NBA roundup: Booker scores 34, Suns never trail in defeating Jazz 114-106

Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) battles with Utah Jazz center Micah Potter (25) for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Phoenix.PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 34 points and the Phoenix Suns never trailed in a 114-106 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Booker had 22 points in the first half on 7-of-8 shooting, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. He finished 12 for 20 overall and 6 for 12 from behind the arc.
Kevin Durant scored 25 points for the Suns, who led by as many as 16 points but struggled to put away the Jazz, who dropped their third in a row, until the fourth quarter. Grayson Allen had 14 points, nine in the final period.
The Suns have won three of four since coach Mike Budenholzer reorganized the Suns’ rotation with Bradley Beal coming off the bench. Ryan Dunn moved into the Suns’ lineup at forward.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 24 points and Collin Sexton had 20.
The Suns beat the Jazz for the third time this season. Walker Kessler had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Utah, and former Sun Drew Eubanks also had 11 rebounds.
Takeaways
Jazz: Played without regulars Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George and John Collins, but still got contributions from reserves Svi Mykhailiuk and Cody Williams with 13 points apiece.
Suns: Beal had his lowest output since moving into a reserve role, scoring 12 points in 31 minutes. He’s still averaging more than 30 minutes in the four games coming off the bench.
Key moment
Allen hit his only 3-pointer of the game early in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point Suns lead and they pulled away after that.
Key stat
Mason Plumlee scored the first five Suns points (six for the game) and finished with 10 rebounds, starting in place of Jusuf Nurkic, who did not play for the second straight game after serving a three-game suspension.
Up next
Both play Sunday. Utah hosts Brooklyn and Phoenix hosts Charlotte.
NBA ROUNDUP
GRIZZLIES 127, TIMBERWOLVES 125
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ja Morant made a tiebreaking jumper with 18 seconds left, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 33 points and Memphis beat Minnesota in a game that was tight from start to finish.
Morant finished with just 12 points, but he had the tying basket with 54 seconds to go before his 11-footer for the lead. Desmond Bane had 21 points for Memphis, going 4 for 8 from 3-point range.
Anthony Edwards missed two 3-pointers in the final 7.3 seconds of a game in which neither team led by more than six and featured 25 lead changes.
Donte DiVincenzo scored a season-high 27 points for Minnesota. Jaden McDaniels added 21 and Edwards scored 15 for the Wolves, whose three-game winning streak ended.
PISTONS 123, RAPTORS 114
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 22 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds, and Detroit beat Toronto.
Cunningham fell one assist of his career high, set on Dec. 16, and has the second-most triple-doubles in Pistons history.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 27 points for the Pistons, who have won nine of 11. Malik Beasley added 18.
Immanuel Quickley had 25 points for Toronto, which has lost five straight and 16 of 17. Scottie Barnes had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Toronto had seven players score in double figures.
Quickley’s jumper tied the game at 109 with five minutes left, but Toronto missed four straight free throws to allow Detroit to take a 113-109 lead on Cunningham’s short jumper with 3:48 to play.
HEAT 119, TRAIL BLAZERS 98
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Tyler Herro had 32 points, including seven 3-pointers, and Miami downed Portland.
Nikola Jovic added 21 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Heat, who have won three straight after a three-game losing streak.
Miami led by 20 points at the half but Portland closed the gap in the third quarter, getting within 68-64 on Anfernee Simons’ off-balance jumper and free throw. Simons had 17 in the quarter and led the Blazers with 28.
Miami took a 94-83 lead into the final quarter and led the rest of the way.