Kevin Durant scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, including a key basket with 24 seconds left, to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 118-116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
Durant shot 14-of-20 from the field and also had six assists as the Suns extended their winning streak to five games. His performance helped Phoenix close the game with a 14-3 run.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 32 points, including six 3-pointers, but Philadelphia has now lost five of its first six games this season.
Paul George, making his debut for the 76ers after joining the team in the offseason, scored 15 points on 4-of-14 shooting. He missed a potential game-tying shot with 3.4 seconds left, and Maxey’s last-second 3-pointer also missed, sealing the win for Phoenix.
George had missed Philadelphia’s first five games due to a knee injury. He joined the 76ers from the Los Angeles Clippers to play alongside former NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who has not yet played this season due to a knee issue.
Bradley Beal finished with 17 points for the Suns, while Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Royce O’Neale also contributed 15 points.
Devin Booker had 13 points but struggled, shooting 3-of-18 from the field and missing all six of his 3-point attempts. Grayson Allen added 14 points. Phoenix shot 51.2% overall and made 11 out of 32 3-pointers.
For the 76ers, Guerschon Yabusele had a career-high 19 points. Kyle Lowry added 13 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 11, and Eric Gordon finished with 10. Philadelphia shot 46% from the field and was 20-of-51 from beyond the arc.
Durant gave the Suns a 116-115 lead with a 15-foot jump shot with one minute left. Maxey then made one of two free throws to tie the game. Durant later hit a 3-pointer to bring the Suns even with the 76ers at 104 with 6:46 remaining.
Maxey responded with a 3-pointer of his own, and Yabusele knocked down two more 3-pointers in quick succession, putting Philadelphia ahead 113-104 with just over five minutes left. Yabusele also dunked with 3:39 left, giving the 76ers a 115-108 lead, but Phoenix then scored the next eight points to close out the game.
At halftime, Phoenix held a slim 65-63 lead. Durant led the Suns at the break with 15 points, while Lowry had 13 for the 76ers.
