Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 27 points, helping the Phoenix Suns bounce back from a heavy loss to the Denver Nuggets earlier in the week, securing a 110-100 victory on Wednesday night.
Tyus Jones contributed 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and Monte Morris added 11 points off the bench for the Suns, who ended a three-game losing streak. Jusuf Nurkic grabbed 13 rebounds, scored eight points, and dished out six assists, while Durant also had six assists and Beal recorded four steals in the Christmas night game.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points as Denver suffered only its second loss in the past seven games.
Russell Westbrook came off the bench for 17 points and six rebounds, and Jamal Murray had 13 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Murray had missed the previous game due to an ankle injury when the Nuggets dominated the Suns 117-90.
Phoenix was still without star Devin Booker (groin) for the third straight game on Wednesday, and Grayson Allen (concussion protocol) missed his second consecutive game.
The Suns shot 46.6 percent from the field, including 11 of 36 (30.6 percent) from beyond the arc. The Nuggets shot 46.2 percent and made 8 of 29 (27.6 percent) from three. Aaron Gordon (calf) left early in the third quarter and did not return.
Phoenix built a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight points. Beal scored two baskets during the run, and Royce O’Neale hit a three-pointer to give the Suns a 101-87 lead with 6:48 left.
Durant later hit a jumper to extend the lead to 105-90 with 4:34 remaining.
Porter scored four consecutive points, cutting the Suns’ lead to 107-96 with 2:01 left, but Jones responded with a 3-pointer just 21 seconds later, and the Suns held on for the win.
Durant and Beal each had 14 points in the first half, giving Phoenix a 58-56 lead at halftime. Jokic recorded 17 points and eight rebounds in the first half for Denver.
The game was tied at 75 after Westbrook’s basket with 4:10 left in the third quarter. The Suns then ended the quarter with a 10-3 run, leading 85-78, and Mason Plumlee’s three-point play to start the fourth made it a 10-point margin.
