NBA: Chris Paul first with 20K points, 11K assists as Suns sink Clippers
Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on October 21, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker scored 35 points and Chris Paul added 11 assists against his former team as the visiting Phoenix Suns earned a 112-95 victory Sunday over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Deandre Ayton added 13 points for the Suns, who led by as many as 22 while bouncing back from an overtime defeat at Portland on Friday.
Chris Paul joins Jason Kidd and John Stockton as the only players in NBA history to record 11,000 or more career assists.
Congrats, CP3! pic.twitter.com/IR7QFqk7sV
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2022
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 22 points and John Wall added 17 for the Clippers, who lost their home opener after opening the season with a pair of victories.
Kawhi Leonard scored 11 points off the bench for Los Angeles in 21 minutes as he continues to round into form after missing the 2021-22 season because of a knee injury. Leonard and Wall did not play in a victory Saturday at Sacramento.
The Suns dominated from the outset, taking an early 11-0 lead and going up 33-18 after one quarter while shooting 60.9 percent from the field. Phoenix held a 61-41 lead at halftime while making half of their 44 shot attempts.
Every bucket from Devin Booker's 35 point performance in the @Suns W tonight ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oM5RCJ9X6n
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2022
The Suns’ largest lead was at 61-39 just before the break.
The Clippers got within 10 points at 82-72 with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter but Phoenix held off Los Angeles from there.
Cameron Johnson scored 11 points for the Suns and Cameron Payne contributed 10, while Jock Landale had 10 assists. Landry Shamet made his season debut for Phoenix and scored eight points in 13 minutes.
Paul George scored 16 points for the Clippers on 4-of-11 shooting, one night after he had 40 at Sacramento.
The Suns shot 15 of 42 (35.7 percent) from 3-point range, while the Clippers shot 9 of 32 (28.1 percent) from distance.
