Suns dominate Cavaliers in OT for fifth straight win
FILE –Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against the LA Clippers during the NBA game at Phoenix Suns Arena on April 28, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona.Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker’s 31 points and Chris Paul’s 23 points and 16 assists helped the Phoenix Suns hold off the host Cleveland Cavaliers for a 134-118 overtime victory on Tuesday night.
Booker shot 14-for-27 from the field and also had six rebounds and five assists as the Suns (47-18) moved back into a tie with the Utah Jazz for the top spot in the Western Conference with their fifth consecutive victory.
Article continues after this advertisementRookie Isaac Okoro scored a career-high 32 points and added six assists, nearly helping the Cavaliers (21-44) avoid their seventh consecutive defeat.
😳 @CP3's statline tonight was ridiculous as he led the @Suns to 5 straight wins.
23 points
16 assists
4 steals
2 blocks
0 turnovers pic.twitter.com/5SGmVb0OrN— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2021
Collin Sexton tallied 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Article continues after this advertisementAfter failing to pull away throughout regulation, Phoenix opened overtime with a 15-0 run fueled by eight points from Mikal Bridges, who totaled 22 points to go with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The Suns, who scored 23 points off 17 Cleveland turnovers, clamped down defensively in overtime as they allowed only four points and held the Cavaliers without a field goal for three and a half minutes.
Deandre Ayton recorded 15 points, eight rebounds and five blocks, and Frank Kaminsky had 11 points and six rebounds off the Suns’ bench.
Okoro and Booker dueled down the stretch of regulation. Okoro tied the game twice in the final minute.
Booker had a chance to win it at the buzzer; but, after dribbling his way into the far corner and drawing a double-team, his contested 3-pointer was an air ball, sending the game to overtime.
Okoro scored 11 points in the fourth quarter but was shut out in overtime.
"He's such a huge part of our team…When he's going, we go."
– @CP3 on @mikal_bridgesHear from the team tonight! 👇
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) May 5, 2021
Jarrett Allen had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Cedi Osman totaled 16 points.
Phoenix’s Jae Crowder (right ankle sprain) missed his seventh consecutive game, but Cameron Payne (left knee contusion) returned and finished with six points and five assists.
The Cavaliers remained shorthanded without Darius Garland (sprained left ankle), Lamar Stevens (concussion) and Isaiah Hartenstein (concussion) against Miami. Matthew Dellavedova (neck), Taurean Prince (left ankle surgery), Larry Nance Jr. (fractured right thumb) and Dylan Windler (left knee surgery) are expected to miss the rest of the season.
