Suns

SALT LAKE CITY -- — Devin Booker scored 24 points and Phoenix reserves sparked the decisive run for the Suns in a 117-103 win over the fading Utah Jazz on ...

[Talen Horton-Tucker](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4396991/talen-horton-tucker) had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists along a with a bevy of forced shots and turnovers. But a trio off the bench was pivotal for Phoenix: [Terrence Ross](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6619/terrence-ross) had 13 points, [Cameron Payne](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3064230/cameron-payne) added 12 and [Bismack Biyombo](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6427/bismack-biyombo) scored 11. [Deandre Ayton](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278129/deandre-ayton) had 14 points after missing four games with a bruised hip. … Booker scored 18 points in the first quarter and then went 0 for 5 with no points in the second. The Suns (40-35) had lost four in a row on the road. … [Simone Fontecchio](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3899664/simone-fontecchio), who has started the last three games, was out with a sore toe. Phoenix went on a 17-2 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, primarily with its backups on the court. ... Phoenix had a 57-52 lead at halftime after outscoring the Jazz 13-0 in points off turnovers. But this game was different against the undermanned Jazz. “That can wear on you as a team.” “The bench is starting to come together. That allowed us to get out in transition,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said.

On Monday, though, the bench minutes proved to be the downfall in Utah's 117-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Vivint Arena.

"We missed some wide open 3s, and that can wear on you as a team." But the offensive struggles on Monday weren't squarely on the bench. Those three were part of the lineup that gave up the game-defining run. Utah has seven games remaining in the regular season, and its chances of a play-in spot are slowly slipping away. Hardy acknowledged that some of the problems were due to guys not really having a chance to play with each other. "I didn't feel like that group overly gave up the rim or let them shoot wide-open 3s.

Phoenix has found a bit of momentum before it could return Kevin Durant Wednesday.

Payne (21 minutes), Warren (18 minutes) backup forward Ish Wainwright (18 minutes), Biyombo (18 minutes), Ross (15 minutes) and backup guard Landry Shamet were the key contributors off the bench. The Suns were outscored 26 to 20 by the Jazz and shot a poor 6-of-28 in the quarter. Phoenix had a noticeable edge in offensive rebounds (18 to 10), assists (31 to 25), steals (seven to two) and the turnover battle (six to Utah’s 13). Ross had 13 points to lead the Suns’ second unit, which dominated for the second straight game with 57 points total. The Suns got off to a hot start and led 37-26 in the first quarter. Six players scored for the Suns in the quarter and by halftime, Phoenix had all of its starters and four bench players on the board. In Ayton’s return, he had 14 points with eight rebounds, and Phoenix had all but one if its 12 players who entered the game score. Utah starting guard Talen Horton-Tucker hit a floater but the Suns responded with shots at the rim from Biyombo and Payne, which gave them a 95-83 lead. The teams were tied at 78 before Phoenix scored six of the final nine points in the quarter, with a finger-roll layup from Cam Payne, a dunk from Bismack Biyombo and a corner jumper from TJ Warren. But for the second straight game, Phoenix took control with an 11-2 run to start the quarter and did not look back. The Clippers are currently playing against the [Chicago Bulls](https://www.blogabull.com). [Los Angeles Clippers](https://www.clipsnation.com) for the No.

The former Arizona star had missed each of the last four games. Underdog NBA: "Deandre Ayton (hip) probable for Monday." ...

For the game, they will have one of their best players back in the starting lineup, as Deandre Ayton has been upgraded to available. The former Arizona star had ...

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[Game Preview: Suns face confident Timberwolves team in Kevin Durant’s return](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2023/3/29/23658589/game-preview-phoenix-suns-face-confident-minnesota-timberwolves-team-in-kevin-durant-return) [Suns practice notebook: Kevin Durant could return against Minnesota, bench play encouraging Monty Williams](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2023/3/28/23660975/phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-return-minnesota-timberwolves-devin-booker-practice-monty-williams) [VIDEO: Suns guard Devin Booker speaks after Tuesday’s practice](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2023/3/28/23661095/suns-practice-video-devin-booker-kevin-durant-return-monty-williams-hand-injury) [‘Very sensitive’: Charles Barkley and Kevin Durant continue their back and forth](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2023/3/28/23658886/kevin-durant-responds-charles-barkley-criticism-60-minutes-phoenix-suns) [Shams: Kevin Durant will return on Wednesday, play in first home game as a Phoenix Sun](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2023/3/28/23660517/official-kevin-durant-will-return-on-wednesday-play-in-first-home-game-as-a-phoenix-suns-nba) [SBN Reacts: Who poses the greatest threat to the Suns when KD returns?](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2023/3/28/23659999/sbn-reacts-who-poses-the-greatest-threat-to-the-phoenix-suns-when-kd-returns) More From Bright Side Of The Sun

Eight years into his career, Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker finally has signature shoe in the works.

