NBA: Suns finish strong, continue woeful Nets' spiral

Mark Williams scored a season-high 27 points and Dillon Brooks added 26 as the Phoenix Suns held off the Brooklyn Nets 106-102 on Tuesday, handing Brooklyn their sixth straight loss.

Grayson Allen contributed 18 points, including 14 in the second half, and capped a game-ending 10-2 Phoenix run with a driving layup with 12 seconds left.

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with a season-high 36 points, making six 3-pointers, while Egor Demin added 15 points. Brooklyn overcame a 12-point first-half deficit and briefly led 100-96 on Porter’s three-pointer with 3:33 remaining.

Tempers flared late in the game as benches cleared with 1:14 remaining while the Suns led 104-102. Demin pushed Brooks during a scramble under the Nets’ basket, leading to a confrontation between Phoenix’s Royce O’Neale and Brooklyn’s Terance Mann. After a review, Demin, Mann, Porter, O’Neale, and Allen were all assessed technical fouls.

Allen missed the free throw that followed, and Demin missed a desperation 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining. Allen then scored on the Suns’ next possession, and Porter missed a final 3-pointer attempt.

Williams was highly efficient, making 13 of 15 shots as the Suns scored 72 points in the paint. Porter recorded his 12th 30-point game, with him and Demin combining for two fourth-quarter 3-pointers when the Nets outscored Phoenix 27-24 in the period.

Cam Thomas and Ziaire Williams each had 11 points for Brooklyn, who have lost 11 of their last 12 games and came off a 37-point loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

The short-handed Suns broke a two-game losing streak while playing without starting guards Devin Booker and Collin Gillespie. Phoenix is now 2-4 this season without Booker.

Brooks was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul early in the first quarter for striking Nic Claxton in the groin while going for a loose ball. The play was upgraded after review. He later received his 15th technical foul of the season during a first-half scuffle with Demin. A player is suspended after accumulating 16 technical fouls in a season.

Brooks made both free throws to help the Suns lead 60-51 at halftime, and Allen’s 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter extended Phoenix’s lead to 82-75.

--Field Level Media/Reuters