NBA: Bradley Beal stars off bench as Suns handle Hawks

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) looks to shoot over Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (13) and center Clint Capela, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Bradley Beal scored a game-high 25 points off the bench, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 123-115 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks in the NBA on Thursday.

Grayson Allen and Kevin Durant added 23 points apiece for the Suns, who won their second game in three tries. Phoenix’s Devin Booker collected 20 points and 12 assists. Tyus Jones chipped in 16 points, and Mason Plumlee recorded a team-high 10 rebounds.

READ: Suns’ Bradley Beal stars as reserve, believes he is an NBA starter

Trae Young led Atlanta with 21 points and seven assists, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 points and Dyson Daniels had 13 as the Hawks finished their road trip with a 2-4 record. Vit Krejci and De’Andre Hunter scored 12 apiece, David Roddy added 11 and Clint Capela recorded 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Trailing 72-68 at halftime, Phoenix began the third quarter on a 7-0 run, with Jones’ 3-pointer giving the Suns a 75-72 advantage.

After Krejci tied the game with a trey at the 9:40 mark, neither team took a lead larger than two points until layups from Durant and Oso Ighodaro gave the Suns an 89-86 edge with 3:08 left in the third.

Jan 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) celebrates with forward Kevin Durant (35) and center Oso Ighodaro (4) against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Beal scored Phoenix’s final seven points of the third quarter, including a buzzer-beating layup that gave the Suns a 98-92 lead.

Mid-range jumpers from Beal and Booker gave Phoenix a 10-point advantage with 7:42 left. Hunter’s 3-pointer trimmed Atlanta’s deficit to 111-105, but the Suns’ lead then ballooned to 15 after Durant, Jones and Allen knocked down consecutive 3-pointers.

Atlanta answered with an 10-0 run that cut the deficit to five with 1:22 left, but Allen’s layup with 35.6 seconds remaining iced the Suns’ victory.

Phoenix made 13 of its first 18 shots and took a 33-22 lead after Durant drained a pair of free throws with 1:46 left in the first quarter.

Roddy made 3-pointers on the Hawks’ final two possessions of the opening period, trimming Atlanta’s deficit to 38-31 entering the second.

After Durant’s dunk put Phoenix ahead 59-53, Onyeka Okongwu began and ended Atlanta’ 8-0 run with dunks, putting the Hawks ahead 62-59 with 2:58 left in the second quarter.

Josh Okogie’s jumper pulled the Suns within one point, but Young’s layup and Daniels’ 3-pointer gave Atlanta a 72-66 advantage. Jones’ layup with three seconds left cut the Suns’ halftime deficit to four.

–Field Level Media