Phoenix Suns are 15-23 on the road going into Monday's game at Utah. The Jazz are 22-15 at home.

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) or contact him at 480-787-1240. “I’m just glad we won,” Williams said. The Suns are once again fourth in the Western Conference as the Clippers (39-36) dropped to fifth following their 131-110 home loss to the Pelicans, who are now eighth in the West. While fourth is probably the best seed the Suns can get considering they’re six games behind Sacramento (45-29) with eight games remaining, they’re still not out of the play-in possibility. Oh, the Suns (39-35) needed a win, though. Phoenix Suns update: Deandre Ayton (hip) available, Kevin Durant (ankle) out at Utah Jazz

Deandre Ayton had 14 points after missing four games with a bruised hip. But a trio off the bench was pivotal for Phoenix: Terrence Ross had 13 points, ...

"It’s big for our confidence when we leave a game and it’s near even and then (the reserves) go up 10-15 points while we’re out," Booker said. … Booker scored 18 points in the first quarter and then went 0 for 5 with no points in the second. Phoenix went on a 17-2 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, primarily with its backups on the court. The Suns (40-35) had lost four in a row on the road. "We could not throw the ball in the ocean for long stretches of time," Utah coach Will Hardy said. They helped the Suns to a 57-25 advantage in bench points.

The 13-time All-Star has been out since spraining his ankle on March 8.

[Nets](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/nets/) to the Suns on Feb. Figuring all this out over two weeks is not ideal, but having Durant on the court helps tremendously. In addition, the rotation remains unsettled. At the same time, his return will not be a cure-all. On March 1, he returned from a sprained knee and played well for three games. Here’s what you need to know:

After missing the last 10 games due to an ankle injury, Kevin Durant is on course to return for the Phoenix Suns as the regular season winds down.

I'm excited to get back to that." A lot of guys have been stepping up, filling voids, but it'll be good to see what we're going to look like." "It's going to be nice," Suns All-Star point guard Chris Paul said. "When he's out there, Kevin Durant show, it's going to be a joy to watch. I'm excited to be a part of that." With Durant back, the Suns will be full strength for the first time in months. It's a good time to be full strength. "It's good timing," Suns All-Star Devin Booker said. "You're talking about one of the best players to ever play is coming out there," said Suns forward T.J. He's got to play at home one day." It's going to be electric in there. "Slim Reaper on the way, man," said Ayton about Durant.

Kevin Durant is set to return from his left ankle injury when the Suns host the Timberwolves on Wednesday, sources confirmed to ESPN.

4 seed in the Western Conference. "I always use the term checking the boxes," Williams' said of Durant's recovery. And I've seen him go from cardio to shooting to be able to get up and down a little bit and get himself prepared to go to the next level."

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Brian Windhorst of ESPN report that unless Durant suffers a setback, he will be back for Phoenix's home game against the ...

He immediately hopped up and continued his pregame work, but several minutes later, the Suns confirmed that Durant would miss the game. The Suns (40-35) went 4-6 during Durant’s absence and are the No. They lead the No. 6-seeded Wolves by 1 1/2 games and trail the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35982752/kevin-durant-return-suns-vs-timberwolves) report that unless Durant suffers a setback, he will be back for Phoenix’s home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday ( [10 ET, ESPN](https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-phx-0022201144)).

Suns coach Monty Williams, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton on Kevin Durant working his way back from an left ankle sprain suffered March 8.

Durant suffered a sprained ankle on March 8 during warmups before a game vs. the Thunder, and he has since missed 10 games with the injury. Phoenix initially ...

Since 2018, the Phoenix Suns have become one of the best teams in the NBA, and recently traded for Kevin Durant. their recent trades and drafting could lead ...

