NBA: Paul leads NBA-best Suns’ rally past depleted Jazz

January 25, 2022 in Sports

Devin Booker scored 33 points, Chris Paul had 15 of his a season-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, and the Phoenix Suns rallied for a 115-109 win over the short-handed Utah Jazz in the NBA on Monday night.

Paul just missed a triple-double with 14 assists and nine rebounds. The Suns improved their NBA-best record to 37-9, matching the 2006-07 team for the best start in franchise history.

Utah led 95-91 early in the fourth but the Suns responded with a 14-2 run to take control. Paul made his first five shots of the period, including two 3-pointers.

Utah were missing All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley. The Jazz lost for the eight times in 11 games. Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 22 points.

CAVALIERS 95, KNICKS 93

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love scored 20 points — nine straight in a 3-point barrage in just over a minute — and Darius Garland had 12 assists as Cleveland Cavaliers survived a late rally by New York Knicks.

Down by 15 in the fourth quarter, the Knicks made it close, but Julius Randle’s 38-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer was way short.

Garland hit a late 3-pointer, rookie Evan Mobley had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Isaac Okoro scored 14 points for the Cavs, who have won seven of eight.

RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Randle 18 for the Knicks.

BULLS 111, THUNDER 110

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Nicola Vucevic had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Chicago Bulls withstood a fierce rally by Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Bulls led by 28 points in the third quarter, but the Thunder had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a 3-pointer that would have evened the score with 2.3 seconds to play.

Rookie Ayo Dosunmu scored a season-high 24 points and Zach LaVine added 23 for the Bulls.

Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points and 10 assists and Lu Dort added 16 points for the Thunder.

PELICANS 117, PACERS 113

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Devonte Graham scored 25 points, Josh Hart had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and New Orleans Pelicans beat Indiana Pacers

Graham went 5 of 9 from 3-point range on a night when the rest of his team missed 20 of 21 from deep. Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for New Orleans.

Indiana rookie Duane Washington Jr. hit a career-best seven shots (on 12 attempts) from deep for a career-high 21 points.

Caris LeVert scored 19 and Chris Duarte 14 for the Pacers.