Devin Booker scored 32 points and Kevin Durant contributed 25 points in only three quarters as the Suns defeated San Antonio 131-106 on Saturday.
Devin Booker and the Suns played the first game of a two-game series in Texas, which also marked the beginning of a five-game road trip for them. The Suns had a strong performance against San Antonio, shooting over 61% from the field in the first three quarters and reaching over 100 points by the end of the third quarter. This led to key players like Devin Booker and Durant being rested for the final quarter. The Suns have now won three consecutive games and currently hold the sixth spot in the Western Conference with 11 games left in the season.
Despite facing a tough schedule ahead, with 10 games against playoff-bound teams, Phoenix managed to secure a significant lead against the San Antonio in the third quarter, ultimately winning the game with a score of 103-71. Key contributors for the Suns included Bradley Beal, Bol Bol, Eric Gordon, and Drew Eubanks, while Keldon Johnson, Victor Wembanyama, and Blake Wesley led the scoring for San Antonio.
De’Aaron Fox scored 12 of his 31 points in the final quarter as the Sacramento Kings defeated the Orlando Magic 109-107 on Saturday. Keegan Murray contributed 22 points, while Domantas Sabonis achieved his 53rd consecutive double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Keon Ellis also had a standout performance with a career-high 19 points. Orlando’s Jonathan Isaac matched his career-best with 25 points off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the end of their five-game winning streak. Paolo Banchero scored 22 points, Franz Wagner added 18, Cole Anthony had 16, and Wendell Carter Jr. secured 11 rebounds in the game.
Sam Hauser was on fire, hitting seven out of eight 3-point shots and scoring 23 points to help the Boston Celtics extend their winning streak to nine games with a 124-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Jayson Tatum contributed 26 points and six assists, while Al Horford added 23 points and eight rebounds for the Celtics, who have used a variety of starting lineups during their winning streak. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 28 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in the losing effort, with Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, and Nikola Vucevic each adding 14 points for Chicago. Coby White chipped in with 11 points and 10 assists.
Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet scored a total of 75 points in a dominant performance for the Rockets, leading them to a 147-119 victory over the Utah Jazz. Green had 41 points, just one short of his career high, while VanVleet contributed 34 points, his season-best. The Rockets made a remarkable 27 3-pointers, with VanVleet hitting 10 of them to tie a franchise record. Jeff Green also had a strong game off the bench with 21 points.
On the other side, John Collins led the Jazz with 25 points, and Collin Sexton added 20 points and eight assists. The Jazz, missing key players due to injuries, have struggled recently, losing 11 of their last 13 games and dropping 10 straight on the road.
Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija, and Richaun Holmes all achieved double-doubles, helping the Washington Wizards secure a 112-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Washington, D.C. Poole scored 18 points, Holmes contributed 15 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, while Marvin Bagley III added 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Despite a strong performance from Trent, who scored 31 points for Toronto, the Raptors suffered their 10th consecutive loss. Toronto was missing key players such as Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl, who are among the team’s primary starters.
Reggie Jackson scored 23 points and Aaron Gordon had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots to help the undermanned Denver Nuggets secure a 114-111 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. The Nuggets were missing key players Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray due to injuries. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13 points and Porter Jr. added 12 points and nine rebounds for Denver, who are currently slightly behind the Thunder in the race for the top spot in the Western Conference. Portland saw Duop Reath score 24 points, Scoot Henderson contribute 22 points, and Toumani Camara record 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in their sixth consecutive loss and 10th defeat in the last 12 games.
