Devin Booker scored 24 points on Saturday night at Mortgage Matchup Center, hitting seven straight points in the final minutes to help the Phoenix Suns outlast the Houston Rockets 102-99.
Booker broke a 95-all tie with a basket just under four minutes remaining in regulation, followed by a 3-pointer that extended the Phoenix lead to 100-95. Another basket with 2:30 left on the clock pushed the advantage to seven points, keeping the Rockets out of reach as the clock wound down.
Former Sun Kevin Durant missed a 3-point attempt in the final seconds and Phoenix ran out the clock to secure consecutive wins. The victory also snapped an eight-game losing streak against Houston.
The contest featured 17 lead changes and 12 ties before the Suns pulled away late. Phoenix shot 48% from the field overall, converting 12 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc in front of a crowd of 17,071.
The Suns shot 76% in the first quarter by making 16 of 21 shots to build a 35-23 lead. Phoenix orchestrated an 11-0 run during that opening frame and led by as many as 19 points in the second quarter.
Devin. Armani. Booker. Book's 4Q takeover has scored our last 9 points 📚 pic.twitter.com/l3b6FYYJIw
Houston erased that deficit before halftime by closing the second quarter on a 22-3 run. Phoenix struggled mightily during that stretch, hitting just 4 of 19 shots from the field. Fred VanVleet’s jumper tied the score at 47 right before the break, capping a 10-point period for him in the quarter and sending both teams into halftime even.
Durant led the Rockets with 21 points and 10 rebounds, recording a double-double. Amen Thompson added 17 points, VanVleet finished with 16, and Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun contributed 15 points apiece.
On the Phoenix side, Jalen Green tallied 16 points and 6 assists. Miles Bridges notched 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Dillon Brooks chipped in 11 points. Khaman Maluach provided an important spark off the bench with 11 points before halftime.
The milestone night held historical significance for Booker, who appeared in his 745th career game and passed Steve Nash for third place in franchise history for appearances.
The Suns moved to 3-5 overall, sitting third in the Pacific Division with a 3-2 home record and a 0-3 away mark. The Rockets dropped to 7-3, holding third place in the Western Conference with a 4-1 home record and a 3-2 road record.
Both teams return to the floor on Monday, Nov. 9. The Rockets will host the Denver Nuggets at 8:30 p.m. ET, while the Suns return home to host the San Antonio Spurs at 9:00 p.m. ET.
