Devin Booker, Suns put hurt on Knicks
Devin Booker came back from a one-game absence to score 27 points on Saturday night for the visiting Phoenix Suns, who mounted the final surge in a back-and-forth contest to defeat the reeling New York Knicks 106-99.
Booker, who sat out Thursday's 108-105 loss to the Detroit Pistons with a sprained left ankle, was just 7 of 18 from the field but went 12 of 14 from the foul line. The Suns, who snapped a two-game losing streak, haven't lost more than two straight games since a four-game skid from Oct. 24-29.
Grayson Allen scored 16 points off the bench while Mark Williams had 14 points and nine rebounds. Reserve Jordan Goodwin finished with 13 points while Collin Gillespie collected 11 points, including the 3-pointer that put the Suns ahead for good with 8:11 left.
Royce O'Neale added 10 points.
Karl-Anthony Towns (23 points, 11 rebounds) posted a double-double while Miles McBride also had 23 points for the undermanned Knicks, who have lost eight of 10. Leading scorer Jalen Brunson missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle while Josh Hart sat out with a sore right ankle.
OG Anunoby finished with 21 points and eight rebounds while Mikal Bridges scored 15 points.
The Knicks led 27-19 at the end of the first quarter before the teams began trading runs.
After Anunoby sank a pair of free throws to open the second, Goodwin scored eight points in a 17-2 run that gave the Suns a 36-31 lead with 8:27 left. McBride then had eight points as the Knicks answered with an 18-6 surge before Phoenix went on a 23-10 run spanning the second and third to go up 65-59 with 8:29 remaining in the third.
Following a Knicks timeout, McBride scored nine points to spark a 16-0 run as the hosts took their second 10-point lead of the night. After Oso Ighodaro and Anunoby traded baskets, the Suns scored 13 straight points and went ahead 80-77 when Booker converted an old-fashioned three-point play in the final second of the third period.
The Knicks tied the score at 87-87 on McBride's layup with 8:25 left, before Gillespie's 3-pointer started the decisive 11-2 run. Phoenix led by at least five for the final 7:02.