Suns drop their 5th straight game in 138-122 loss to Knicks

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Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of the NBA game against the New York Knicks at Footprint Center on November 20, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

PHOENIX - Jalen Brunson scored 36 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 34 and the New York Knicks beat the Phoenix Suns 138-122 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.

All five Knicks starters scored in double figures. Josh Hart had 19 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Devin Booker scored 33 points on 12-for-23 shooting and Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the injury-depleted Suns, who have lost five straight.

New York never trailed, hitting its first eight shots, including four 3-pointers. The Knicks carried that momentum to a 44-28 advantage after one quarter and a 76-58 lead at halftime. Brunson had 23 points before the break on 8-for-9 shooting, including hitting all four 3s.

The Suns cut the deficit to 88-77 midway through the third quarter, but the Knicks responded with an 11-2 run.

Phoenix star Kevin Durant missed his seventh straight game with a left calf strain. Teammate and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal was out for the fifth straight game, also because of a strained left calf.

Takeaways

Knicks: New York’s starting to look like the team many envisioned when they traded for Towns — a four-time All-Star — before the season. The starting lineup is deep with scoring options and makes it tough for the opposing defense.

Suns: It’s been a tough slog of late for Phoenix and the struggles can’t totally be blamed on injuries. They came out flat against the Knicks, particularly on defense, giving up easy transition buckets and good looks from 3-point range.