Booker returns with 31, but no Beal as Suns roll

Sports

PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 31 points in his return from a calf injury, Kevin Durant also scored 31 and the Phoenix Suns cruised past the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-115 on Wednesday night.

The Timberwolves had their seven-game winning streak snapped.

Booker returned after missing five games with a strained right calf. It was expected to be the first game of the season that all three Suns stars — Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal — played together, but Beal was a late scratch with a sore back.

The combo of Booker and Durant provided plenty of production. Booker shot 12-of-22 from the field, adding five assists and four rebounds. Durant made 11 of 15 shots.

Phoenix dominated for the majority of the night, taking a six-point lead after one quarter, a 22-point cushion at halftime and a 28-point advantage into the final quarter.

Eric Gordon scored 15 for the Suns, Grayson Allen added 14 and Drew Eubanks had 13, including a dunk over Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns led the Timberwolves with 25 points on his 28th birthday. Mike Conley had 14 points while Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels both scored 13.

The Suns took a 76-54 halftime lead after shooting 63% from the field. Booker scored 18 points while Durant added 17.

The Timberwolves were playing one night after an eventful game against the Golden State Warriors. An altercation between Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels escalated when Draymond Green grabbed Rudy Gobert around the neck and dragged him away.

Thompson, McDaniels and Green were all ejected. Green was given a five-game suspension by the NBA on Wednesday.

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