TORREY CRAIG

Devin Booker scored 28 points, Deandre Ayton added 20 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks 110-80 night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Luka Doncic had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks turned up the defensive pressure to get back in their Western Conference semifinal series with Phoenix, beating the Suns 103-94.

Bulls Suns Basketball Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee dives for the ball during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, March 18, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) (Rick Scuteri)PHOENIX — (AP) — Devin Booker scored 28 points and the Phoenix Suns moved closer to wrapping up the NBA’s best regular-season record, routing the Chicago Bulls 129-102 on Friday night. Cameron Payne scored 15 points, Torrey Craig and Landry Shamet had 14 each, JaVale McGee 12 and Mikael Bridges 11. The Suns (48.5%) and Bulls (48.2%) entered Friday as the top field-goal percentage teams in the NBA. Suns were 12 of 12 from the free-throw line, with Booker making seven.

Devin Booker scored 36 points,ikal Bridges added 26 and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns beat the Houston Rockets 129-112 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.

McCollum continued his scorching start with his new team by scoring 32 points, Ingram added 28 and the Pelicans earned an impressive road win over the Phoenix Suns, 117-102 on Friday night. “We're just starting to figure it out,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said about the McCollum-Ingram pairing.

Deandre Ayton got off to a quick start then couldn't do anything but watch as the Phoenix Suns were unable to take a stranglehold on the NBA Finals.

NBA Finals Bucks Suns Basketball Phoenix Suns forward Torrey Craig grabs his leg during the second half of Game 2 of basketball's NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday, July 8, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) (Ross D. Franklin)MILWAUKEE — (AP) — Phoenix Suns reserve forward Torrey Craig was available to play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night after injuring his right knee in Game 2. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 7.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 18.8 minutes in 32 regular-season games with the Suns. Sunday’s game in Milwaukee was a homecoming for Craig, who started the year with the Bucks before being traded to the Suns for cash considerations. Craig averaged 2.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 11.2 minutes in 18 games with the Bucks.

Phoenix Suns reserve forward Torrey Craig is available to play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday despite injuring his right knee in Game 2.

Phoenix Suns forward Dario Saric has a torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered during the first quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night.

This version of the Phoenix Suns will be a case study for future NBA general managers on how to build a championship contending roster in a hurry.

Devin Booker had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double and the Phoenix Suns overcame Chris Paul’s absence to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

Chris Paul had 17 points and 15 assists without a turnover, Devin Booker added 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns routed the Denver Nuggets 123-98 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Nuggets Suns Basketball Phoenix Suns fans cheer during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series abasing the Denver Nuggets, Monday, June 7, 2021, in Phoenix. As COVID-19 restrictions have slowly eased, the Phoenix Suns' fan base is relishing the team's return to playoffs for the first time in 11 years. The franchise welcomed a raucous sellout crowd of 16,219 on Monday night during its 122-105 victory in Game 1 over the Denver Nuggets. “This was the loudest game, to be honest, that I’ve ever played in,” Suns forward Deandre Ayton said. — PRESSURE IS ON: Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic.

APTOPIX Nuggets Suns Basketball Phoenix Suns forward Torrey Craig (12) shoots as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic defends during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Monday, June 7, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) (Matt York)PHOENIX — (AP) — Chris Paul and his rejuvenated right shoulder scored 21 points and dished 11 assists, Mikal Bridges added 23 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 122-105 on Monday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 22 points but went cold while the Suns made their second half run. Partly because of the shoulder injury, Paul averaged just 9.2 points per game against the Lakers in the first round. FLAVORTOWN IN PHOENIXCelebrity chef Guy Fieri was among the fans sitting courtside at Phoenix Suns Arena.

Chris Paul and his rejuvenated right shoulder scored 21 points and dished 11 assists, Mikal Bridges added 23 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 122-105 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Devin Booker scored 22 of his 47 points in a phenomenal first quarter, and the Phoenix Suns won their first playoff series since 2010, eliminating the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers with a 113-100 victory in Game 6.

