Chasing the play-in: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant pace Phoenix Suns as they target Mavericks

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker led the Phoenix Suns with 22 points each in a 122-106 home win against the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

The victory snapped Phoenix’s two-game skid and handed Sacramento its fourth straight loss.

Other top contributors for the Suns included Tyus Jones’ 20 points off the bench, Ryan Dunn’s 16 points and career-high four steals in his return to the starting lineup and Bradley Beal’s 15 points. The Suns’ reserves gave them a major boost, outscoring the Kings’ bench, 45-18. The Suns also hit 24-for-43 (55.8%) from deep, and dished 33 assists on 41 made shots overall.

All five Kings starters scored in double figures, led by DeMar DeRozan’s 23 and Zach LaVine’s 21.

The Suns mostly controlled the game from the tip-off. They were up by as much as 19 in the first quarter, but had a lull in the second when the Kings trimmed the lead to two with a 16-4 run. Then the Suns got back up by as much as 18 in the third and 22 in the fourth.

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The Western Conference’s 11th-place Suns are now 1.5 games behind the No. 10 Mavericks (33-35) for the play-in tournament’s final spot with 15 games left.

Phoenix plays next at the Los Angeles Lakers (40-25) on Sunday at 12:30 p.m., the final game of their four-game Pacific Division season series.

Suns stay in front, Plumlee ejected in 3rd quarter

Devin Booker (19 points, 50% shooting) and Bradley Beal (15 points, 5-of-9 FG) put up nine points each in the third quarter to drive Phoenix’s 97-82 advantage entering the final period.

Sacramento’s DeMar DeRozan (team-high 19 points) hit a triple at the buzzer to end the third.

Mason Plumlee was ejected after he received a Flagrant 2 foul for a non-basketball elbow to Domantas Sabonis’ throat with 5:47 left in the third. The Suns were up by seven at the time. Plumlee finished on two points, five rebounds, one steal, one assist.

That’s Plumlee’s second consecutive ejection. He was tossed for his role in a scuffle during the second quarter of the Suns’ 111-104 loss Wednesday in Houston.

Because Plumlee replaced the injured Nick Richards as the Suns’ starting center, their center rotation is now down to rookie Oso Ighodaro. He’s made solid contributions with nine points and five rebounds in 20 minutes.

Suns struggle, Kings rise in 2nd quarter

Malik Monk scored all 12 of his points in the second quarter to lead Sacramento back into the game. The Kings, led by Keegan Murray’s 14 points, trail 62-57 at the break.

Phoenix’s Tyus Jones shot a perfect 4-of-4 for 12 points off the bench. Kevin Durant scored 14 points, Devin Booker 10 and Bradley Beal has six.

The Suns held a double-digit lead through most of the second quarter until their defense allowed a 16-4 run that cut the Phoenix lead to two at 2:30.

Monk scored eight of his 12 points during that surge.

Durant, Suns get huge lift from bench in 1st quarter

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored nine and seven points, respectively, as Phoenix ended the opening period with a 36-22 lead.

The Suns’ reserves came in and drove a 20-2 run to take a 19-point lead. The Phoenix bench outscored the Kings’ bench 15-4, led by Tyus Jones’ six (two 3s) and rookie backup big Oso Ighodaro’s four points from two dunks. That includes one two-handed bang over Domantas Sabonis (four points).

Keegan Murray leads the Kings with seven points.

Starting lineups

The Suns are starting their Big 3 of Durant, Booker and Beal alongside rookie swingman Ryan Dunn and center Mason Plumlee.

The Kings are opening with LaVine and Malik Monk in the backcourt, forwards DeRozan and Keegan Murray, and Sabonis.

Suns’ Allen, Richards out, Kings’ Sabonis returns

Phoenix’s Grayson Allen (left foot) and Nick Richards (right ankle) have been downgraded from doubtful to out. Monte Morris (low back) has been ruled out. Cody Martin (sports hernia) has been upgraded from questionable to available for his Suns debut. Martin was dealt to Phoenix with Vasa Micić from Charlotte for Jusuf Nurkic at the trade deadline in February.

Sacramento’s Sabonis (hamstring) has been upgraded from questionable to available after he missed the past six games. Former Suns starter Jae Crowder and big Trey Lyles are both out due to low back injuries.

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