LOS ANGELES – Kevin Durant scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 104-97 victory over reigning National Basketball Association (NBA) champions the Denver Nuggets on March 27, to keep things close at the top of the Western Conference.
The Suns made 16 three-pointers and never trailed after the first quarter in Denver.
Durant said it was not a matter of making a statement, but of paying attention to detail in a demanding final play-off push.
“I don’t know if you’re trying to show anybody anything,” the 35-year-old said. “I think (we’re) just trying to keep getting better... we’re just trying to play good ball.”
Suns coach Frank Vogel added: “We know what’s at stake. We know how many games we have left. We know what the schedule looks like.
“We still say we remain confident against anybody on the schedule, as illustrated by coming in and beating the champs in their building. So next game up. The competition is fierce.”
Denver’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, playing with a sore back and hip, scored 22 points with nine rebounds and 10 assists.
But the Nuggets clearly felt the absence of point guard Jamal Murray, who missed a third straight game with a sprained left ankle.
Said coach Michael Malone: “I think our guys definitely played hard. Could we have played better? Of course. And could we have made more shots? That definitely would have helped the outcome.”
It was just his team’s third defeat in 18 games since the All-Star break, but it left them just half a game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves (both 50-22) atop the West.
The Timberwolves beat the Detroit Pistons 106-91, but the short-handed Thunder fell to the red-hot Houston Rockets – who pushed their winning streak to 10 games with a 132-126 overtime triumph in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder were without star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was sidelined with a right quadriceps bruise.
Josh Giddey carried the load in his absence, scoring 31 points. But Houston’s Jalen Green led all scorers with 37 points and the Rockets outscored the Thunder 20-14 in overtime to seal the win.
Houston (37-35) remained a game behind the Golden State Warriors for 10th place and the last play-in berth in the West.
The Warriors, fuelled by 23 points from Andrew Wiggins and two late baskets by Stephen Curry, beat the Magic 101-93 in Orlando despite the ejection of Draymond Green just 3min 36sec into the contest.
Curry was left shaking his head when Green was tossed, receiving two quick technical fouls for heatedly arguing a foul call.
It was the fourth ejection of the season and 21st of his career for Green, who missed 16 games after he was suspended in December for swinging an arm into the head of Suns centre Jusuf Nurkic.
“Too bad,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Green’s ejection. “It was unfortunate. He deserved it and he’ll bounce back. I’m just proud of the guys for stepping up.”
“We need him. He knows that. We all know that,” Curry added of Green. “So, whatever we need to do to keep him on the floor and be available, that’s what’s got to happen. Especially at this point in the year. It was a tough way to start the game.”
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James returned from a one-game absence to post a triple-double of 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in a 136-124 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The 39-year-old sat out the Lakers’ double-overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on March 26 with a sore left ankle. Anthony Davis, who played nearly 52 minutes on March 26, was sidelined with a hyperextended left knee.
But Rui Hachimura provided a big lift, drilling seven of eight three-point attempts on the way to 32 points with 10 rebounds to help the Lakers (41-32) win their fifth straight game.
Said James: “Rui’s ability to shoot and spread the floor was big time for us.” AFP