The Suns are Durant’s fourth NBA franchise in a 16-year career that included one season that he missed because of a torn Achilles tendon. The way they played on the floor and energy started to change. The recent draft success, coupled with the team’s ability to hold onto its future first-round picks, positioned the team to take part in a blockbuster trade. The Nets traded Irving to Dallas and Durant then requested a trade, too. However, Johnson’s shooting ability carried over to the NBA and he proved to be a more versatile scorer than anticipated and a solid defender – good enough that he pushed Crowder out of the starting lineup. “You see the growth in this team,” Durant said during his introductory news conference in Phoenix. Ayton and Bridges grew into significant pieces of a Suns team that reached the NBA Finals in 2021 and led Milwaukee 2-0 before losing four straight games. Bridges never missed a game while at Villanova, and continued his ironman streak in the NBA. In the summer of 2018, the Suns had two first-round picks, including the No. The Suns had three lottery picks between 2016 and 2017 under McDonough, with two of them being the fourth overall pick. It would give the Suns seven regular-season games with their new superstar to prepare for a playoff run. It would prove to be an adept pick as Booker emerged as a franchise player.

Durant suffered a freak sprain after slipping during pregame warmups on March 8, which caused him to miss the past 10 games. Suns coach Monty Williams didn't ...

4 seed in the Western Conference. "I always use the term checking the boxes," Williams' said of Durant's recovery. And I've seen him go from cardio to shooting to be able to get up and down a little bit and get himself prepared to go to the next level."

Kevin Durant is expected to return from injury and make his home debut for the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

- The Kyrie Irving experiment failed. - Despite loss, LeBron James' return sparks optimism for LakersBucks' Antetokounmpo, Holiday out Monday for Pistons game2022-23 NBA MVP Race: Will missed games cost Joel Embiid? Durant missed the Suns' last 10 games due to the injury, which he suffered during pre-game warmups on Mar. It will be his home debut for the Suns. - Cavs complete long climb back to NBA playoffs without LeBron JamesCan Mavericks turn things around before postseason?Joel Embiid (calf) out for showdown with Nikola Jokić, Nuggets The Mavericks' best path forward is to tank.2023 NBA Playoff Picture, Bracket: Updated standings, matchups, seedsLuka Dončić's 16th technical rescinded, allowing him to play for Mavs on Monday

Kevin Durant is set to return from his left ankle injury when the Suns host the Timberwolves on Wednesday, sources confirmed to ESPN.

4 seed in the Western Conference. "I always use the term checking the boxes," Williams' said of Durant's recovery. And I've seen him go from cardio to shooting to be able to get up and down a little bit and get himself prepared to go to the next level."

Kevin Durant has missed Phoenix's last 10 games with a left ankle sprain suffered pregame March 8 before what would've been his Suns home debut.

"You have to get the pain and swelling out and all of that and then you progress onto the floor with shots," Williams said. The Timberwolves (39-37) are riding a four-game winning streak as they won Monday at Sacramento (45-30). 8 at Miami while playing for the Nets. Phoenix has seven games remaining in the regular season in a 12-day span. Warren and Durant right before the Feb. Booker later talked about the role assistants Jarrett Jack and Brian Randle play in helping players return by competing against them. So we'll get to those points." "Is he in a place where he can play against contact," Williams said. Is the fatigue level where it needs to be once he's fatigued, he's not putting himself in harm's way. "It's always good to see a guy progressing towards getting back on the floor," said Williams after Tuesday's practice. An injury holding you back isn't the most fun thing, but it makes you appreciate it more when you're back." "Is his cardio where it needs to be.

Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant has missed the last 10 games as he makes his return to the floor with under two weeks left in the regular season.

He looks to further develop whatever continuity he can with his teammates in limited time before the playoffs roll around. Health has been a concern for Durant throughout the majority of his career. For now, Durant’s return to the court is to be met with joy in Phoenix. Durant adds much needed size to the Suns’ front court. In three games with the Suns, Durant has averaged 26.7 points on only 14 shots to go along with 1.3 blocks per game. The Phoenix Suns are on a quest to return to the

The Phoenix Suns are listing the forward as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after he missed the last 10 games due to a left ...

As of Tuesday, the Suns are fourth in the Western Conference standings with seven games left to play in the regular season. When Durant has been healthy, the forward has been as advertised. The Phoenix Suns are listing the forward as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after he missed the last 10 games due to a left ankle sprain.

Kevin Durant will return to the NBA's Phoenix Suns on Wednesday against Minnesota after missing the past three weeks with a sprained left ankle, ...

Durant, a three-time Olympic champion for the United States, has averaged 29.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists a game so far this season for the Suns and Brooklyn. Durant, a 13-time NBA All-Star, averaged 26.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in his three games with Phoenix and hit 69% from the floor in those contests. But The Athletic and ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Durant has healed and will finally make his home debut with the Suns after being hurt following only three games with Phoenix after a blockbuster trade from Brooklyn.