Devin Booker scored 24 points, including seven straight to break a late tie, and the Phoenix Suns held off the Houston Rockets 102-99 on Saturday night at Mortgage Matchup Center, per the Associated Press.
The Suns snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Rockets and won consecutive games for the first time this season after beating Orlando on Thursday. Phoenix improved to 3-5 (3-2 at home). Houston fell to 7-3 (3-2 on the road) after a 22-3 second-quarter run had erased a 19-point deficit. Former Sun Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 21 points and 10 rebounds but missed a 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds left. Read our Rockets at Suns preview.
How It Happened
- First quarter: Phoenix shot 16-of-21 (76%) and led 35-23, per the AP.
- Halftime: The Suns stretched the lead to 19 at 44-25 on Luke Kennard’s third 3-pointer of the night with 8:38 left in the second. Houston answered with a 22-3 run. Fred VanVleet tied it at 47-47 on a 19-foot pullup with 57.1 seconds left, assisted by Durant. VanVleet scored 10 points in the quarter and had 13 at the break. Phoenix was 4-of-19 from the field in the period. Kennard finished the half with 11 points off the bench, all of his scoring for the night.
- Third quarter: Houston led by as many as six after Durant made three free throws to make it 61-55. The Suns edged the period 29-28 and took a 76-75 lead into the fourth.
- Fourth quarter: The teams traded the lead and tied it at 82, 89, 93 and 95. Alperen Sengun made two free throws with 4:08 left to tie it at 95-95.
- The close: Booker broke the tie with a 10-foot step-back jumper at 3:48, hit a 25-foot step-back 3 at 3:13 to make it 100-95, then scored again at 2:30 for a 102-95 lead, his seventh straight point. Amen Thompson threw down an alley-oop from VanVleet at 2:10, and Durant made a 16-foot jumper with 46.7 seconds left to cut it to 102-99. After Booker missed a 3, Durant missed from 26 feet with 10.6 seconds left, Miles Bridges rebounded, and Phoenix ran out the clock.
Booker Closes It Out
Booker finished 10-of-24 from the field, 2-of-9 from 3 and 2-of-2 at the line with three assists, three steals and four turnovers in 39 minutes. Saturday was his 745th career game, passing Steve Nash for third place in Suns history, per the Associated Press.
Former Rocket Jalen Green had 16 points and six assists against his old team. Bridges added 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Dillon Brooks scored 11. Off the bench, Kennard had 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from 3, Khaman Maluach had eight points and 10 rebounds, and Ryan Dunn finished with eight points, three steals and a plus-25 in 23 minutes.
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Rockets Box Score Leaders
- Kevin Durant: 21 points (5-14 FG, 1-7 3PT, 10-11 FT), 10 rebounds, 3 assists in 38 minutes
- Amen Thompson: 17 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 FT), 7 rebounds (5 offensive), 4 blocks in 39 minutes
- Fred VanVleet: 16 points (6-12 FG, 4-9 3PT), 4 assists, 3 rebounds
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 15 points (7-12 FG), 9 rebounds, 3 steals in 39 minutes
- Alperen Sengun: 15 points (5-16 FG, 4-4 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, minus-16
- Reed Sheppard: 6 points (2-6 3PT) in 13 minutes off the bench
- Marcus Smart: 5 points in 20 minutes
- Tari Eason: 2 points, 7 rebounds (5 offensive), 4 turnovers in 23 minutes
By the Numbers
- Houston shot 36-of-93 (38.7%) from the field and 10-of-35 (28.6%) from 3, per ESPN. Phoenix shot 41-of-85 (48.2%) and 12-of-34 (35.3%).
- The Rockets went 17-of-19 (89.5%) at the line. The Suns were 8-of-11 (72.7%).
- Phoenix had 29 assists on 41 made baskets. Houston had 16 assists on 36 makes.
- The Suns won the paint 44-40. Houston won the fast break 11-8.
- Phoenix scored 19 points off 14 Houston turnovers. Houston scored 15 off 16 Phoenix turnovers.
- The Rockets outrebounded Phoenix 45-44, including 14-9 on the offensive glass, and blocked eight shots to the Suns’ three.
- Phoenix’s largest lead was 19. Houston’s was six. The lead changed hands 17 times, and the game was tied 12 times, per ESPN and the official scorer’s report.
- Attendance was 17,071.
What’s Next
The Rockets return to Toyota Center to host the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Suns host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
Houston was without centers Steven Adams (right soleus strain) and Clint Capela (right ankle sprain). Phoenix was without Mark Williams (left shoulder surgery) and Jordan Goodwin (right calf).
Follow all of LFG Houston’s Rockets coverage.
Stats via the official box score at ESPN and NBA.com. Game details via the Associated Press and ESPN play-by-play. No Houston Chronicle or The Athletic recap was posted at draft time. Official NBA YouTube highlights were not posted yet.
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