Suns Strokes: Devin Booker scores 37 to help Suns snap 13-game losing streak

PHOENIX — History avoided.

By Russell Westbrook, and more importantly, the Phoenix Suns.

Devin Booker made sure of it.

“This is my house!” he yelled at the crowd late in the game.

Booker scored 37 points, helping the Suns 1) end a 13-game losing streak and eight-game home skid, both franchise-high tying single-season marks, and 2) keep Westbrook from passing Oscar Robertson for the most triple-doubles in a single season in NBA history.

Westbrook fell two assists shy.

The Suns beat Oklahoma City, 120-99, in front of a sold out crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Friday.

Booker shot 13-of-29 with 21 of his points coming in the fourth quarter.

Five other Suns players reached double figures in scoring, including T.J. Warren, who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 16 rebounds; the latter mark a career-high.

Westbrook, meanwhile, finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists plus eight turnovers in 36 minutes. He remains one triple-double shy of history; though he did ensure he will finish with a triple-double average, joining Robertson as the only players to accomplish such a feat.

The Suns (23-57) led by as many as 28 points.

They’ve now beaten Oklahoma City (45-34) in consecutive games for the first time since 2014.

THE GOOD

Well, this is different: A good Suns start. For the first time in four games, the Suns possessed the lead after the first quarter, 32-19. Warren was the story, scoring a game-high 11 on 5-of-7 shooting, including one 3-pointer. He had four points during a 13-0 run in which the Suns went up 14-2 at the 7:12 mark. Warren’s 11 points were three more than he scored in 25 minutes against Golden State on Wednesday, which ended a career-long streak of scoring 10-plus points at 19 straight games.

After shooting 56 percent in the first quarter, the Suns bettered themselves with a 68.4 shooting performance in the second quarter. They made 13-of-19 attempts with Alan Williams scoring a game-high nine points. He went 5-of-6 from the foul line. The Suns led by as many as 28 points, 71-43, before going into the locker room with a 71-48 advantage. The 71 first-half points (on 61.4 percent shooting) were a season-high, besting the 68 they scored against the Lakers on Feb. 15.

With the Thunder mounting a comeback—they trimmed a 28-point deficit to 12 after a Taj Gibson layup at the 3:39 mark of the third quarter—the Suns responded with a 13-2 close to the period and took a 95-72 lead into the fourth quarter. Derrick Jones Jr. scored four points, Jared Dudley three, while Booker, Warren and Alex Len each added two. Warren continued his assault on the Thunder defense with a team-best six-point quarter. He had a team-best six rebounds as well, all coming on the defensive end.

Entering the fourth quarter with 16 points, Booker exploded for 21, making 7-of-11 field goal attempts, including a trio of 3s plus going a perfect 4-of-4 from the foul line. In fact, he scored the Suns first 21 points, tying his own team record for most consecutive points scored in a single game. The Suns had 25 total points in the period. Going back to Booker, it was his sixth 20-plus point quarter of the season, moving past Westbrook and Stephen Curry (five each) for most in the NBA this season.

THE BAD (renamed “THE TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH,” for one game only)

First quarter: It was not a good start for Westbrook, who had four turnovers before his first assist. In fact, he finished the period with five, and he didn’t score his first–and only—point until the 2:28 mark when he knocked down a free throw after the Suns were called for defensive three seconds. Westbrook’s line: 1 point (0-of-6 ), 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 turnovers in 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Westbrook just could not find his shooting touch, as he missed five more field goal attempts before his first make, a 17-foot pull-up jumper, at the 50.4 mark. He’d hit another basket on the Thunder’s next possession, so at halftime, he was 2-of-13 from the field (0-of-4 from deep) with a pair of free throws for six points plus seven rebounds, three assists and six turnovers.

Third quarter: Let the record show it was at the 10:36 mark in which Westbrook officially joined Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double in NBA history. Westbrook clinched the milestone with an assist to Victor Oladipo on a fastbreak layup. It was Westbrook’s third assist in three Thunder possessions to begin the period, giving him six overall, securing his place in history.

Fourth quarter: Already with a double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds), Westbrook needed four assists for his record-breaking 42nd triple-double of the season. He missed it by two, much the disappointment of the 18,055 in attendance, many of whom headed for the exits when Westbrook exited at the 2:34 mark with the Thunder trailing by 20, 115-95.

STAT OF THE GAME

36.6: The Suns held the Thunder to 36.6 percent shooting from the field, their best defensive effort since holding Dallas to 37.8 percent on March 11, which also happened to be the last time the Suns won before Friday

HE SAID IT

“It kind of gave us motivation, especially Devin, ” head coach Earl Watson said, referring to the crowd cheering for Oklahoma City. “He’s at his best on the road when people are booing and going for the other team, so to be at home—one day that will change for us but it gave us motivation going down the stretch.”

NOTED

Suns improved to 10-1 when holding opponents under 40-percent shooting.

Warren recorded his fifth double-double of the season and sixth of his career.

Marquese Chriss’ 73rd start is the third-most in a season by a Suns rookie.

Leandro Barbosa (right hamstring spasm) missed a seventh straight game.

Eric Bledsoe sat out his 13th straight game and 14th overall on the season.

Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight did not play for the 23rd straight game.

UP NEXT

The Suns wrap up their 2016-17 home schedule with Dirk Nowitzki and Harrison Barnes of the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, March 9.

Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes earlier on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

This is the fourth and final meeting this season with the Suns having won twice in Dallas and the Mavericks victorious in Mexico City on Jan. 12.

In the most recent matchup, Booker hit his second game-winning buzzer-beater (and the Suns fourth), knocking down a 19-foot turnaround fadeaway for a 100-98 win at American Airlines Center on March 11. Booker had a game-high 36 points, including scoring the Suns’ final eight points.

The Suns became the first NBA team in at least 20 years to have four game-winners that leave no time remaining in a regular season, and Booker became the first player in the league with multiple such efforts this season.

Overall, the Suns own a 79-71 advantage in the series, but they have dropped nine of the last 17 meetings at home.

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