NBA: Suns bomb in 20 3-pointers, stave off Nets

Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and made a season-high six 3-pointers as the Phoenix Suns dominated most of the game in a 126-117 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night in New York.

Brooks was especially lethal in the first half, making four 3s and scoring 16 points. The Suns built a 20-point lead, but the Nets fought back to make it a close game. Brooks sank his sixth 3-pointer with 3:40 remaining to put Phoenix up 121-114, helping seal the win.

He finished the game 8-of-15 from the field, bouncing back from a 2-of-13 performance and five points in Saturday’s 106-99 win over the New York Knicks.

Devin Booker added 24 points, while Collin Gillespie contributed five 3-pointers in a 22-point outing. Mark Williams recorded 16 points and eight rebounds, reserve Grayson Allen finished with 14 points and eight assists, and Royce O’Neale added 11.

The Suns improved to 11 wins in their last 15 games and led for the final 44-plus minutes. Phoenix shot an efficient 57.1% from the field and made 20 of 39 attempts from beyond the arc.

For the Nets, Michael Porter Jr. led the team with 23 points, followed by Noah Clowney with 16. Ziaire Williams added 15, and Nic Claxton posted a near triple-double with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Brooklyn shot 50.6% but allowed at least 125 points for the eighth time this season.

The Nets suffered their 10th loss in 12 games and rested rookie Egor Demin and Cam Thomas on the second night of a back-to-back.

Phoenix took control early as Allen hit two 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the first quarter, giving the Suns a 40-26 lead after a 21-4 run.

The Suns stretched their advantage to 20 points when Brooks made a 3-pointer, making it 62-42 with 5:11 left in the half. Brooklyn then went on a 24-8 run, scoring the final 11 points, and the Nets closed the half trailing 72-68 after Terance Mann hit a buzzer-beating 3.

Booker opened the second half with a 3-pointer, extending Phoenix’s lead to 98-82 with 2:56 left in the third. The Suns entered the fourth quarter with a 103-89 lead.

In the fourth, Allen hit two quick 3-pointers to make it 109-91. Brooklyn responded with an 18-5 run, cutting the deficit to 114-109 on a Porter putback with 5:34 left. Clowney’s three-point play later brought the Nets within four points, but Phoenix held on for the win.

—Field Level Media/Reuters