Suns 131-128 Jazz (18 Nov, 2023) Game Recap

SALT LAKE CITY – – Kevin Durant scored 38 points and Devin Booker had 24 points and a career-high 15 assists to power the Phoenix Suns to a 131-128 victory over the Utah Jazz in a game of the tournament in season Friday evening.

Durant’s 3 lifted the Suns to a 124-115 lead before the Jazz rallied to get within one point in the final minute. Durant struck again with his sixth 3 with 18 seconds left.

Durant also had nine rebounds and nine assists. He has scored at least 25 points in 11 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the NBA.

Jordan Clarkson scored a season-high 37 points for Utah. He has four consecutive games with 26 or more points, the longest streak of his career.

Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points for Jazz and John Collins had 15 points and 14 rebounds.

The Suns (6-6) improved to 1-1 in West Group A while the Jazz (4-8) fell to 2-1.

Jusuf Nurkic scored 15 points and Eric Gordon 14 for the Suns, who have won consecutive games for only the second time this season.

Booker went on a 16-4 run between the third and fourth quarters that gave the Suns a 107-99 lead with 10:15 left, an advantage they held on to – barely – until the end.

After a 2-7 start and the loss of defensive anchor Walker Kessler to an elbow injury, the Jazz changed their defensive strategy in favor of a switching, sometimes trapping scheme.

The problem was that they often left Durant open for 3-pointers. He went 6 for 8 from deep.

The Suns’ big three, Booker, Durant and Bradley Beal, have yet to play together this season. Phoenix announced Tuesday that Beal would miss the game against Utah because of a lower back strain and would be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Booker, who missed eight games with ankle and calf injuries, and Durant scored or assisted on every Suns basket during a 41-point first quarter, their best quarter of the season . They totaled 19 points and 11 assists.

Phoenix opted to do without a traditional point guard and put a heavy load on its scoring stars.

Keyonte George, who had 15 points, scored eight in a 12-2 run that gave the Jazz their first lead of the game late in the second quarter. It was tied 75-75 at halftime.

FOLLOWING

The Suns and Jazz face each other again on Sunday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA