PHOENIX – After dropping their first two games on the road in Denver, the Phoenix Suns are back in the series.
The Suns defeated the Nuggets 121-114 Friday night to cut their series deficit to 2-1 in a best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinal game.
Devin Booker blazed through most of the game and lifted the Suns to a much-needed victory. Booker scored a game-high 47 points. He was in the area every four quarters.
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray had 32 points, six rebounds and five assists in the loss. Nikola Jokic scored 30 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists.
Here are the points learned from Game 3:
Hot shooting Devin Booker goes by the name Suns
This was a poker show in downtown Phoenix.
Booker was on fire the entire match. He had 27 points in the first half and went 12-for-15 from the floor. Booker found his spots and was middle-class money. The Nuggets defense can’t contain the sniper at all.
The second half was a continuation of the first, and he finished the match 20 to 25 from the field.
The Suns crowd cheered MVP as Booker hit his final free throws. His 47 points equaled a career high in the playoffs.
Kevin Durant Overcomes Slow Start, Joins Poker Program
Durant started the game rough for 7, but got in slowly by getting to the free throw line. Durant had 16 free throw attempts.
Durant scored 39 points in the win.
Booker and Durant collected 86 of Phoenix’s 121 points.
The role of the Suns players score important minutes without Chris Paul
Suns coach Monty Williams went on to bench the Suns Playing without point guard Chris Paul (Left thigh strain). Guard Cameron Payne replaced Paul in the starting lineup. Williams also used backup TJ Warren and Terrence Ross off the bench to give Phoenix a spark.
Payne had seven points. Warren and Ross combined 12 points.
Nuggets swarm in the second half
The Nuggets recovered in the third quarter and came back from their 15-point drive to take a one-point lead. Denver outscored Phoenix 36-23 in the third quarter. Nuggets hit 57% from the floor.
The Sun clung to a 90-88 advantage entering the fourth.
Denver stayed within striking distance in the fourth quarter, but never got over the hump.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray finished with 62 points. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 21.
An ineffective Deandre Ayton ranked fourth
Big Sun Man’s performance was forgotten. He missed some easy shots around the basket and didn’t play with any authority. The Suns crowd even booed the center at times. He was eventually substituted in the fourth quarter in favor of Jock Landal.
Ayton finished with four points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes.
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This article originally appeared in the USA TODAY: The Suns get epic efforts from Devin Booker and Kevin Durant in Game 3