Phoenix Suns edge Detroit Pistons behind Booker, Durant, Richards

On By Littum

game

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 36 points and Devin Booker scored 35 to lead the way Phoenix Suns over Detroit Pistons125-121, Saturday.

Backup center Nick Richards, who was acquired earlier this week in a trade with Charlotte, had a great Phoenix debut; scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 29 minutes. Richards was 7 of 8 from the field and added a steal, an assist and was a huge plus-22 off the bench.

This was the second straight win for Phoenix (21-20), who split the home-and-away season series with the Pistons (21-21). Booker had his fifth straight 30-plus game in front of his home state Michigan crowd.

Tobias Harris led Detroit with 21 points, while Cade Cunningham added 20 and Jalen Duren 15.

The game was close throughout with 22 lead changes and 12 ties until the Suns pulled away in the final four minutes.

The Suns next play the Cleveland Cavaliers, who lead the NBA with a 34-6 record. That match is on Monday at 1:30 p.m. and the fourth of Phoenix’s five-game road trip.

Durant on fire, runs Suns in 3rd quarter

Kevin Durant found his rhythm after a slow start in the first half and put the Suns back in front 98-95 entering the fourth quarter.

Durant scored 21 of his 27 points (6-of-17 FG, 1-for-6 from 3) in the third, matching Booker’s game-high 27 points (8-of-14). Nick Richards continued to make big contributions as the Suns’ new backup, posting six of his 17 points in the third, adding three to his eight boards and is a highly efficient plus-18.

The Suns and Pistons traded the lead six times in the quarter. The Pistons were ahead midway through the third quarter, and the widest margin was seven after a step-back jumper by the Pistons’ Marcus Sasser (seven points) just after the five-minute mark. The Suns tied it, 89-89, nearly three minutes later, and Durant hit his first triple to put them ahead 95-93 with 43 seconds left in the third. Then Cunningham (18 points) tied the game for the third time in the third on a layup jump shot with 28 seconds left.

Durant scored with his own drive and layup for the quarter’s final field goal and drew a foul. He made the extra free throw with four seconds left.

Suns new big Nick Richards thrives in Q2

Devin Booker scored 10 of his 23 points (7-of-11 FG) to help Phoenix regain the lead at halftime, 61-60.

Nick Richards has made an immediate impact off the bench for the Suns with interior play in his debut. He scored 10 of his 11 points in the second quarter. He has shot a perfect 4-of-4, including two dunks, five rebounds and an assist.

Kevin Durant has struggled on just 1-of-9 shooting for just six points for the Suns.

The Pistons began the second quarter on a 13-5 run to take their biggest advantage seven after nine minutes. The Suns answered it with a 22-10 surge after that and took their biggest lead of seven with two minutes left.

The Pistons’ best performances have been Tobias Harris and Cade Cunningham with 15 and 12 points each.

Booker, Dunn led Suns in close 1st quarter

Devin Booker and Ryan Dunn had hot starts to lead Phoenix after a tight first quarter over Detroit, 30-29.

Booker scored 13 points (4-of-8) and Ryan Dunn had 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, riding his hot streak of 8-of-12 and career-high 18 in the Suns’ win at Washington on Thursday .

Pistons Tobias Harris matched Booker’s 13.

There were eight managerial changes and five draws in the opening period. The Suns’ biggest lead was four, the Pistons’ three.

Starting lineups

The Suns start Tyus Jones, Booker, Ryan Dunn at three, Durant and Mason Plumlee.

The Pistons will open with Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., swingman Ausar Thompson, veteran Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren in the middle.

Still sunning without Beal, Nurkic

Former Phoenix starters Bradley Beal (left ankle sprain) and Jusuf Nurkic (illness) are out for Saturday’s game. Detroit will not have Jaden Ivey (broken fibula).