Booker’s 35 points help Suns stay perfect in restart
Devin Booker scored 35 points, and the Phoenix Suns rolled past the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder 128-101 on Monday to improve to 6-0 in the restart and improve their playoff chances.
The Suns have surged in the Western Conference standings. They entered the day just 1 1/2 games behind eighth-place Memphis and a game behind ninth-place Portland in the race to qualify for a spot in the play-in series in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Oklahoma City was without four of its top five scorers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right calf bruise), Danilo Gallinari (left ankle), Dennis Schroder (birth of child) and Steven Adams (bruised left leg) sat out. Reserve center Nerlens Noel (right ankle; sprain) also did not play.
Rookie Darius Bazley had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder. RAPTORS 114, BUCKS 106 >> Chris Boucher scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the Raptors defeat the Bucks.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning
MVP, missed the game after undergoing oral surgery. For Toronto, Kyle Lowry sat out with a sore lower back, Serge Ibaka missed the game with a bruised right knee and Fred Van Vleet was out with a hyperextended right knee.
MAVERICKS 122, JAZZ 114 >> Short-handed Dallas rallied from a 22-point deficit in the second half to stun Utah. Dallas won despite playing without stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, who were both resting because of nagging injuries.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Mavericks with 27 points, and Seth Curry added 22.
Utah was playing without star Donovan Mitchell, and coach Quin Snyder played backups for much of the game.
NBA WILL HOLD A VIRTUAL DRAFT LOTTERY >> The NBA draft lottery, which has been held in a bubble since its inception in 1985, will take on a new look that has nothing to do with the pingpong balls determining the fate of the Warriors and 13 other teams on Aug. 20.
In order to comply with social distancing precautions, the league’s lottery will be held virtually.
The league will have all 14 team representatives, including one from the Warriors, appearing in virtual fashion, The Athletic reported.
A Warriors spokesman said Monday the team is “still finalizing” its choice to represent Golden State in its first lottery appearance since 2012. SIMMONS TO BE RE-EVALUATED IN TWO WEEKS AFTER SURGERY >> The 76ers could be a shell of themselves during tonight’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
Joel Embiid will be sidelined with a twisted left ankle. Josh Richardson will miss the game due to rest. Tobias Harris (right ankle soreness) and Al Horford (left knee soreness) are questionable.
Meanwhile, Ben Simmons, who was already sidelined, had surgery Monday morning to remove the loose body in his left knee. The loose piece was found after he suffered a temporary partial dislocation of his left kneecap Wednesday against the Washington Wizards.
The Sixers said Simmons will begin rehabilitation immediately in Philadelphia and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.