Devin Booker scores 35 as Suns win 14th straight
FILE– Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker scored 24 of his 35 points in the first half to propel the visiting Phoenix Suns to their 14th straight victory, courtesy of a 120-115 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Booker made 14 of 21 shots from the floor to help the Suns match the third-longest win streak in franchise history. They sit three victories shy of equaling their franchise record, set in the 2006-07 season.
Booker also tormented the Cavaliers in the teams’ first meeting this season. He celebrated his 25th birthday by collecting 27 points and nine assists in Phoenix’s 101-92 win on Oct. 30. That victory ignited the Suns’ current win streak.
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The @Suns win their 14th straight game behind 35 PTS from @DevinBook! pic.twitter.com/rnAHqukkuM
— NBA (@NBA) November 25, 2021
Chris Paul recorded 17 points and 12 assists, Deandre Ayton had 16 points and nine rebounds and JaVale McGee added 13 points and 12 boards for Phoenix.
Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen collected 25 points and 11 rebounds to record his second straight double-double and seventh in nine games. Cedi Osman had 23 points, Darius Garland contributed 19 points and seven assists and Ricky Rubio added 15 points for the Cavaliers, whose skid reached a season-high five games.
CP3 drained a mid-range jumper to give Phoenix a 111-109 lead with 1:45 to play. CP3 drew the sixth personal foul by Garland on the next possession before joining Jae Crowder in sinking a pair of free throws to run the Suns’ advantage to six points.
Allen completed a three-point play to make it a one-possession game at 115-112. Crowder misfired on an 18-foot jumper at the other end, and Lauri Markkanen converted from in close to trim the deficit to one.
CP3 made a pair of free throws to push the advantage back to three with 8.8 seconds left. Rubio and Booker each split a pair of free throws and Rubio missed both attempts from the charity stripe before CP3 sealed the win at the line.
Booker bolted out of the blocks by making all six of his shots to finish with 15 points, helping the Suns seize a 36-33 lead after the first quarter. Allen, however, sank all five of his shots from the floor to finish with 12 points for the Cavaliers.
