Durant lets his 41 points do talking as Suns end skid
Kevin Durant sat and smiled, trying to speak loudly enough to be heard in a jubilant locker room.
“We're excited because we finally got a win,” Durant said.
Durant had a seasonhigh 41 points, and the short-handed Phoenix Suns snapped a three-game losing streak with a 120-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
“It's not fun losing one in a row, definitely not three in a row,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said.
Phoenix was without its banged-up backcourt of Devin Booker (calf) and Bradley Beal (back) and a trio of guards took advantage of more playing time and shots.
Eric Gordon scored 21 points, Grayson Allen had 14 and Josh Okogie added 10.
“We're doing it by committee,” Durant said.
Cade Cunningham had 26 points, six assists and six turnovers for the Pistons, who have lost four in a row.
Detroit coach Monty Williams faced his former team for the first time in the regular season after matching up in the preseason.
“These are really cool games to be a part of,” Williams said before the game.
After the game, though, Williams was not happy.
“They were tougher than us,” he said.
RAPTORS 123, SPURS 116, OT ❯❯ Scottie Barnes scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and had 11 rebounds and Toronto overcame a 22-point deficit to force overtime and beat San Antonio.
Dennis Schroder and O.G. Anunoby each had 24 points to help Toronto win for the first time on the road this season.
Keldon Johnson had 26 points, Zach Collins added 21 points and 11 rebounds and Victor Wembanyama had 20 points for San Antonio.
MAVERICKS 124, HORNETS 118 ❯❯ Luka Doncic scored 23 points after a rare scoreless first quarter and Dallas bounced back from its first loss.
Grant Williams added 18 points, including a trio of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and rookie Dereck Lively II had 15 points, 14 rebounds and a big fourthquarter block.
LaMelo Ball scored 23 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to go with 13 assists, but the Hornets couldn't hold a 15-point first-half lead a night after rallying in the fourth for a one-point victory at Indiana.
CAVALIERS 115, WARRIORS 104 ❯❯ Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Cleveland beat Golden State to end a 16-game losing streak against the Warriors.
Darius Garland added 24 points and seven assists, Evan Mobley had 13 points and 16 rebounds and Max Strus scored 15 points for Cleveland, which had lost its first three home games.
The Cavaliers beat Golden State for the first time since Dec. 25, 2016, spanning 12 regular-season and four playoff losses.
Stephen Curry scored 28 points and made 7 of 11 3s, and Draymond Green had 18 points and eight assists for the Warriors.
GRIZZLIES 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 100 ❯❯ Desmond Bane had 30 points and Memphis won its first game of the season, rallying late to beat Portland.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 27 points for the Grizzlies, who opened the season with six straight losses, most since the 2002-03 season when the team opened 0-13.
Jerami Grant led the Blazers with 27 points. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak.