PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker carried a massive offensive load for the Phoenix Suns in these playoffs, averaging over 35 points per game despite having defensemen covering all over the place most games.
Facing an almost must-have game on Friday night, he somehow made more.
Booker scored 47 points, Kevin Durant added 39 points, and the Phoenix Suns defeated the Denver Nuggets 121-114, cutting Denver’s lead to 2-1 in the Western Conference Semifinals.
“For all I know, that’s all I dreamed of as a kid,” Booker said. “I have devoted much of my life, and I was estranged from my family when I was young, to pursuing survival in these moments.”
Booker had another super efficient scoring night, shooting 20-of-25 from the field, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range. Durant shot 12 of 31 from the field, but made 14 of 16 free throws.
“They knew what we needed to do to win this game,” said Suns coach Monty Williams.
The Suns will even attempt the series in Game 4 on Sunday in Phoenix.
The Suns led 90-88 in the fourth quarter, and regained the lead after the Nuggets erased a 15-point halftime deficit. Phoenix scored the first nine points of the fourth—including the final two on Durant’s quick dunk—to push their advantage to 99–88.
They won’t track in the fourth quarter. Durant started 1-for-9 from the field but made 11 of his last 22.
“It’s frustrating not to take pictures, because that’s what I was paid to do,” Durant said. “But there is also a time when you have to figure it out and move on.”
Denver’s Nikola Jokic — who finished second in Tuesday’s MVP voting to Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid — finished with 30 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 32 points, while Michael Porter Jr. added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Murray said he was disappointed he didn’t contribute more in the long run.
“I had a great look at the end of the game and that was going to keep us there,” said Murray. “I feel like they pulled away because of it. I have to be more locked up, more relaxed along the stretch.”
Denver coach Michael Malone said his team did well at times, but the defense against Booker was “unacceptable.” Booker repeatedly got close to the rim for short jumps or short drills, contributing 20 of the 25 shooting nights.
“I wasn’t a math major, but that’s a really high percentage,” Mallon said. “We have to be a lot better.”
The Suns placed Cameron Payne in the starting lineup to replace 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, who suffered a strained left groin in the Game 2 loss and did not play on Friday. Payne—a playoff champion a few games back two seasons ago when Paul was out—scored seven points, including a big three-pointer early in the fourth.
Williams also shook up the bench rotation, giving Terrence Ross, Jock Landall and TJ Warren more minutes. Landale finished with six points and nine rebounds, while Warren hit two crucial sets in the final minutes to help the Suns maintain the lead.
Booker scored 27 first half points on 12-of-15 shooting to put the Suns ahead 67-52 by halftime. Durant added 21 points, including 11 on free throws.
Eaton seat
It was a tough night for the Suns’ starting center, DeAndre Ayton, who finished with just four points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes.
So ineffective was Ayton that Williams made the former No. 1 overall pick in favor of Landale, who was providing more energy and rebounding. Booker said his job is to help Ayton get through tough times.
“That’s life,” Booker said. “We’ve been around long enough to understand that not every night is going to be your night. He’s doing other things to make up for it. … The energy and effort should always be high, especially around this time. You can’t get overwhelmed, you can’t get in your own mind.” I could see that a little bit with him today, so my job is to pump him up.”
Tip-ins
Nuggets: Jokic scored 10 assists in the first half. … had a 51-41 rebounding advantage.
Suns: Durant made 16 of the team’s 18 free throws. He had them all until Booker hit two free throws in the dying seconds.
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