Devin Booker’s 48 points carry Suns past Spurs
FILE– Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns. Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker poured in a season-high 48 points and the Phoenix Suns were at their best in the final nine minutes while pulling away for a 121-107 win over the host San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Phoenix has won four straight games, all on the road, to improve on the league’s best record away from home (17-4). The Suns (34-9) own the NBA’s best record and have won seven of their past eight games overall after defeating San Antonio for the third time in three meetings this year.
Booker hit 18 of 33 shots, including 5 of 13 from 3-point range. His point total is tied for the fifth most in a game in the NBA this season (Trae Young 56, Kevin Durant 51, Jaylen Brown and Stephen Curry 50, Anthony Edwards 48).
The Spurs trailed by three points at halftime and led by the four heading into the final period after being up by as much as 12 in the third quarter. Phoenix took charge early in the fourth, turning a 98-97 deficit into a 115-102 advantage over a five-minute stretch that was capped by Booker’s alley-oop dunk off a Chris Paul assist with 4:04 to play.
Devin Booker: Walking bucket 🔥@DevinBook explodes for a season-high 48 PTS to propel the @Suns to the road dub! pic.twitter.com/yfivz8njuy
— NBA (@NBA) January 18, 2022
Bismack Biyombo scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, with Paul adding 15 points and 12 assists and Cameron Payne hitting for 11 points. Phoenix played without Deandre Ayton, who has a right ankle injury.
Jakob Poeltl paced the Spurs with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Dejounte Murray added 18 points, Doug McDermott scored 15, Keldon Johnson and Derrick White contributed 14 each and Devin Vassell hit for 10 points.
The Suns led by as many as four points in the early minutes, but San Antonio rallied to take a 25-17 lead on Murray’s three-point play at the 5:27 mark of the first period. Phoenix soon answered with a 9-0 run to take a brief lead and was up 32-29 after 12 minutes of play with Booker scoring 18 points in the period.
The second quarter featured six lead changes before the Suns took charge with back-to-back 3-pointers from Jae Crowder. Phoenix went ahead by as many as seven points on the way to a 59-56 advantage at the break.
Booker scored 25 points in the first half while Murray hit for 13 points to pace the Spurs.
