NBA-best Suns top Pacers, 32-9 at midpoint
Devin Booker scored 35 points, Deandre Ayton had 27 points and 12 rebounds and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns beat the Indiana Pacers 112-94 on Friday night.
Chris Paul added 12 points and nine assist for Phoenix, and Cam Payne had 11 points and five assists. The Suns finished the first half of the season 32-9, their second-best record in franchise history through the first 41 games.
Justin Holiday scored 25 points for Indiana, Caris LeVert had 20, and Domantas Sabonis added 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Pacers have lost three in a row and nine of 10.
Booker scored 22 points in the third quarter to help the Suns take an 80-76 lead into the fourth. Down 73-76, Phoenix had a 23-2 run to take a 96-78 lead.
76ERS 111, CELTICS 99 >> Joel Embiid had 25 points and 13 rebounds and Philadelphia used a 28-2 first-quarter run to rout Boston.
Embiid finished five points shy of setting a franchise record with 30 or more points in nine straight games. He remains tied with Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain for the club mark with eight in a row.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points, and Tobias Harris and Seth Curry each added 17 to help the 76ers win for the eighth time in nine games. Jaylen Brown scored 21 points for Boston. MAGIC 116, HORNETS 109 >> Moritz Wagner scored a season-high 26 points, younger brother Franz added 19 points and seven assists and Orlando beat Charlotte to snap a 10-game losing streak.
Gary Harris added 18 points to help the NBAworst Magic improve to 8-35.
LaMelo Ball had 23 points and eight assists for the Hornets.
HEAT 124, HAWKS 118>> Tyler Herro scored 24 points, Jimmy Butler returned from a three-game absence with a sprained ankle to add 23 and Miami rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Atlanta.
Omer Yurtseven finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds to help Miami move within a game of Chicago for first place in the Eastern Conference.
PISTONS 103, RAPTORS 87 >> Trey Lyles scored 21 points, Cade Cunningham and Hamidou Diallo each added 18 and Detroit beat Toronto.
The Pistons are 5-3 in 2022 after finishing 2021 with 18 losses in their last 19 games.
Fred VanVleet had 24 points and 10 assists for Toronto.
WIZARDS COACH ENTERS COVID-19 PROTOCOL >> Washington Wizards coach Wes Unseld has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and assistant Pat Delany is taking over as acting head coach starting with tonight’s game against Portland.
Unseld is in his first season coaching the Wizards, who are 22-20 and have won three in a row. Delany said he spoke at length with Unseld on Friday morning, and that he’s feeling OK.
Delany said he still expects Unseld to provide feedback, even though he won’t be there physically. Delany has head coaching experience from the G League.
Delany said star guard Bradley Beal is still in health and safety protocols after missing the last two games.
DURRANT FINED FOR PROFANE LANGUAGE >> Kevin Durant has been fined $15,000 for using profane language during an interview after the Brooklyn Nets’ 114-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
The NBA said Durant declined to participate in an interview with the league about the incident.
The star forward had 28 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets in the loss. Brooklyn has played five games in the past week because of COVID-19-related schedule adjustments, going 2-3 in those contests.
CAVS BRING BACK CALDERON AS ADVISOR >> The Cleveland Cavaliers are bringing back former guard Jose Calderon as a special advisor in their front office.
Calderon played 14 seasons in the NBA, spending the 2017-18 season in Cleveland as the Cavs made their fourth straight trip to the Finals. The 40-year-old was with the Detroit Pistons in 2018-19.
After retiring, he worked with the National Basketball Players Association as an assistant to NBPA executive director Michele Roberts and a senior management team on union strategy and issues relevant to current players.
With the Cavs, Calderon will assist Koby Altman, the team’s newly named director of basketball operations.
“We are thrilled to add someone of Jose Calderon’s background and experience to our front office,” said Altman, who received a contract extension this week. “His accomplishments as a basketball player and familiarity with our organization will be invaluable.
“We look forward to his insights and perspective on how we can continue moving this team forward and enhancing our efforts towards sustainable and longterm success here in Cleveland.”