Devin Booker helps Suns demolish Pistons
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns drives against Cory Joseph #18 of the Detroit Pistons in the second half at Little Caesars Arena on January 16, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Mike Mulholland/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker scored 30 points in 30 minutes, and the visiting Phoenix Suns rolled past the Detroit Pistons 135-108 on Sunday afternoon.
Booker made 11 of 18 field-goal attempts and sat out the fourth quarter. Cameron Payne had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, and fellow reserve JaVale McGee supplied 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field and grabbed six rebounds.
☀️ @DevinBook and the West-leading @Suns win their 3rd straight!
30 points
11-18 shooting pic.twitter.com/t9OQSOrD7B— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2022
Phoenix’s Landry Shamet added 11 points, and Chris Paul had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Mikal Bridges also scored 10 points for the Suns, who own the league’s best record and have won six of their past seven games.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, the top pick in the 2021 draft, was ejected after being assessed two technicals during the third quarter. The second technical came after he pointed toward a Suns player after dunking, which the officials interpreted as taunting. Cunningham scored 21 points in 25 minutes.
Cory Joseph also had 21 points and added seven assists, and Trey Lyles contributed 18 points and six rebounds.
Suns center Deandre Ayton departed in the first quarter after sustaining a right ankle sprain.
Booker erupted for 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting as the Suns grabbed a 64-54 halftime lead. Payne also was a major factor, contributing 12 points while making all but one of his six field-goal attempts. Cunningham kept his team in striking distance with 13 points.
Booker scored 15 points during a wild opening quarter that ended with Phoenix up 39-35. The Suns had a 10-4 run in the last 3:13 of the second quarter, which included two Payne 3-pointers.
Paul and McGee scored the first two baskets of the third quarter, and Phoenix maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way. A 6-0 spurt by the Suns, which included three points apiece from Paul and McGee, made it 79-60.
Booker hit two free throws with five minutes left in the quarter to nudge the Suns’ lead to 87-67. Booker reached the 30-point mark with 3:28 left in the quarter. The Suns carried a 103-82 lead into the fourth and also scored the first five points of the final quarter.
