Booker scores 52 points to power Suns over Pelicans
NEW ORLEANS — Devin Booker scored 52 points, the fifth-highest scoring game of his career, to power the Phoenix Suns to a 124111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, bringing them within a game of the Pelicans for the No. 6 playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Booker’s first 24 points came on just nine shots from the field in the first quarter – he was 8-of-9 from behind the arc.
Kevin Durant scored 20 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 19 for the Suns, who led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter. New Orleans cut the deficit with a 20-8 run to trail 103-90 entering the fourth quarter. The Suns built a wall around Zion Williamson who finished with 30 points and five assists. Trey Murphy III added 21 points for New Orleans.
■ Hawks 113, Bulls 101: At Chicago, Vit
Krejci set career highs with 18 points and six 3-pointers and Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 20 as Atlanta led by 17 late in the third quarter and was never seriously threatened after that.
■ Magic 104, Trail Blazers 103: At Orlando, Fla., Franz Wagner scored 20 points as Deandre Ayton missed an open baseline jumper at the final horn for Portland, which has lost 10 in a row.
■ Celtics 118, Hornets 104: At Charlotte, N.C., Jayson Tatum had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which has won 11 of its last 13 games.
■ Grizzlies 110, Pistons 108: At Detroit, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 40 points as Memphis snapped a three-game skid. Detroit has lost nine of 10.
■ Pacers 133, Nets 111: At Indianapolis, Tyrese Haliburton scored 27 points and had 13 assists for Indiana, which shot 52 percent for the game.