Kevin Durant put up the game-high 36 points and Devin Booker scored 35 to lead the Phoenix Suns over the Detroit Pistons, 125-121, on Saturday.
Backup center Nick Richards, who was acquired earlier this week in a trade with Charlotte, had a stellar Phoenix debut; scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in 29 minutes. Richards was 7 of 8 from the field and added one steal, one assist and was a tremendous plus-22 off the bench.
This was the second consecutive win for Phoenix (21-20), which split the home and away season series with the Pistons (21-21). Booker had his fifth straight game with 30-plus in front of his home-state Michigan’s crowd.
Tobias Harris led Detroit with 21 points, while Cade Cunningham added 20 and and Jalen Duren 15.
The game was tight throughout with 22 lead changes and 12 ties until the Suns pulled away in the final four minutes.
The Suns play next at the Cleveland Cavaliers, which tops the NBA with a 34-6 record. That game is Monday at 1:30 p.m. and the fourth of Phoenix’s five-game road trip.
Durant catches fire, drives Suns in 3rd quarter
Kevin Durant found his rhythm after a slow start in the first half and put the Suns back in front 98-95 entering the fourth quarter.
Durant scored 21 of his 27 points (6-of-17 FG, 1-for-6 from 3) in the third, which matched Booker’s game-high 27 points (8-of-14). Nick Richards continued to make major contributions as the Suns’ new backup big as he put up six of his 17 points in the third, added three to his eight boards and is a highly efficient plus-18.
The Suns and Pistons traded the lead six times in the quarter. The Pistons were ahead past the third quarter’s midpoint, and the widest margin was seven after a step-back jumper by the Pistons’ Marcus Sasser (seven points) at just after the five-minute mark. The Suns tied the score, 89-89, almost three minutes later, and Durant hit his first triple to put them ahead 95-93 at 43 seconds left in the third. Then Cunningham (18 points) tied the game for a third time in the third on a banked in running jump shot at 28 seconds left.
Durant scored with his own drive and layup for the quarter’s final field goal, drawing a foul. He made the extra free throw with four seconds left.
Suns’ new big Nick Richards thrives in 2nd quarter
Devin Booker scored 10 of his game-high 23 points (7-of-11 FG) to help Phoenix regain the lead at halftime, 61-60.
Nick Richards has made an immediate impact off the bench for the Suns with inside play in his debut. He scored 10 of his 11 points in the second quarter. He’s shot a perfect 4-of-4, including two dunks, five rebounds and one assist.
Kevin Durant has struggled on just 1-of-9 shooting for just six points for the Suns.
The Pistons began the second quarter on a 13-5 run to take their largest advantage seven at the nine-minute mark. The Suns answered that on a 22-10 surge thereafter and got in front by their largest lead seven at two minutes left.
The Pistons’ top performers have been Tobias Harris and Cade Cunningham with 15 and 12 points each.
Booker, Dunn lead Suns in tight 1st quarter
Devin Booker and Ryan Dunn had hot starts to lead Phoenix after a tight first quarter over Detroit, 30-29.
Booker put up the game-high 13 points (4-of-8) and Ryan Dunn has 10 points on 4-of-5, picking up from his hot streak from his 8-of-12 and career-high 18 in the Suns’ win at Washington on Thursday.
The Piston’s Tobias Harris matched Booker’s 13.
There were eight lead changes and five ties in the opening period. The Suns’ largest lead was four, the Pistons three.
Starting lineups
The Suns are starting Tyus Jones, Booker, Ryan Dunn at the three, Durant and Mason Plumlee.
The Pistons are opening with Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., swingman Ausar Thompson, veteran four-man Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren in the middle.
Suns still without Beal, Nurkic
Phoenix’s former starters Bradley Beal (left ankle sprain) and Jusuf Nurkic (illness) are sidelined for Saturday’s game. Detroit will not have Jaden Ivey (broken fibula).
