Suns use 3rd-quarter run to extend streak
NEW YORK — Devin Booker tied his season high with 38 points, T.J. Warren scored 17 of his 26 during Phoenix’s 41-point third quarter and the Suns beat the New York Knicks 128-110 on Monday night for their third straight victory.
Emmanuel Mudiay had 32 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Knicks, who lost for the seventh time in eight games. Rookie forward Kevin Knox scored 17.
New York played without leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. because of a sore right heel.
Phoenix outscored New York 41-17 in the third and went on to win three consecutive games for the first time since March 2-5, 2017. The Suns won only four times in their first 28 games, but are 3-for-3 since.
Rookie center Deandre Ayton finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Suns in an impressive start to a five-game road trip, their longest of the season. Last-place Phoenix improved to 2-13 away from home.
Booker just returned Saturday from a six-game absence with a left hamstring strain and scored 28 points against Minnesota. He was even better with a game under his belt, hurting the Knicks not only with his perimeter shooting but also going 14 of 15 from the free throw line and grabbing seven rebounds.
Mudiay came in averaging 18.5 points in his last eight games and was just about there by halftime, with 18 points. Knox had 13 and the Knicks were ahead, 66-59.
Things changed quickly in the third quarter, when the Suns went 16 of 22 from the field — with one of the misses being a half-court heave as the buzzer sounded.
The score was tied at 79 after Mudiay’s layup, but Warren nailed a long 3-pointer to start what became a 21-4 finish to the period. Warren had another 3 later in the run, and Jamal Crawford hit a couple of jumpers and had four assists, including an alley-oop pass to Richaun Holmes.
With their100-83 lead, the Suns kept up the pressure early in the fourth and quickly put the game out of reach.
Josh Jackson scored 14 points for the Suns, and Holmes had 13.
Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers were not with the team after their acquisition from Washington became official earlier Monday. The Wizards agreed to send them to Phoenix on Saturday for Trevor Ariza.
Veteran Knicks guard Courtney Lee started for Hardaway in just his seventh game of the season. Lee was out when the season began because of a neck injury.
The Knicks played without rookies Allonzo Trier (strained left hamstring) and Mitchell Robinson (sprained left ankle). Trier’s absence prevented him from facing Ayton, his former Arizona teammate.