Devin Booker’s 32 points lead Phoenix Suns past Golden State Warriors on NBA’s opening night

SAN FRANCISCO – Devin Booker capped a game-high 32-point performance with three key assists down the stretch on Tuesday night, allowing the Phoenix Suns to get past the Golden State Warriors for a 108-104 victory in San Francisco on the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) opening night.

Kevin Durant chipped in with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double for Phoenix, and Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double of his own with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

It was the first time Durant faced Warriors fans since he left the team in 2019 after two NBA crowns.

Said the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player: “It’s always good to be recognised for the work you put in, so it was exciting to see people I hadn’t seen in a while, some familiar faces.

“I feel like the fan base here got nothing but love and respect for me as an individual player and as a person. That’s all I can ask for.”

A see-saw affair was a one-point game in the Suns’ favour before Booker found Josh Okogie in the left corner for a three-pointer that opened a 103-99 lead with 1min 9sec to play.

Four-time champion Stephen Curry countered with two free throws, but Booker then drew the defence and spotted Eric Gordon open for another three, this one creating a five-point difference with just 44.7 seconds left.

Golden State, who lost three of four games to Phoenix last season, came back one more time on a Curry three off an offensive rebound to get within 106-104 with 31.4sec left.

But after a timeout, the ball found its way to Booker, who drilled a pass to Nurkic for a lay-up that produced the game’s final points with 10.3sec remaining.

That was the eighth assist for Booker, who played without new backcourt sidekick Bradley Beal, out with a back injury.

Okogie, whose late three-pointer came on his only attempt from beyond the arc, finished with 17 points, while Gordon, who missed his first seven three-point attempts before making the last two, contributed 10 points off the bench.

The Suns outscored the Warriors 11-10 on treys, despite taking 10 fewer attempts (33-43).

Curry paced six Warriors in double figures with 27 points but misfired on 10 of his 14 three-point tries.

Klay Thompson had 15 points, Chris Paul added 14 to complement a game-high nine assists and reserve Jonathan Kuminga scored 12 points for the Warriors, who were without Draymond Green (ankle).

Paul, however, missed his first six shots and all six of his three-point attempts.

“He’s a rhythm player, so he’s really good at getting you the ball in spots you want it,” guard Moses Moody said.

Phoenix built a 15-point lead by half-time thanks in large part to 21 points from Booker before the break.

But Golden State rallied in the third quarter, putting together a 21-2 run for a 73-66 lead with five minutes left in the period.
REUTERS