Suns’ big three shines in win over Magic
Bradley Beal has one of his best games yet as a member of the Phoenix Suns in a close win against the scrappy Orlando Magic
Kevin Durant recorded 31 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals to help the Phoenix Suns post a 112-107 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic on Sunday night (Monday, January 1, Manila time).
Bradley Beal scored a season-best 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting as Phoenix won its third straight game. Devin Booker had 21 points and three steals, Jusuf Nurkic added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Grayson Allen tallied 10 points for the Suns.
It was just the fourth occasion that the Suns’ big three of Booker, Durant and Beal all played in the same game this season. They combined for 77 points.
Paolo Banchero registered 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Orlando, which lost the opener of a four-game road trip. Franz Wagner had 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Wendell Carter Jr. scored a season-high 17 points and Cole Anthony had 13 points for the Magic.
After Wagner hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 99 with 7:55 left in the game, Orlando scored just three points over the next 6:45.
Phoenix shot 50 percent from the field, including 8 of 27 from 3-point range. The Suns committed just six turnovers.
Orlando connected on 46.7 percent of its field-goal attempts and made 12 of 37 shots from behind the arc.
The Magic inched ahead at 96-95 on a 3-pointer by Gary Harris with 9:26 left before the Suns put the game away with a 17-6 run.
Durant’s 3-pointer with 5:54 left started a string of nine straight Phoenix points that made it 112-102. Nurkic capped the run with an inside basket with 1:56 to play.
Earlier, Booker drained a 3-pointer to cap a 12-2 burst and give the Suns a 79-64 lead with 8:35 left in the third quarter.
Orlando responded by scoring 23 of the next 31 points and tied the game at 87 on Banchero’s layup with 14.8 seconds left.
Beal buried a buzzer-beating jumper to give Phoenix an 89-87 edge entering the final stanza.
Booker scored 16 first-half points as the Suns held a 67-58 lead at the break. Banchero had 13 in the half for Orlando.
Phoenix led by as many as 16 points in the opening quarter before taking a 37-24 advantage into the second.
Carter scored 12 points in the second quarter as Orlando cut into the Suns’ lead. – Rappler.com