Booker, Brooks power Suns past Pacers for 5th straight win

PHOENIX, November 15 ------ Devin Booker scored 33 points, Dillon Brooks added 32 and the Phoenix Suns won their fifth straight game by beating the Indiana Pacers, 133-98.

The Suns led by 20 early in the third quarter, but the Pacers cut it to 83-73 a few minutes later. Phoenix responded with a 16-0 run — highlighted by 10 straight points from Booker — to take a 106-84 lead into the fourth. Booker shot 12 of 22 from the field and added seven assists and five rebounds. Brooks made 12 of 18. The Suns were shooting well above 60% from the field deep into the fourth quarter. Oso Ighodaro had 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks off the bench.

The Pacers were last season's Eastern Conference champions but have been ravaged by injuries. They've lost six in a row and fell to 1-11 for the season. Andrew Nembhard had 21 points while Pascal Siakam added 19. Indiana gave up 133 points two nights after surrendering 152 in a loss to Utah — the most given up in the NBA this season.

The Suns stretched their lead to 70-52 by halftime. Brooks scored 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting before the break. Nembhard led the Pacers with 16 points. Both teams dealt with injuries during the game. Suns guard Grayson Allen left the game in the second quarter with a right quadriceps injury. He had 12 points before the injury and scored a career-high 42 points in a win over the Pelicans on Monday.

Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith was hurt in the third quarter after slipping and falling awkwardly to the floor. The team said it was left knee soreness.

Meanwhile in Sacramento, Jalen Johnson had 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Atlanta Hawks routed the slumping Kings, 133-100. Johnson scored 18 in the first half and shot 9 of 10 from the field overall for his fourth double-double this season and the 44th of his career. He made all four of his free throws, too. Onyeka Okongwu added 21 points off the bench, Zaccharie Risacher had 15 and the Hawks won their third straight despite playing without Trae Young. The four-time All-Star guard has missed seven games due to a knee sprain and could be sidelined two more months.

Atlanta (7-5) led by 44 and never trailed, getting balanced scoring with seven players in double figures. Keon Ellis had 20 points with six 3-pointers for Sacramento (3-9). Domantas Sabonis provided 12 points and Devin Carter added 11. Russell Westbrook and Precious Achiuwa each scored 10. Earlier in Cleveland, Scottie Barnes had 28 points in a near triple-double, Immanuel Quickley added 25 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Cavaliers, 126-113. Barnes finished with 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocked shots. The Raptors shot 56% from the floor and made 12 3-pointers to win for the sixth time in seven games.

Quickley shot 5 of 7 from 3-point range and had six assists. Jakob Poeltl added 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting and had seven rebounds.

Donovan Mitchell had 31 points after getting a night off Wednesday in Miami. Nae’Qwan Tomlin added 18 for Cleveland. The Raptors were coming off a 119-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday and took advantage of the Cavaliers playing a back-to-back. Cleveland beat Miami 130-116 Wednesday night and was without All-Star Darius Garland (toe) and Lonzo Ball (rest).

Source: mb.com.ph