Washington (AFP) – Devin Booker scored 27 points and Kevin Durant added 21 to lead the Phoenix Suns over Golden State 113-105 on Saturday, stretching the Warriors’ NBA losing streak to four games. With Bradley Beal out for calf injury management and Jusuf Nurkic sidelined by a quad bruise, the host Suns (11-8) still dominated as Tyus Jones added 19 points and Grayson Allen had 17.
“We’ve got five guys in double figures,” Durant said. “It wasn’t a great shooting game for me and Book but everybody contributed on both ends of the floor.” Durant, who grabbed 10 rebounds, was happy about Phoenix’s hot start, which produced a 66-49 half-time Suns lead. “That first half — 66 points, up 17 — that was pretty much the game,” Durant said. “We were hitting each other on pocket passes, hitting each other for threes. It was beautiful to watch.”
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The effort came after Suns coach Mike Budenholzer had stressed the team needed to play with greater urgency earlier in games. “Coach got on us in a film session a couple of days ago about our level of competition,” Durant said. “It has to be better if we’re going to be the team we want to be. I think tonight we just tried to do the small things well — box out, get back on defense, make the correct pass. It was a good start to the game.”
Stephen Curry scored 23 points to lead the Warriors, who fell to 12-7. Curry was back after missing a game with a sore knee and Andrew Wiggins, who had 18 points, returned to the lineup from a right ankle injury.
At Utah, Dallas star Kyrie Irving scored 30 points to power the Mavericks over the Utah Jazz 106-94. Quentin Grimes added 24 points for the Mavericks (12-8) while Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz (4-15) with 19 points.
– Giannis hits 42 in win – Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo had his third triple-double of the season with 42 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists to lead host Milwaukee over Washington 124-114. It was his first career 40-point triple-double, coming on a night when he shot 15-of-24 from the floor and 12-of-17 from the free-throw line. Damian Lillard added 25 points and 10 assists as the Bucks improved to 10-9 with their sixth consecutive triumph and eighth win in the past nine starts.
The Wizards, led by Jordan Poole’s 31 points, suffered their 14th loss in a row, their NBA-worst record falling to 2-16 on the season. Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points to lead the 76ers to a 111-96 victory at Detroit. Paul George made his return for the Sixers (4-4) after a three-game absence due to a bone bruise in his left knee, scoring 11 points and adding eight rebounds and five assists. The 76ers were without Cameroonian center Joel Embiid, who was resting a left knee injury.
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson scored 20 points, reserve De’Andre Hunter added 18, and Onyeka Okongwu added 16 points and 11 rebounds off the bench to give the Hawks a 107-104 triumph at Charlotte, the Hornets’ losing streak swelling to five games. Hunter made two free throws with 9.1 seconds remaining to give the Hawks a 105-102 lead. Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, who had a game-high 32 points, missed a 3-point attempt, and Okongwu added two free throws to secure the victory.
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