PHOENIX — — Phoenix star Devin Booker and Houston rookie Cam Whitmore got into a minor scuffle midway through the fourth quarter Thursday night and both players were cautioned for a technical foul.
With some big blocks on the ensuing possession, Suns center Jusuf Nurkic was there to support his star teammate.
Booker scored 35 points, Kevin Durant added 24 and the Suns held off the Rockets 110-105, with the teams scheduled to meet again in Phoenix on Saturday night.
Nurkic had 16 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks before fouling out. His biggest moment came in the fourth, when he put Whitmore in possession twice after the brawl, drawing huge roars from the Phoenix crowd.
“Very important is that the team stays together,” Booker said. “It goes a long way. It’s what you need when things get tough, when you’re getting into the thick of things and the energy is high. You want to know that you have people on your team who are built like that.
Booker scored 20 points in the first quarter to give the Suns an 18-point lead they would never relinquish. He has scored at least 20 points in all six quarters in the NBA this season.
Three-time All-Star Bradley Beal missed his fifth straight game with a hamstring injury.
The Suns took an 86-75 lead into the final quarter. Houston cut the advantage to six midway through the fourth, but Booker immediately responded with a 3-pointer to bring the lead back to nine.
This led to the brief skirmish between Booker and Whitmore. Tempers remained hot over the next few minutes – Houston’s Alperen Sengun fouled, then got two quick technicals, earning him an ejection.
Booker made both technical free throws, Nurkic followed with his two free throws on Sengun’s foul, which pushed the Suns’ lead to 99-84. The Rockets would cut the lead to four with 16.9 seconds left, but Royce O’Neale made two free throws to end the threat.
Jalen Green led Houston with 34 points. Fred VanVleet added 21. The Rockets made just 11 of 45 3-pointers and shot 33.3 percent from the field overall, which was their worst percentage of the season.
“It wasn’t one of our better nights as far as guys openly looking at each other and making extra passes,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “We had a few guys who were successful, but a few guys who struggled.”
Phoenix has won seven of its last 10 games — and nine in a row at home — as it tries to stay in the top six in the Western Conference playoff race and avoid the play-in tournament. The sliding Rockets have lost eight of 10.
“We’re gaining confidence in this building,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said.
Booker’s big first quarter pushed the Suns to a 33-17 lead. The four-time All-Star made 8 of 10 shots from the field, including a 33-foot 3-pointer in the final seconds.
Phoenix settled for a 64-53 halftime lead. Booker had 26 points before the break while Green led Houston with 21.
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