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Suns’ win 5th in a row behind Durant’s 35 vs. 76ers
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Suns’ win 5th in a row behind Durant’s 35 vs. 76ers

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Kevin Durant’s fourth-quarter heroics led the Phoenix Suns over the Philadelphia 76ers 118-116 on Monday at Footprint Center. Durant scored 15 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth.

The Suns won their fifth straight game, while the Sixers (1-5) dropped their third straight game.

Philly was without injured former MVP Joel Embiid, but All-Star Tyrese Maxey stepped up with a team-high 32 points. Guerschon Yabusele contributed 19 points, while another 2024 All-Star, Paul George, had 15 points in his season debut.

Yabusele hit a driving layup to push the Sixers’ lead to 115-108 with just 3:39 left in the fourth, but the Suns rallied with an 8-0 run.

Jusuf Nurkic hit a layup, Durant and Grayson Allen each hit a pair of free throws and the Suns kept the defense in check.

Durant then hit a contested mid-range jump shot to put the Suns up 116-115 with one minute left. Maxey tied the game at 116 on the first of two free throws, but missed the next at 49 seconds. Then Durant had the go-ahead with 24 seconds left.

The game was a three-point game for Philly, who shot 20 of 51 to Phoenix’s 11 of 32.

Durant went 14-for-20 from the floor, falling behind co-star Devin Booker, who suffered a 3-for-18 night, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range.

Bradley Beal scored 17 points and went 3-for-5 from long range, and Nurkic finished with 15 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

The Suns play the final game of their three-game homestand against the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 7 p.m

Booker and Suns follow Sixers in the third quarter

Booker scored nine of his 13 points in the third period, and Phoenix leads Philly 94-93 entering the fourth.

The Suns and Sixers kept the margin tight in the third. The Suns led by four and Philly by three at different times.

The Suns dominate the paint, outscoring the Sixers 44-30 and outscoring them 12-4 in fast-break points. However, the Suns’ perimeter defense was lacking, allowing 15-of-37 from 3, including five treys in the third. Tyrese Maxey also scored 13 of his game-high 25 points for Philly in the third.

Durant and Beal keep warm hands in a tight 2nd quarter

Phoenix led Philly 65-63 at halftime.

Kevin Durant (15 points, 7-for-9 shooting) and Bradley Beal (12 points, 5-for-7 FG) remained popular as the Suns’ top scorers in the second quarter. Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen contributed 10 points off the bench.

Philly’s Kyle Lowry has a team-high 10 points, and All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have 12 and 10, respectively.

The Sixers led for most of the second quarter after the Suns led for most of the first quarter. Philly improved the score, 34-32, after a triple by the former Suns’ sixth man, Eric Gordon (7 points) at 10:20. They increased their largest lead to six just over a minute later, but after that there were four lead changes and four draws.

Suns rain from deep in the first quarter

Phoenix hit five threes to lead Philadelphia 28-26 to end the first period. Philly went 4-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Kevin Durant leads the Suns with six points. Philly’s veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has his high 10 off the bench.

The Suns gained their largest lead of 11 on their fourth 3 from Grayson Allen (5 points) at the four-minute mark. The Sixers then went on an 11-1 run to tie the score with Lowry with 46 seconds left, then Allen made a layup to regain the lead.

Beal in the Suns starting lineup

Bradley Beal (knee) has been upgraded from questionable to available. He will start for the Suns alongside point guard Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic.

The Sixers start Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., forwards Paul George and Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond at center.

Beal game time decision

Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said during this pregame media availability that Bradley Beal (knee) will do his individual warm-up before tipoff to see if he plays.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Paul George (knee) will be on a minutes restriction for his season debut.

Beal doubtful for Suns, Sixers’ George makes his debut

Bradley Beal (elbow) is listed as questionable after returning from the same injury in the Suns’ win over Portland on Saturday.

Former Sixers MVP Joel Embiid (knee) remains out after missing the entire preseason and the first five games. His new teammate and nine-time All-Star Paul George (knee) is expected to make his debut for Philly. George joined the team in free agency after leaving the Los Angeles Clippers.

Booker deserves NBA honors

Suns’ All-Star guard Devin Booker was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for October 28 through November. 3. Booker averaged 33.7 points in three games last week, along with 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. It was Booker’s 10th Player of the Week honor.

Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell won the Eastern Conference award. Last week he averaged 25.3 points.