Deandre Ayton matched his career high with 35 points, Booker scored 19 in his first game since Christmas as the Suns held off Cam Thomas and the Brooklyn Nets 116-112 on Tuesday night.Â
These aren’t the Phoenix Suns that fell apart after Devin Booker was hurt.
The team he came back to is surging and doesn’t expect that to change.
‘We’re going to have this thing rolling now,’ Deandre Ayton said. ‘Suns basketball on the way for sure.’
Booker missed 21 games with left groin strain. The Suns had a stretch of nine losses in 10 games early in his absence but hung in well at the end and have won nine of 11.
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton goes to the basket during game against the Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) goes to the basket past several different Suns playersÂ
‘Now we’re back and we have our guy back, so he knows we’re locked and loaded,’ Ayton said.
The 21-year-old Thomas led a late charge and finished with 43 points, becoming the youngest player in NBA history with three straight 40-point games. He had 44 and a career-high 47 points in his previous two games, but the Nets are 1-2 during Thomas’ run.
‘Obviously I’d rather have the win because it sounds better when you have these 40-point games with the two (games) that we lost, but it´s just good to have my name in history,’ Thomas said.
Mikal Bridges had 17 of his 21 points in the second half and played a key role in the defensive effort that cooled off Thomas just long enough for the Suns to use a 13-4 run to build a 109-97 lead with 2:25 remaining.
Booker scored six points and set up Ayton for another basket during that stretch.
‘That’s all I want right there is just competition and being back out there with the band and just feeling that energy, feeling that presence,’ Booker said. ‘The team has it rolling right now, so just insert myself in a way that wasn´t disruptive and try to keep the flow that they have.’
Thomas rallied the Nets mostly from the free-throw line, and his intentional miss with 4.1 seconds remaining left the Suns with a 114-112 lead. He then fouled Ayton, who finished it off with two free throws after going 14 for 18 from the field and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Nic Claxton and T.J. Warren had 17 points each for the Nets, who lost on back-to-back nights after trading Kyrie Irving and fell to 5-9 without the injured Kevin Durant. They opted not to play Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, the players they acquired from Dallas in the trade for Irving.
Ben Simmons had two points and six assists after missing five games with left knee soreness.
Thomas (24) dribbles up court against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Barclays Center
GRIZZLIES 104, BULLS 89
Ja Morant scored 34 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 24 points and five blocks as Memphis rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Chicago.
Desmond Bane finished with 17 points and Brandon Clarke had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who stopped a three-game skid.
Nikola Vucevic had 28 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, whose three-game winning streak ended. Chicago played without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan because of right hip soreness.
Zach LaVine scored 24 points for Chicago.
Grizzlies’ Ja Morant (12) drives past Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first half
NUGGETS 146, TIMBERWOLVES 112
Nikola Jokic posted his 19th triple-double of the season by halftime as Denver rode a 49-point first quarter to a rout of Minnesota.
Jokic finished with 20 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. It was the second time in his career the big man has notched a triple-double by halftime. Jokic took a seat late in the third quarter.
Denver led 49-19 after the first quarter – including a 32-2 run – as the Nuggets shot 79.2 percent from the floor. The 49 points tied for the second-most in a quarter in the franchise´s NBA history. Michael Porter Jr. led the way by scoring 19 of his 30 points in the opening period.
Aaron Gordon added 24 for the Nuggets, who set season highs in points and assists (44).
Anthony Edwards and Luka Garza both had 19 points for Minnesota.
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Nuggets drives to the basket during the game against the Timberwolves
KNICKS 102, MAGIC 98
Jalen Brunson scored 25 points and made the go-ahead basket with 1:13 left, Julius Randle had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and New York beat Orlando.
Brunson´s running bank shot put the Knicks up for good at 94-93. He then fed Jericho Sims for a dunk and a three-point lead.
The teams combined to shoot 10 free throw attempts in the final 7.7 seconds. The only miss was by Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, who intentionally tried to set up a tying basket with 2.3 seconds remaining.
Markelle Fultz led the Magic with 21 points. Franz Wagner added 18 points and Banchero finished with 16 points after being held to four in the first half.
New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (11) drives around Orlando Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr.
PELICANS 116, HAWKS 107
Brandon Ingram scored 30 points, CJ McCollum added 21 as New Orleans beat Atlanta for its third straight victory.
Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 14 rebounds for New Orleans.
The Pelicans led 111-95 when Trey Murphy III hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 3:24 to go. Atlanta responded with a 7-0 run, but New Orleans held on.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 22 points for Atlanta and Dejounte Murray scored 19. Trae Young had 16 points and 16 assists.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) shoots over Atlanta Hawks John CollinsÂ
THUNDER 133, LAKERS 130Â
LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record as the NBA’s all-time leader in points as the Lakers fell 133-130 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
James led the Lakers with 38 points when he came into the game needing just 36 points to break the record.
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander led the Thunder with 30 points in the win, while Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams both scored more than 20 points with 20 and 25 respectively.
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