Phoenix, Dec 24 (US): Cam Johnson played some of the best basketball of his three-year career when fellow All Star Devin Booker missed out with a hamstring injury.
Now Booker is back, Johnson is still pouring in points, and the Suns has made the NBA groundbreaking even more dangerous.
It’s just a fun team to play for,” Johnson said. “You see the players go out and play hard and when we win matches we are just excited to play basketball. It’s like we were when we were kids. That’s the beauty of it.”
Booker scored 30 points, Johnson added 21, while making five three-pointers in a 7 to 7 shot, and Phoenix won its fifth game in a row by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-101 on Thursday evening. AP reports.
Booker nominated the house by a 3-pointer lead in the third quarter to give the Suns a 82-69 lead after falling by three in the first half.
Booker – a two-time All-Star who was in his third game since missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury – gave Phoenix some momentum midway through the third quarter when he grabbed an offensive rebound and led the baseline for dipping. Luguentz Dort was there to meet him at the edge but he missed Booker as the ball veered through the air and still somehow fell through the hoop.
It was part of the 25-9 round that helped the Suns take over.
Deandre Ayton added 19 points — including a confirmed last-minute dunk that a technician got after slapping the backboard — and 12 rebounds. Chris Paul scored 16 points and seven assists.
Johnson was the catalyst for another great night from the Suns seat. He fired all of his seven shots from the field while notching his nine highest rebounds of the season.
“He’s been playing well for a while,” said Suns coach Monty Williams. “I’ve said this many times – we look at Cam as a rookie. To get a guy off the bench who can shoot that way, attack the basket and go to the other end and defend. He puts the work into it and he is more than just a shooter.”
The Suns have improved to 26-5 this season and have won 25 of the last 27.
Shay Gilgus Alexander scored 29 points for the Thunder, who cut their winning streak in three consecutive games. Thunder shot only 38.5% of the field and 26.8% of the 3-point range.
The Thunder proved to be a tough contender all night long and overcame a 48-45 lead in the first half after trailing by as much as 15 points. Oklahoma City closed the second quarter 24-8.
“From where we came from at the beginning of the year to now, after 30 games, you can definitely see the improvements,” said Thunder guard Josh Gedi. “Earlier in the year, that 15-point lead could have gone to 30. Now we are able to control those leads and weather the storm.
“You have to rule out the positives from games like this…we fought the way back.”
home Sweet Home
The Suns had a 15-match winning streak at home. It’s the eighth time in franchise history that they’ve won 15 consecutive times at home. They will get a chance to extend their winning streak to 16 against the Warriors on Christmas Day.
Johnson, 25, said it was the first time he had played for Christmas at any point in his football career, and said he had many memories of being a kid eating a huge meal while on vacation and watching NBA games on TV all day and all day long. the night. .
“It’s like a dream come true,” Johnson said. “Playing at Christmas, getting out there, so excited about it.”
Hints
Thunder: F Derrick Favors was out to rest. …played a basketball tournament for college in Arizona.
Suns: F/C Frank Kaminsky (knee), F Abdelnader (knee) and F Dario Saric (knee) all exited. Kaminski has missed the past 17 games while Nader has missed 15. Sarek has been out since tearing the right anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the first game of the NBA Finals last year. … when the Suns advanced in the fourth quarter.
next one
Thunder: Host New Orleans on Sunday.
Suns: Golden State host on Saturday.