Devin Booker scores 30 points, Suns get hot from 3-point range to beat Hawks 128-115
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 30 points, Eric Gordon added 21 off the bench and the Phoenix Suns beat the Atlanta Hawks 128-115 on Thursday night.
Phoenix won largely thanks to superior long-range shooting, making 22 of 41 3-pointers. Booker hit six 3s while Gordon and Royce O’Neale both added four. Kevin Durant had 19 points and Grayson Allen added 13.
Atlanta has lost five of its past six. Dejounte Murray scored 29 points while De’Andre Hunter added 22.
The Suns led by five at halftime and took a 96-93 lead into the fourth.
Phoenix had a big push midway through the final quarter when O’Neale, Gordon and Bol Bol connected for 3-pointers on three straight offensive possessions for a 112-98 lead.
The Hawks responded by cutting the margin to 115-110 with 5:24 left but Durant responded with a bucket to turn back the threat.
The Suns prevailed despite ample adversity in the second half.
Booker picked up his fifth foul midway through the third quarter, forcing coach Frank Vogel to sit the four-time All-Star until midway through the fourth. Starting center Jusuf Nurkic also missed a big chunk of the second half after getting hit in the side of the face, which sent him back to the locker room for several minutes.
The Suns — playing on the second night of back-to-back games — looked sluggish early, falling into a 25-11 hole. Phoenix fought back fairly quickly and Bradley Beal’s two-handed jam tied the game at 37 early in the second quarter.
Phoenix took a 65-60 lead into halftime. Booker led the Suns with 13 before the break while Murray had 18 for the Hawks.
Atlanta’s All-Star guard Trae Young missed his 13th straight game with a torn finger ligament. Atlanta has a 6-7 record in his absence.
Durant, who became the No. 8 scorer in NBA history on Wednesday night, hit another mark Thursday with his 2,000th 3-pointer. He’s the 16th player in the league to accomplish that feat.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host Charlotte on Saturday night.
Suns: At San Antonio on Saturday night.
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