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PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 28 points, Mikal Bridges added a season-high 26 and the Phoenix Suns overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win their 10th straight game, beating the San Antonio Spurs 115-110 on Sunday night.
The NBA-leading Suns became the first team in the league with 40 wins — against only nine losses. The victory also assured that coach Monty Williams and the rest of the coaching staff will lead Team LeBron in the All-Star Game next month.
Booker hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth to turn a two-point deficit into a 112-108 lead with 1:18 left. He finished 12 of 24 from the field, going 4 of 9 from 3-point range.
The Spurs took a 91-79 lead into the final quarter, but the Suns erased that advantage in less than 3 1/2 minutes. They used a 14-point run — highlighted by Cam Johnson’s powerful one-handed jam — to take a 96-93 lead.
The game stayed tight from that point forward until Booker’s two big shots pushed the Suns ahead for good. Booker didn’t have a particularly great shooting game until that point, but was clutch when needed.
Phoenix point guard Chris Paul had another huge game with 20 points, 19 assists and eight rebounds, just two nights after he had his 18th career triple-double. Bridges shot 11 of 16 from the field.
Doug McDermott led San Antonio with 24 points. Lonnie Walker IV added 22 off the bench.
JaVale McGee returned to the Suns after missing two games with left knee soreness. Starters Deandre Ayton (right ankle sprain) and Jae Crowder (left wrist contusion) and key backup Cameron Payne (right wrist sprain) remained out.
The Spurs were missing three starters, guards Derrick White (rest) and Dejounte Murray (left knee contusion) and forward Jakob Poeltl (low back soreness).
That didn’t keep them from a fast start. San Antonio shot 54% in the first quarter to take a 31-23 lead and had a 55-50 advantage at halftime.
Tre Jones led the Spurs with 13 points before the break while McDermott added 12. Booker had 15 points for the Suns, who shot just 3 of 19 (15.8%) from 3-point range.
HAWKS 129, LAKERS 121
ATLANTA — Trae Young scored 36 points and Atlanta won its seventh straight, rallying in the fourth quarter to beat Los Angeles.
Young also had 12 assists. John Collins added 20 points with 11 rebounds, and Clint Capela scored 15 points.
Malik Monk led Los Angeles with 33 points in the Lakers’ third consecutive loss, all without LeBron James. James was not with the team due to continued swelling in his left knee. He returned to Los Angeles for treatment.
Anthony Davis, returning after missing one game with a sore right wrist, had 27 points for Los Angeles. Russell Westbrook added 20 points.
NUGGETS 136, BUCKS 100
MILWAUKEE — Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds to help Denver rout Milwaukee.
The reigning NBA MVP just missed his 13th triple-double of the season. He matched his season high for assists.
Aaron Gordon scored 24 points, Monte Morris had 18 and Will Barton 15 for the Nuggets. They improved to 4-0 on a six-game trip and matched their longest winning streak of the season. Denver has won six of the last seven and 13 of the last 19 road games against Milwaukee.
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 of his 29 points in the first half. He was the MVP in consecutive seasons before Jokic earned that honor last season.
TIMBERWOLVES 126, JAZZ 106
MINNEAPOLIS —Karl-Anthony Towns had 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Jaden McDaniels scored a season-high 22 points off the bench and Minnesota routed short-handed Utah.
Towns scored 16 straight points as the Wolves pushed a four-point halftime lead to 17 entering the fourth quarter.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 for Utah. The Jazz have lost five straight.
Playing without Donovan Mitchell (concussion) and Rudy Gobert (left calf strain), the Jazz suffered another setback when forward Joe Ingles exited the game in the second quarter with a left knee injury.
BULLS 130, TRAIL BLAZERS 116
CHICAGO — Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan added 23 points and 10 assists and Chicago overcame a slow to start to beat Portland.
Zach LaVine had 20 points, and Ayo Dosunmu finished with 11 assists. Chicago has won three of four to improve to 31-18.
C.J. McCollum had 29 points for Portland. Norman Powell added 22, and Anfernee Simons had 21.
CLIPPERS 115, HORNETS 90
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Reggie Jackson and Brandon Boston Jr. each scored 19 points, helping Los Angeles beat Charlotte.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 16 points for the Clippers. They improved to 4-3 on an eight-game trip.
LaMelo Ball had 23 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and no turnovers for Charlotte. Miles Bridges had 18 points and nine rebounds.
PISTONS 115, CAVALIERS 105
DETROIT — Saddiq Bey scored 31 points, Cade Cunningham had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and the Detroit Pistons overcame a terrible start to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-105 on Sunday night.
After Cleveland raced to a 15-0 lead, Detroit cut it to 55-49 at halftime, and finally took its first lead in the fourth quarter. Cunningham finished with the triple-double after failing to score in the first half.
Darius Garland had 24 points for Cleveland. The Cavaliers lost for the second time in 10 games.
MAGIC 110, MAVERICKS 108
ORLANDO, Fla. — Franz Wagner scored 18 points, including the tiebreaking layup with 54 seconds remaining, and Orlando Magic overcame Luka Doncic’s seventh triple-double of the season to beat Dallas.
Chuma Okeke scored 19 points and helped NBA-worst Orlando win consecutive games for the second time this season.
Doncic had 34 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his 43rd career triple-double.