NBA: Suns keep rolling, top Sixers for 8th straight win
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after scoring against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on March 27, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul added 19 points and 14 assists, and the Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to eight games with a 114-104 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Deandre Ayton had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix (61-14), which has won its last six meetings against Philadelphia. Landry Shamet scored 12 points and Mikal Bridges added 11.
Devin Booker & Chris Paul lead the @Suns to their 8th straight win!@DevinBook: 35 points@CP3: 19 points, 14 assists pic.twitter.com/i4OSEDJMN8
— NBA (@NBA) March 28, 2022
Joel Embiid paced the Sixers (46-28) with 37 points and 15 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey scored 18 points, Tobias Harris added 17 points and eight rebounds, and James Harden had 14 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
Philadelphia trailed by one before the Suns went on a 13-2 run, capped by Jae Crowder’s 3-pointer that put the Suns ahead 114-102 with 1:35 remaining.
Phoenix shot 51.7 percent from the field and 13 of 27 (48.1 percent) from 3-point range to snap the Sixers’ three-game winning streak. Phoenix improved to 45-0 this season when leading after three quarters.
Both teams set the tone early with a high-scoring first quarter. Embiid scored 15 points in the period for Philadelphia, which took a 39-37 lead after shooting 61.9 percent.
Booker, who scored a season-high 49 points in the Suns’ 140-130 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, ended Sunday’s first quarter with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Philadelphia extended its lead to 15 points midway through the second quarter before Phoenix responded with a 13-0 run to cut the deficit to 54-52 with 4:44 left in the half.
Booker was held scoreless in the second quarter for the Suns, who trailed 64-60 at the half. Embiid had 19 points at the break to lead the Sixers.
Philadelphia led by one with 1:52 left in the third quarter before Phoenix closed on an 8-2 run to move ahead 91-86.
Phoenix took a 101-90 lead on Shamet’s trey with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter before the Sixers answered with 10 straight points.
Crowder finished with nine points and eight rebounds for Phoenix, which improved to 31-8 at home.
