Field Level Media
Dec 15, 2018
Deandre Ayton scored five straight points during an 11-0 fourth-quarter run to spark the Phoenix Suns to a 107-99 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Derrick Rose scored five straight to end the Minnesota drought and cut the Suns' lead to 96-89, but the Phoenix defense clamped down.
Phoenix came in with a league-low five wins and won consecutive games for the first time this season after holding Dallas to opponent season lows of 89 points, 39.7 percent shooting from the field and 15.2 percent from 3-point range in a win on Thursday.
On Saturday, the Suns held Minnesota to 40.6 percent shooting (39 of 96) from the field, including 20.0 percent (7-for-35) from 3-point range.
Phoenix was happy to welcome back Devin Booker, who was averaging 23.5 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 assists per game. He was playing in his first game after missing the previous six with a hamstring injury.
Booker led the Suns with 28 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the field. He also recorded seven rebounds and seven assists.
Ayton, the top pick in this year's NBA draft, scored 18 points and had 12 rebounds. T.J. Warren contributed 21 points
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 28 points for Minnesota, which has lost four straight. Towns also grabbed 12 rebounds and had four assists.
Rose came off the bench and added 25 points on 11 of 16 shooting from the field.
There were four ties and seven lead changes in the third period before the Suns went on a 14-4 run and opened up an eight-point lead at 85-77.
Minnesota closed the period on a Dario Saric 3-pointer and Andrew Wiggins jumper and trailed 85-82 heading into the fourth.
Earlier in the day, the Suns traded Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers, neither of whom were in uniform for Phoenix.
--Field Level Media