Anthony Davis had 34 points and 11 rebounds, LeBron James added 21 points and nine assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated their first home playoff game in more than eight years with a 109-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Devin Booker hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the Phoenix Suns a 118-117 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Devin Booker scored 33 points and the Phoenix Suns capped a grueling road trip with a 118-110 victory that snapped the New York Knicks’ nine-game winning streak.

Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul added 29 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Utah Jazz 117-113 in overtime Wednesday night in an entertaining matchup between the top two teams in the NBA.

Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari (8) fouls Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 30, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)PHOENIX – Devin Booker scored 21 points, Dario Saric added 20 and the Phoenix Suns held on in the final minutes to beat the Atlanta Hawks 117-110 on Tuesday night. The Suns have won six of their past seven games, while the Hawks have dropped four of five. “We got a rhythm, got some stops and got back into the game,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. Saric added a perfect baseline bounce pass to a cutting Torrey Craig, who dunked to put the Suns ahead 98-90 a few minutes later.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, moves to the rim as Denver Nuggets forward JaMychal Green defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 8, 2021, in Denver. Middleton had 29 points and a career-high 12 assists, Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and the Milwaukee Bucks won their fifth straight game by beating the Denver Nuggets 125-112 on Monday night. “We still find ourselves trying to figure out how to be a team that plays a lot better in the second half,” Malone said. “We’ve lost three in a row because we haven’t defended anybody.”TIP-INSBucks: The Bucks outrebounded the Nuggets 50-38. “Hope that he's going to be well.”MAIN ATTRACTIONAsked about the marquee matchup between Jokic and Antetokounmpo, Malone feigned hurt feelings.

MILWAUKEE – Giannis Antetokounmpo praised the “amazing” moves the Milwaukee Bucks have made to improve the team, but the two-time reigning MVP stopped short Wednesday of saying he would sign a supermax contract extension offer. “Right now I’m not focusing on that,” Antetokounmpo said during his first preseason discussion with reporters. He has until Dec. 21 to sign the extension, or else he will be eligible to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season. The Bucks say the uncertainty surrounding Antetokounmpo's future hasn't impacted the team's focus as it gets ready for the season. When Antetokounmpo celebrated his 26th birthday on Sunday, each of the Bucks gave him a pen as a gift.

He helped the Jazz break open the game in the third quarter and increase the lead to 31 in the fourth. His performance was on the heels of scoring a Jazz playoff-record 57 points in a 135-125 overtime loss in Game 1. Jordan Clarkson scored a personal playoff-best 26 points on a day the Jazz shot 51.7% from the floor. We need the same energy and intensity.Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. had 28 points, and Nikola Jokic added 28 points and 11 rebounds. All of our games are usually close games and this one got away from us, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.

Each team will donate $1 million annually, or $30 million collectively, over those 10 years. NBPA President Chris Paul had said earlier in the season restart at Walt Disney World that $300 million would be the start, and now those plans are complete. All NBA team governors recognize our unique position to effect change and we are committed to supporting and empowering young Black men and women in each of our team markets as well as communities across the U.S. and Canada, NBA Board of Governors Chairman and Toronto Raptors Governor Larry Tanenbaum said. These are the three main areas of our social responsibility work at Monumental Sports & Entertainment and where we personally invest in our community, Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said. Efforts will be centered on helping people get a first job, finding careers after high school or college, then career advancement.

The key is can we finish, said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, Austin Rivers father. Whether it be a family problem, a kid problem, a wife problem, anything, there are issues that come in these guys life. Doc Rivers said in a weird way, there can be a positive to seeing players dealing with various issues. I think in a good way in this, the public actually sees that the NBA players actually are human and they do have regular life issues going on, the Clippers coach said. The problem is usually with the life issues you can come back to the team and play the next day.