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No Kevin Durant, but Suns beat Jazz by a long shot
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No Kevin Durant, but Suns beat Jazz by a long shot

NBA: Phoenix Suns at Utah JazzNovember 12, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) brings the ball down the court against Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory credits: Rob Gray-Imagn images

Devin Booker and Bradley Beal combined for 9 of 16 3-pointers en route to 24 and 31 points, respectively, and the Phoenix Suns opened NBA Cup group play with a 120-112 loss to the host Utah Jazz on Tuesday in Salt. More city.

Mason Plumlee recorded a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds, starting in place of an injured Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) for Phoenix, who also was without All-NBA forward Kevin Durant out for a second game due to a calf injury.

Despite missing two starters, Phoenix fell early to Utah.

The Suns trailed only briefly in the first quarter before going on a 15-4 run that opened their first double-digit lead of the night. Phoenix’s lead grew to as many as 18 in the second quarter.

Utah, looking for its first win at home this season, erased the deficit in the second half. Jordan Clarkson connected on a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute, both of which brought the Jazz within six points, but they couldn’t get any closer.

Phoenix’s 15-of-20 to 7-of-9 advantage at the free throw line helped keep Utah at bay. The Suns also benefited from beating the Jazz beyond the three-point arc on a night when both teams shot well from deep.

Beal, who shot 4-of-7, and Booker, who shot 5-of-9, helped Phoenix to an 18-of-39 (46.2 percent) performance from long range. Grayson Allen came off the bench to knock down 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, part of his 15 points.

Clarkson’s 4-of-9 night led Utah to 15-of-38 shooting (39.5 percent) from 3-point range, including the two down the stretch. Clarkson finished with 16 points off the bench. Jazz rookie Kyle Filipowski added 18 off the bench and Lauri Markkanen scored 17.

Utah also got a big second-half effort from John Collins, who scored six straight points midway through the fourth. Collins’ flurry, part of a team-high 29 points, couldn’t make a dent as Devin Booker answered with five points down the stretch and Royce O’Neal hit a 3-pointer that pushed Phoenix’s lead to 13.

–Field-level media