Devin Booker scored 43 points and Jalen Green added 36 as the Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to four games with a 123-108 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday in Indianapolis.
Royce O’Neale had 15 points for Phoenix, which led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter and moved a season-high 12 games over .500 after winning for the sixth time in its last seven games.
Indiana lost its 11th straight game and owns the NBA’s worst record at 15-51.
Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 23 points, while Jarace Walker added 12. Ethan Thompson scored 11 points, Jay Huff and Ben Sheppard had 10 apiece, and Jalen Slawson recorded career highs with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Booker has averaged 31.8 points over his last five games for Phoenix, which never trailed in the second half. Indiana cut the deficit to 10 with 2:31 left in the contest before the Suns scored the next five points for the final margin.
Booker scored 15 points in the first quarter, which ended in a 36-all tie. The Suns opened up a 50-44 lead after Gillespie scored with 6:52 left in the second quarter.
Nembhard scored 23 points in the first half for Indiana, which closed on a 15-6 run to pull within 67-61 at intermission. Booker had 22 to lead the Suns.
Booker’s 3-pointer put Phoenix ahead 79-68 with 8:40 left in the third quarter before Indiana rallied to make it a two-point game with 2:12 left. The Suns responded with an 8-0 run and led 96-88 at the end of the period.
Ivica Zubac played his first game with Indiana since being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a multi-player trade on Feb. 5. The 7-foot center had been sidelined since Feb. 2 due to a left ankle sprain.
Zubac tallied eight points and six rebounds in just over 16 minutes before sitting out the second half.
The Pacers played without Pascal Siakam (right knee sprain), Aaron Nesmith (right ankle injury management), Obi Toppin (right foot injury management), T.J. McConnell (right hamstring soreness) and Quenton Jackson (right calf soreness).
–Field Level Media
