Grayson Allen put up 32 points and equaled his personal best with nine 3-pointers, guiding the Phoenix Suns to a 115-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday evening.
Allen connected on 10 of 17 field goal attempts, including 9 of 15 from beyond the arc. His proficiency from long range has been remarkable this season, with seven games where he’s made at least eight 3-pointers, trailing only Golden State’s Stephen Curry in the NBA.
“A lot of them were passes from (Devin) Booker and his pick and rolls tonight, early kick aheads, head up in transition,” Allen remarked. “I told him thank you when we were sitting on the bench after the game. I got a lot of good looks. Missed a few early, but the ball kept finding me and I just continued to let it fly.”
Kevin Durant contributed 22 points for the Suns, with Booker chipping in 18 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists, narrowly missing out on his first regular-season triple-double.
Despite committing 23 turnovers, the Suns managed to secure the win, much to Durant’s satisfaction. “It’s about getting wins, man. We just want to win games,” Durant emphasized. “I know it’s about how you sometimes win, but at this point of the season, we just need to add wins.”
Although the Sixers reduced the deficit to 102-91 with 5:15 remaining, Durant and Allen responded with crucial 3-pointers to halt their comeback attempt.
Allen’s back-to-back 3-pointers, along with a Durant basket, stretched the Suns’ lead to 81-64 in the third quarter. Phoenix then closed out the quarter with a 17-2 surge, entering the fourth with a commanding 90-66 advantage.
Philadelphia, led by Kelly Oubre Jr. with 18 points, struggled from the free-throw line, converting only 7 of 18 attempts (38%). The Sixers have experienced a rough patch, registering a 9-18 record since Jan. 25, coinciding with Joel Embiid’s absence due to left knee surgery.
Meanwhile, Durant ascended to eighth place on the NBA’s career scoring list, surpassing Shaquille O’Neal with 28,610 points. Wilt Chamberlain, with 31,419 points, is the next milestone for Durant.
Despite a slow start, the Suns quickly rebounded, embarking on a 23-6 run in the second quarter to establish a 60-47 halftime lead, despite committing 13 turnovers.
Before halftime, the Suns shot 10 of 20 (50%) from beyond the arc and dominated the boards with a 34-18 rebounding edge. Allen led the charge with 13 points, converting 4 of 7 3-point attempts. “He’s always a threat to do what he did tonight,” Suns coach Frank Vogel acknowledged.
