MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Devin Booker scored 21 of his season-high 43 points in the third quarter to carry Phoenix in a 118-99 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night, the 14th win for the Suns in their last 17 games.
Booker made 15 of 26 shots from the floor, repeatedly blowing by his defenders for smooth pullup jumpers and traffic-beating, twisting layups to hit the 40-point mark for the 13th time in his six-year career and help the Suns overcome a sluggish start against the NBA’s worst team.
Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Chris Paul had 11 points and 15 assists for the Suns. They smashed open the game with a 21-3 run over a 3:48 span bridging the third and fourth quarters.
Anthony Edwards made a 3-pointer for Minnesota to cut the lead to 76-74, but Booker assisted on a 3-pointer by Cameron Johnson on the next possession and scored seven more points himself before the end of the period.
Edwards scored 24 points on 8-for-22 shooting for the Timberwolves, who were doing a decent job of defending everybody but Booker until fading hard in Finch’s first home game.
“He just kind of took the ball and put his head down and went and just made a play for himself,” said Finch, who replaced Ryan Saunders a week ago.
Minnesota has allowed 518 points in four games under Finch. Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves (7-27), who lost their eighth straight game and finished the month of February at 2-14.
With D’Angelo Russell sidelined after left knee surgery, the offense is running often through Edwards, the first pick in the draft who has been urged by Finch to attack the basket more. Edwards made all six of his free throws, drawing contact more often than that.
“I’m a rook. I may not get those calls this year, but it’s coming,” Edwards said, smiling as he admiringly changed the subject to Booker. “He was getting great calls, and that’s just respect. He’s good enough to earn those calls.”
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