LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – Devin Booker scored 35 points, and the Phoenix Suns rolled past the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder 128-101 on Monday to stay perfect and improve to 6-0 in the restart and improve their playoff chances.
The Suns have gone into Western Conference stands. They went just 1 1/2 games behind Memphis in eighth place that day and a game behind Portland in ninth place in the race to qualify for a spot in the play-in series.
Don’t know how, but he HAPPENED IT!@ConnsHomePlus #MakeItHappen Game of the game pic.twitter.com/PmHCZ6No1n
– 6-0 (@Suns) August 10, 2020
“We did nothing,” said Phoenix coach Monty Williams. ‘That may sound like coach talk, but we’re digging ourselves a hole with our record. We kicked it all year and won some games, but it has been a heated battle. ”
Williams appreciates the position the Suns are in.
“We have done a good job of getting to this point,” he said. “No one knew we would be here, but we are here and we are grateful for that.”
Phoenix center Deandre Ayton sat out the first quarter because he missed his coronavirus test on Sunday. He tested negative Monday and was removed. He started the second quarter.
“In an NBA season, boys will make mistakes,” Williams said. ‘You need to be able to give people grace. It was not meant to be. Fortunately, he was tested early on so he could come back and play, and the boys welcomed him with open arms, because we all understand that we are human. “
With Ayton out, Oklahoma City led 37-23 at the end of the first quarter. After Ayton entered the game, Phoenix dominated the rest of the way. He finished with 10 points and six rebounds in just over 17 minutes.
Oklahoma City was without four of its top five scorers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (bruised right calf), Danilo Gallinari (maintenance of left ankle), Dennis Schroder (born of children) and Steven Adams (bruised left leg) sat out. Reserve center Nerlens Noel (scattered right ankle) also did not play.
Rookie Darius Bazley had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder.
The Suns went down 15 points in the second quarter to take a 65-64 lead. Phoenix opened the second half on an 11-2 run and check the game from.
“I thought her pressure bothered us,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. ‘I thought we were getting a little stagnant. We made some pretty decent plays. We could get some open looks, but I thought they got their defensive intensity in the second quarter and that probably got us out of some rhythm. ”
