ball extra, O’Neale is a perfect outlet together with his 3-point taking pictures.
O’Neale seemingly will not play his common minutes straight away after lacking a number of video games. He may due to this fact share minutes with a rotation participant within the first quarter or begin the second quarter for a rotation participant.
Do you will have any ideas on the present state of the Suns? Contact Suns insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Comply with him on X, previously Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This text was initially revealed on Arizona Republic: Suns-Jazz Dwell Updates: Booker and Suns lead Jazz, win 2nd straight sport
