The Sports Xchange
Dec 4, 2017
PHILADELPHIA -- Devin Booker scored a season-high 46 points, 13 in a clinching 16-3 run late in the game, as the Phoenix Suns beat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-101 on Monday night to snap a two-game losing streak.
Booker shot 17 of 32 from the floor, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, as Phoenix (9-16) won for just the second time in seven games.
TJ Warren added 25 points for the Suns.
J.J. Redick scored 25 points for Philadelphia, which lost for the second time in three games. Joel Embiid collected 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots, and Ben Simmons had 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists despite, he said, being "pretty sick" earlier in the day with flu-like symptoms
Phoenix led by as many as 17 points in the first half and was up by 93-79 after a basket by Josh Jackson with 11:26 left in the game. Redick then poured in 13 points in a 15-6 Philadelphia rush, the last of those on a 3-pointer from the right wing with 4:49 remaining, making it 99-94.
The Suns' Tyler Ulis (12 points, 12 assists) answered with a 3-pointer and Booker nailed two more, the second a contested fadeaway from the top of the circle with the shot clock running down.
Booker's steal and breakaway dunk made it 110-94.
After Robert Covington made a 3-pointer for the Sixers (13-10), Booker made yet another triple, then a jumper to give the Suns a 115-97 advantage.
The Suns led by as many as 17 in the first half and settled for a 60-47 halftime lead behind 15 points from Warren and 14 from Booker. Phoenix, which outscored Philadelphia 32-19 in the second quarter, converted 10 offensive rebounds into 10 second-chance points in the half, while the Sixers had five such points on five offensive boards.
Embiid had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks at that point, while Simmons contributed 12 points.
The Suns maintained a double-digit lead until Philadelphia ran off six straight points late in the third quarter to cut the gap to 82-75.
Booker scored the last seven Phoenix points of the period, including a three-point play with 6.1 seconds left, to give the Suns an 89-79 cushion entering the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Sixers G T.J. McConnell missed his third consecutive game with a shoulder sprain but said he hopes to return for the Thursday home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. "Range of motion is getting back," he said before the game, "but when I tried to shoot it wasn't quite where I wanted to be. I'm not going to play limited. I'm going to get some more treatment on it and go from there." ... The Sixers continue to be without G/F Justin Anderson (shin splints). ... Phoenix C Alex Len returned after missing one game with an ankle sprain. He scored seven points. ... The Suns play at Toronto on Tuesday.