Booker returns with 34 points, Suns top Grizzlies 116-109
PHOENIX (AP) Devin Booker returned after missing a game with a sprained right ankle and had 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 116-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.
Booker, who sat out Friday’s loss to Denver, hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter and put the Suns up by 15, their biggest lead of the game to that point. He was also 13 for 13 from the free throw line.
Suns coach Frank Vogel said before the game that Booker was a game-time decision. The star guard ended up playing a game-high 37 minutes.
“He wanted to play yesterday,” Vogel said. “He played a great game. He is the leader of our offense in terms of organizing us. It's always tricky when he is out of the game, getting our guys in the right spot.”
Booker said his ankle, which forced him to miss action earlier in the season, caused problems again after the long flight from Toronto to Phoenix following a loss to the Raptors on Wednesday.
“When we landed after (the previous time) I could barely walk, but this one just kept getting better as time went by,” Booker said.
The Suns had a 35-22 advantage in made free throws. Grizzlies starters Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Jaylen Nowell and Bismack Biyombo all spent time on the bench with foul trouble.
“We tried to use our aggressiveness against them,” Booker said.
Kevin Durant had 27 points, though he missed his first free throw of the game to end his single-season team record streak at 67.
Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic, who had a season-high 31 on Friday, had 14 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 5:34 to play.
Jackson led the Grizzlies with a season-high 37 points on 13-of-20 shooting.
“He’s being aggressive, making the right reads, understanding where his teammates are on the floor and where the double-teams are coming from. Really impressed with him,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said.
Jackson did it against tough defense inside, particularly from Nurkic.
“He’s strong as an ox,” Jackson said. “It’s always a battle.”
“It was all angles, figuring out how to score today. Just driving - that’s all I had going for me.”
Bane scored 27 points - 20 in the fourth quarter - and Vince Williams Jr. scored 12 before fouling out.
The Grizzlies trailed by as many as 16 points before closing within six, but Durant and Yuta Watanabe made foul shots to close out the game.
Memphis had won its previous two games, beating Dallas on the road on Friday. Phoenix lost its previous two after winning seven straight.
Neither team led by more than five points until the Suns opened up a 69-57 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Suns were without Eric Gordon, sidelined with a right knee contusion sustained in Friday’s game. Memphis played without Derrick Rose (left ankle sprain) and Ziaire Williams (illness).
NEXT
Memphis: At Detroit Wednesday.
Phoenix: At Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
12:00 | Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. Jusuf Nurkic (Grayson Allen gains possession) | |||
11:51 | Grayson Allen turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | |||
11:34 | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving layup | 2-0 | |
11:08 | Jusuf Nurkic misses three point jump shot | |||
11:05 | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:58 | +3 | Desmond Bane makes three point stepback jump shot | 5-0 | |
10:43 | +2 | Kevin Durant makes two point pullup jump shot (Devin Booker assists) | 5-2 | |
10:30 | Desmond Bane turnover (bad pass) (Jusuf Nurkic steals) | |||
10:19 | Jusuf Nurkic misses two point layup | |||
10:16 | Jaylen Nowell defensive rebound | |||
10:03 | Bismack Biyombo misses two point hook shot | |||
10:01 | Devin Booker defensive rebound | |||
9:53 | Devin Booker misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
9:52 | Suns offensive rebound | |||
9:52 | Bismack Biyombo personal foul (Loose ball) (Jusuf Nurkic draws the foul) | |||
9:40 | +2 | Devin Booker makes two point fadeaway jump shot (Jusuf Nurkic assists) | 5-4 | |
9:26 | Jaren Jackson Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Josh Okogie steals) | |||
9:25 | Jaren Jackson Jr. personal foul (Josh Okogie draws the foul) | |||
9:15 | Desmond Bane blocks Devin Booker's three point pullup jump shot | |||
9:10 | Desmond Bane defensive rebound | |||
9:08 | +2 | Desmond Bane makes two point driving layup | 7-4 | |
8:57 | +2 | Josh Okogie makes two point driving layup (Devin Booker assists) | 7-6 | |
8:42 | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving layup | 9-6 | |
8:20 | Kevin Durant misses two point driving layup | |||
8:19 | Suns offensive rebound | |||
8:16 | Jusuf Nurkic misses three point jump shot | |||
8:13 | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | |||
8:02 | Josh Okogie kicked ball violation | |||
7:55 | Desmond Bane misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
7:52 | Devin Booker defensive rebound | |||
7:46 | Jaren Jackson Jr. shooting foul (Devin Booker draws the foul) | |||
7:46 | +1 | Devin Booker makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-7 | |
7:46 | +1 | Devin Booker makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 9-8 | |
7:30 | Jaylen Nowell misses three point jump shot | |||
7:27 | Josh Okogie defensive rebound | |||
7:14 | Jusuf Nurkic misses two point hook shot | |||
7:10 | Jusuf Nurkic offensive rebound | |||
7:10 | +2 | Jusuf Nurkic makes two point tip layup | 9-10 | |
7:00 | Jaylen Nowell misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
6:59 | Bismack Biyombo offensive rebound | |||
6:59 | +2 | Bismack Biyombo makes two point tip layup | 11-10 | |
6:59 | Jaylen Nowell technical foul (Flopping) | |||
6:59 | Suns 60 second timeout | |||
6:59 | +1 | Devin Booker makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 11-11 | |
6:41 | +2 | Jusuf Nurkic makes two point driving hook shot (Grayson Allen assists) | 11-13 | |
6:24 | David Roddy misses two point driving layup | |||
6:20 | John Konchar offensive rebound | |||
6:20 | Santi Aldama misses three point jump shot | |||
6:17 | Jusuf Nurkic defensive rebound | |||
6:10 | Santi Aldama shooting foul (Kevin Durant draws the foul) | |||
6:10 | Kevin Durant misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:10 | Suns offensive rebound | |||
6:10 | +1 | Kevin Durant makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-14 | |
5:58 | Bismack Biyombo misses two point hook shot | |||
5:55 | Jordan Goodwin defensive rebound | |||
5:46 | Kevin Durant misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
5:43 | Bismack Biyombo defensive rebound | |||
5:31 | +3 | David Roddy makes three point jump shot (Desmond Bane assists) | 14-14 | |
5:21 | Jusuf Nurkic turnover (bad pass) (Santi Aldama steals) | |||
5:10 | Desmond Bane misses three point jump shot | |||
5:07 | Jusuf Nurkic defensive rebound | |||
5:00 | Desmond Bane shooting foul (Josh Okogie draws the foul) | |||
5:00 | Josh Okogie misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:00 | Suns offensive rebound | |||
5:00 | Josh Okogie misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
4:55 | Jordan Goodwin offensive rebound | |||
4:55 | +2 | Jordan Goodwin makes two point layup | 14-16 | |
4:55 | Grizzlies 60 second timeout | |||
4:42 | +2 | Xavier Tillman makes two point driving hook shot (Desmond Bane assists) | 16-16 | |
4:23 | +2 | Kevin Durant makes two point fadeaway bank jump shot | 16-18 | |
4:12 | +2 | Santi Aldama makes two point pullup jump shot | 18-18 | |
3:52 | Grayson Allen misses two point driving layup | |||
3:50 | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
3:45 | +2 | Vince Williams Jr. makes two point running layup (Desmond Bane assists) | 20-18 | |
3:28 | +2 | Kevin Durant makes two point jump shot (Jusuf Nurkic assists) | 20-20 | |
3:17 | John Konchar misses three point jump shot | |||
3:15 | Grayson Allen defensive rebound | |||
3:10 | Vince Williams Jr. personal foul (Kevin Durant draws the foul) | |||
3:10 | +1 | Kevin Durant makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-21 | |
3:10 | Kevin Durant misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
3:07 | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:54 | Xavier Tillman misses three point jump shot | |||
2:51 | Suns defensive rebound | |||
2:30 | Jordan Goodwin misses two point floating jump shot | |||
