Booker nets 33, hits winning jumper to lift Suns over Kings
Feb 3, 2017, 11:58 PM | Updated: Feb 4, 2017, 12:01 am
Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore, back left, ties to fight through a screen as he guards Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Devin Booker scored 33 points and hit the game-winning jumper at the buzzer, giving the Phoenix Suns a 105-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Booker banked in a 20-foot fadeaway over Matt Barnes to snap Phoenix’s five-game losing streak. The Suns had dropped their previous four meetings with Sacramento.
DeMarcus Cousins had a triple-double with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for the Kings. Darren Collison scored 19 points, and Ty Lawson and Ben McLemore added 18 apiece. Sacramento has lost three straight games and is 8-14 at home.
It was Cousins’ sixth career triple-double and second this season.
TJ Warren had 21 points and Eric Bledsoe scored 20 for the Suns. Brandon Knight added 12.
Booker, who had 15 points in the third quarter, has scored 20 or more in 15 straight games.
P.J. Tucker made a 3-pointer to give Phoenix a 103-101 lead. Following a timeout, Collison tied the game on a short baseline jumper with 8.2 seconds remaining.
Sacramento, which went a dismal 1-6 on its last homestand, played the first of six straight games at home. The Kings play 11 of their next 13 at Golden 1 Center.
A starter earlier in the season, McLemore had 16 first-half points. In the previous 15 games, he played just 37 minutes and scored six points.
TIP-INS
Suns: Prior to taking a lead in the opening minutes, Phoenix hadn’t led for the previous 119 minutes. … Playing his first NBA game in his hometown, rookie Marquese Chriss had four fouls in his first 10 minutes while guarding Cousins and finished with two points.
Kings: Sacramento was without Garrett Temple (partial hamstring tear), Arron Afflalo (stomach virus) and Omri Casspi (calf strain). Second-leading scorer Rudy Gay is out for the season with a ruptured Achilles. … Cousins reached the triple-double late in the third quarter with a full-court pass that found Barnes for a fast-break layup.
UP NEXT
Suns: Return home Saturday to host Milwaukee.
Kings: No rest for Sacramento, with Golden State coming to town Saturday.
