Devin Booker on Wednesday produced another high-scoring gem to help the Phoenix Suns notch a seventh-straight victory, while the Milwaukee Bucks shrugged off the sacking of coach Adrian Griffin to end the Cleveland Cavalier’s unbeaten streak.
Booker, who scored 52 points in a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday last week, finished with 46 points in the Suns’ 132-109 rout of the Mavericks in Texas.
The point guard made six-of-10 three-pointers, and finished with seven rebounds and three assists.
Photo: AFP
Booker was backed by 20 points from Bradley Beal, while Grayson Allen had 15 and Kevin Durant 12.
Luka Doncic led the Mavs’ scoring with 34 points, including four three-pointers, but they were left ruing a second-half collapse after leading by as much as 16 in the second quarter.
The game pivoted on a devastating Phoenix performance in the third quarter, with the Suns outscoring their hosts 43-20, Booker contributing 22 of those points.
“The team started playing for me,” Booker said of his third-quarter display. “Passes were on-time and on-target; I just finished the job by making the shots.”
The win left Phoenix at 26-18, occupying fifth place in the Western Conference.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the Bucks showed no sign of the turmoil gripping the franchise as they blew past the red-hot Cavaliers 126-116.
Milwaukee shocked the rest of the NBA on Tuesday after abruptly firing head coach Griffin mid-season, despite the team having one of the best records in the league.
Griffin is to be replaced by former Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers.
The Bucks were second in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the Boston Celtics.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, it was:
‧ Heat 96, Grizzlies 105
‧ Pistons 113, Hornets 106
‧ Spurs 114, Thunder 140
‧ Rockets 131, Trail Blazers 137
‧ Warriors 134, Hawks 112
‧ Wizards 107, T’wolves 118
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