PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Green scored 31 points, Devin Booker had 26 and the Phoenix Suns routed the Utah Jazz 134-109 on Saturday night.
Grayson Allen added 19 points, Oso Ighodaro scored 13 and Khaman Maluach had 12 and nine rebounds for the Suns, who had lost six of their previous seven games. The win moved Phoenix within 3 1/2 games of sixth-place Houston, the last position to stay out of the Western Conference play-in round.
Neither Green nor Booker
played in the fourth quarter as the Suns cruised to the victory.
Brice Sensabaugh and Kyle Filipowski each scored 26 points for the Jazz, who lost their fifth in a row, seventh straight on the road and 10th of their last 11 overall. Svi Mykhailuk scored 14 points and Ace Bailey had all of his 13 points in the second half. Kennedy Chandler had 11 points and eight assists for Utah.
The Suns used a 21-2 run in the first quarter to open up a 37-17 lead. Green had 11 points in the quarter, making three of Phoenix’s eight 3-pointers in the period.
Phoenix posted its biggest halftime lead of the season at 73-45, led by Green's 20 points.
Sensabaugh (19 points) and Filipowski (17) had all but nine of Utah’s first-half points. The Jazz had 10 assists and 10 turnovers before halftime.
Utah is without regulars Lauri Markkanen (hip), Isaiah Collier (hamstring) and Keyonte George (leg). Already out for the season are Walker Kessler (shoulder) and Jaren Jackson (left knee).
Suns coach Jordan Ott said before the game that starters Dillon Brooks (broken hand) and Mark Williams (broken foot) have competed in 5-on-5 drills and could return during the Suns’ upcoming four-game road swing.
Jazz: Host Cleveland on Monday night.
Suns: Play at Memphis on Monday night.
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