Booker scores 43 as Suns beat Warriors 131-122

Devin Booker scored 43 points, including two late jumpers that sealed it, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 131-122 on Saturday, October 24, for their first win of the season.

Booker made 17 of 25 shots and added seven rebounds and seven assists. He went 7 of 8 at the line but only 2 of 7 on threes, so most of his work came inside the arc.

A 10-0 Golden State run in the third quarter tied the game at 71-71. Phoenix scored 45 points in the period anyway and took a lead into the fourth with the visitors still within reach.

The Suns pulled away early in the final period and led 118-102 with 6:07 left, their biggest edge of the night. Dillon Brooks's layup made it 126-117, and two Graham Ike free throws cut it to 126-119.

Booker answered with a 19-foot pullup at 1:43 and an 11-foot pullup at 1:06 for a 131-119 lead. Yaxel Lendeborg's three-pointer in the final seconds set the score.

Lendeborg led Golden State (0-3) with 26 points and six threes in 11 tries. De'Anthony Melton scored 25 off the bench and Brandon Williams added 20. The Warriors made 17 threes but Phoenix (1-1) shot 50 of 86 overall.

The Suns' effective field goal percentage was 66.3, against 54.4 for Golden State. The Warriors grabbed 19 offensive rebounds to nine and outscored Phoenix's bench 46-36, but the shooting gap decided it. Ike had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Up next

Warriors: at the Denver Nuggets on Monday, October 26.

Suns: at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, October 26.