Dillon Brooks’ 40 points helps Suns topple East-leading Pistons
Dillon Brooks scored a career-high 40 points and made four 3-pointers, Grayson Allen had 24 points, and the host Phoenix Suns stopped the Detroit Pistons 114-96 on Thursday.
On a night the Suns distributed "Dillon the Villain" t-shirts to fans, Brooks was 13 of 22 from the field and added eight rebounds and four assists. His previous career high was 37.
Collin Gillespie scored 16 points and Royce O'Neale had 10 for the Suns, who split the season series with the NBA East-leading Pistons while playing their third straight game without leading scorer Devin Booker.
Cade Cunnningham scored 26 points, Jaren Duren had 23 points and 13 rebounds while Tobias Harris had 13 points for the Pistons, who had won six of seven.
Gillespie made five 3-pointers and Allen added four as the Suns regained their outside touch, making 16 of 42 3-pointers. They were 12 of 55 from distance in the last two games (21.8%).
The Suns led 105-89 on Brooks' driving layup with 5:43 left, and O'Neale's 3-pointer made it 111-93 two minutes later.
Gillespie's 3-pointer gave the Suns their largest lead, 114-93 in the final three minutes.
The Suns had a 47-37 rebounding edge and had 24 second-chance points.
The Suns found their shot early. Allen had 12 points and three 3-pointers in the first quarter, when the Suns went 6 of 13 from distance to take a 35-31 lead. They made only five threes in a 106-102 victory over Brooklyn on Tuesday.
The Suns opened a 48-33 lead early in the second quarter and pushed it to 70-51 as Brooks scored nine straight Phoenix points. Brooks had 15 in the second quarter for a 72-56 lead.
Duren's free throws brought the Pistons within 77-74 midway through the third quarter before Brooks scored the Suns' final eight points in the period for a 93-81 lead.
The Pistons overcame a 16-point deficit in their 108-105 victory in Detroit on Jan. 15.