Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns shook off a slow start to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116-110 on Tuesday night, as both teams played the second night of a back-to-back.
Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin added 16 points apiece, while Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro chipped in 12 each as Phoenix won its third straight game and improved to 12 wins in its last 16 outings.
Jalen Green finished with 12 points in his return to the lineup after missing more than two months with a right hamstring injury. Playing in just his third game of the season and first since Nov. 8, Green came off the bench and scored seven points in nine first-half minutes before finishing 4 of 11 from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, in 20 minutes.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe led Philadelphia with 25 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 21, Tyrese Maxey had 20 and Andre Drummond pulled down 15 rebounds to go with eight points for the 76ers, who dropped their fourth game in six tries.
The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (right ankle injury management) and Paul George (left knee injury management).
Phoenix led 57-53 at halftime behind 13 points from Booker and 10 from Ighodaro, going a perfect 13 for 13 from the free-throw line in the first half. Philadelphia briefly seized momentum after the break, opening the third quarter on a 13-2 run to take a 66-59 lead.
The Suns quickly responded, tying the game at 68 before closing the quarter on a surge to build a 97-84 advantage. Phoenix stretched the lead to 103-86 early in the fourth quarter after a technical foul on 76ers coach Nick Nurse, and the Suns maintained control the rest of the way despite a late push from Philadelphia.
Up next:
*Suns: Continue their road trip at Atlanta on Friday.
76ers: Host Houston on Thursday in the fifth game of a six-game homestand.*