2:28 | Santi Aldama defensive rebound | |||
2:16 | +2 | Desmond Bane makes two point driving layup | 22-21 | |
2:00 | Xavier Tillman blocks Keita Bates-Diop's two point driving floating jump shot | |||
1:57 | Desmond Bane defensive rebound | |||
1:52 | +3 | Santi Aldama makes three point jump shot (Desmond Bane assists) | 25-21 | |
1:33 | Jordan Goodwin misses three point jump shot | |||
1:29 | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
1:14 | Devin Booker personal foul (Vince Williams Jr. draws the foul) | |||
1:08 | Santi Aldama misses three point jump shot | |||
1:06 | Grizzlies offensive rebound | |||
1:04 | Santi Aldama misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
0:59 | John Konchar offensive rebound | |||
0:59 | John Konchar misses two point tip layup | |||
0:59 | Suns defensive rebound | |||
0:47 | +3 | Devin Booker makes three point jump shot (Jordan Goodwin assists) | 25-24 | |
0:29 | Jordan Goodwin personal foul (John Konchar draws the foul) | |||
0:29 | +1 | John Konchar makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-24 | |
0:29 | +1 | John Konchar makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-24 | |
0:08 | +3 | Yuta Watanabe makes three point jump shot (Devin Booker assists) | 27-27 | |
0:00 | John Konchar misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Grizzlies offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11:41 | +2 | Jaylen Nowell makes two point floating jump shot | 29-27 | |
11:23 | +2 | Drew Eubanks makes two point driving dunk | 29-29 | |
11:02 | Xavier Tillman misses three point jump shot | |||
10:59 | Devin Booker defensive rebound | |||
10:46 | Nassir Little misses three point jump shot | |||
10:41 | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:31 | +3 | David Roddy makes three point jump shot (Jaren Jackson Jr. assists) | 32-29 | |
10:14 | Nassir Little misses three point jump shot | |||
10:10 | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:05 | Jaren Jackson Jr. turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | |||
9:46 | +3 | Devin Booker makes three point pullup jump shot (Nassir Little assists) | 32-32 | |
9:21 | Jaylen Nowell turnover (bad pass) (Yuta Watanabe steals) | |||
9:04 | Nassir Little turnover (lost ball) (Jaylen Nowell steals) | |||
8:47 | David Roddy misses two point driving layup | |||
8:45 | Devin Booker defensive rebound | |||
8:43 | Devin Booker misses three point running pullup jump shot | |||
8:39 | Yuta Watanabe offensive rebound | |||
8:37 | Jaren Jackson Jr. blocks Drew Eubanks's two point layup | |||
8:32 | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
8:26 | Drew Eubanks blocks Xavier Tillman's two point layup | |||
8:26 | Grizzlies offensive rebound | |||
8:20 | Vince Williams Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
8:17 | Nassir Little defensive rebound | |||
8:10 | +2 | Nassir Little makes two point driving layup | 32-34 | |
8:10 | Grizzlies 60 second timeout | |||
7:50 | +3 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes three point pullup jump shot | 35-34 | |
7:31 | Nassir Little misses two point driving layup | |||
7:29 | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | |||
7:24 | Jaylen Nowell misses three point jump shot | |||
7:20 | Drew Eubanks defensive rebound | |||
7:11 | Yuta Watanabe turnover (bad pass) (David Roddy steals) | |||
7:09 | Yuta Watanabe personal foul (David Roddy draws the foul) | |||
6:57 | Drew Eubanks shooting foul (Jaren Jackson Jr. draws the foul) | |||
6:57 | +1 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 36-34 | |
6:57 | +1 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 37-34 | |
6:44 | Desmond Bane personal foul (Kevin Durant draws the foul) | |||
6:40 | Drew Eubanks turnover (bad pass) (Santi Aldama steals) | |||
6:30 | Desmond Bane offensive foul (Josh Okogie draws the foul) | |||
6:30 | Desmond Bane turnover (offensive foul) | |||
6:19 | Santi Aldama blocks Jusuf Nurkic's two point hook shot | |||
6:15 | John Konchar defensive rebound | |||
6:11 | Jump ball. Jusuf Nurkic vs. John Konchar (Kevin Durant gains possession) | |||
6:11 | John Konchar turnover (lost ball) (Jusuf Nurkic steals) | |||
6:09 | Josh Okogie offensive foul (Charge) (John Konchar draws the foul) | |||
6:09 |