Devin Booker scored 27 points to lead six Phoenix scorers in double figures as the Suns opened a five-game homestand with their most lopsided win of the season, a 129-89 blowout of the Toronto Raptors on Monday.
Phoenix (32-37) opened the second quarter on a 23-4 run lasting 5:44 and took control from there. A dominant 39-11 second period sent the Suns into intermission with a 23-point lead, and the margin only snowballed from there.
The 89 points Phoenix surrendered marked the second fewest the Suns have given up this season, the result of holding Toronto to 31-of-87 shooting from the floor (35.6 percent). The Raptors’ top three scorers — Scottie Barnes with 16 points, Immanuel Quickley with 15 and Jamison Battle with 14 — shot 5-for-13, 5-for-14 and 5-for-14 from the field, respectively.
The Suns, meanwhile, went 47-for-92 (51.1 percent) from the floor and a torrid 20 of 39 (51.3 percent) from 3-point range. Tyus Jones (15 points) and Monte Morris (12 points) came off the bench to go 4-for-7 and 4-for-4 from deep, respectively.
Royce O’Neale and Booker each shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. O’Neale finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds in reserve duty.
Oso Ighodaro nearly posted a double-double off the bench as well, going for nine points and nine rebounds. Ryan Dunn scored 17 points for the Suns, Kevin Durant added 14 and Nick Richards scored 10 points.
Toronto (24-45) cut the 23-point halftime lead to 19 twice early in the third quarter before giving up 22 points in less than six minutes to end the period.
The Raptors could not overcome their poor shooting or giving up 20 points off turnovers to the nine they scored off Phoenix’s giveaways.
Toronto remained without R.J. Barrett (illness) while Ochai Agabji — who returned to the lineup on Sunday after a two-week absence — sat on Monday. The Raptors rested Jakob Poeltl.
A.J. Lawson and Orlando Robinson came off the bench to score 12 points each for the Raptors. Colin Castleton finished with 10 points. Quickley produced seven rebounds and a game-high seven assists.
–Field Level Media
