Booker leads way as Suns top Timberwolves

Devin Booker had 35 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and the Phoenix Suns beat the host Minnesota Timberwolves 100-98 on Saturday in a matchup of short-handed teams.

Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who had lost three in a row.

Phoenix was clinging to a 98-95 lead when Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns missed a 3-pointer with 9.2 seconds left from just inside the half-court line. Booker went to the line and iced the game with a pair of free throws.

Phoenix shot a seasonlow 34.4% from the field but tied a season low with seven turnovers. It also made 24 of 26 foul shots, outscoring Minnesota by 14 from the line.

Playing without starting point guard Ricky Rubio and center Aron Baynes, the Suns led by as many as 12 before the Timberwolves rallied.

Towns had 31 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost four of five.

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Lakers: The NBA fined Los Angeles guard Rajon Rondo $35,000 after he was ejected in the fourth quarter of a victory at Oklahoma City. The league said Rondo made “unsportsmanlike physical contact” with Thunder guard Dennis Schroder, verbally abused an official and didn’t leave the court in a timely manner after he was thrown out. Rondo was ejected after he kicked Schroder in the groin area.

Changes: The NBA may be closer to a shorter season, a new postseason format and the in-season tournament Commissioner Adam Silver has long wanted. A person familiar with the negotiations said the NBA is working with the players’ union and its teams on a plan to shorten the season, possibly to 78 games. They also are considering a change to playoff seeding and the addition of a midyear tournament in time for the 202122 season. The tournament would likely be a way for teams to mitigate the loss of revenue from the shorter regular season and fewer home dates.