Suns squeak past Cavs for 14th win of the season

An interesting and thrilling game until the end, the Phoenix Suns overtook the Cleveland Cavaliers with a vintage Devin Booker game. Booker posted 36 points and received some really loud MVP chants from the 1,500 fans in attendance.

In a hero games reversal, Chris Paul led the Suns over the Mavericks a week ago with 34/9/9 when Booker sat down with a hamstring injury, and now it’s Booker leading the Suns on the Cavaliers who shoot hot with 36/8 / 5.

Mikal Bridges also scored 22 points (including 4 decisive free throws) and Deandre Ayton fought the Cavaliers greats (they started both Andre Drummond and Jarrett Allen) for 15 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks. I have to give E’Twaun Moore some love on his first start of the season. He finished with 17 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.

Phoenix was without Paul, as well as Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, Cameron Payne and even Abdel Nader.

The Suns have won 6 of 7 games and are now 14-9 this season (23 games). A year ago, the Suns had won their 14th win only in Game 37, and the year before, their 14th victory came in Game 65.

The Suns are still in 4th place in the Western Conference.

E’Twaun Moore instead of starting for Paul, but the offense goes through the Book point. Booker got the team started from the start and started the attack early. With Frank Kaminski in the front power position, he and Deandre Ayton keep the paint almost perfect with big blocks leading to a quick breaking point.

It’s a different offense without Paul and it’s a quick offense that tries to keep a young team like the Cavs off balance early on. But easy shots inside or at the Cavs’ two guards Collen Sexton and Darius Garland allow the Cavs to keep pace with the Suns in what appears to be an early shootout.

Cutting and arriving at the rim, Mikal Bridges continues to build on his big night against the Boston Celtics.

Stats of notable players from Q1:

• Booker: 17 points (7-10 from the field) and 2 assists
• Bridges: 9 points

Team statistics:

• 1 offensive rebound allowed
• 50% from 3 shootings 3-6
• 8 assists
• 18 points in the paint
• 1 quarter beater at the end of the bell (Langston Galloway)

The question for the 2nd quarter: will the score continue with Bridges and Booker on the bench?

It helps answer the question with Frank not making reckless 3-point attempts and continuing to find the open man and reach the edge.

The Suns as a whole, including the back decks, continue to force the issue at the rim, trying to beat the Cavs.

A little more fun on the court led to some quick breaks and DUNKS! at 7:44, the Suns took their biggest lead 49-42. Clicking on the offensive end always looked disinterested with the ball hitting each open hand.

A few bad passes and offensive fouls kept the game close. Sexton hit straight 3s to bring the Suns down to 56-54.

At the end of the 1st half, the Suns hold the lead at 64-61.

Player statistics for the 1st half:

• Booker, still with 17 points
• Ayton – 12 points and 8 rebounds (4 offensives)
• Bridges – 14 points 6-7 from the court
• Frank- 7 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds

Team statistics

• 18 assists
• 40 points in the paint
• 4-9 from a 3-point field
• 60.4% of the land

Giving up the offensive boards against the Cavs was a fear before this game for the Suns. After another bucket of second chance granted by Ayton, the Suns made the Cavs pay off with 3 quick OREBs from the big man.

Sexton was always abusive on the offensive side, with his magic float and ability to draw the foul giving Frank his 3rd. The faults are very precious for the Suns Twin Towers but it was Booker who also landed his 3rd. Booker has a reason to be frustrated as a foul, of course, not to be called in his favor.

6:48 left in the 3rd quarter, and the Suns need to start looking for their backbone in defense and find a connection in attack as they lead 74-71.

After 3 thrilling quarters, the faults multiplied for Booker, sending him to the bench soon after starting to move things forward offensively and the quick-breaking Cavs took a 91-89 lead in the 4th.

Player statistics after 3 quarters of play:

• Sexland- 43 points 11 assists
• Booker – 26 points 5 assists
• Bridges – 16 points
• Galloway- 9 points 3 sneaky rebounds

Team statistics

• 12 offensive rebounds
• 58 points in the paint
• 24 assists

The final quarter started with the Cavs having the momentum and the key to stealing it is on the defensive side.

But hold it all back, as Frank kicks JaVale McGee out of the game with a brawl!

“Frank the Tank, Frank the Tank!” the sung cheers.

Back to business for the Suns as Booker will seek to take over and errors should be kept to a minimum. Every possession will count.

7:45 a.m. – Booker with an assist to Moore for a 3

7:03 – Cam Johnson hits his first 3 of the night (101-100) after a steal at the other end.

Momentum has returned for the time being behind the supporting crowd.

9-2 are now running with Booker hitting a 3. The buckets in the paint for the Cavs are getting too easy. Frank’s return to training should help, but Sexton still shows he’s unstoppable. Sexton is Eric Bledsoe with excellent body language.

Garland is also in the mix, simply pushing the ball over the edge and he’s, again, unstoppable. The future of the Cavs is in good hands with Sexland.

The Cavs tried to cut their way into the paint and steal a win over the Suns, but Booker was just too important when the Suns won. It was an almost impossible escape.

Final statistics of the players of the game:

Moore – 17 points

Booker – 36 points

Ayton- 15 points 16 rebounds

Bridges – 22 points