Devin Booker returns from injury, Kevin Durant relocates shooting touch in leading Suns past Grizzlies

The Phoenix Suns once again made it interesting in the fourth quarter.

They allowed 37 points in the fourth, were sloppy with the ball late and Memphis hit the turbo button in speeding the game up, but the Suns managed a 116-109 victory Saturday night in Devin Booker’s return from a right ankle sprain.

Booker posted 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 37 minutes before a sellout crowd of 17,071 at Footprint Center excited to see him back on the floor.

No minute restriction for Booker.

He missed Friday’s loss to the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets after spraining his ankle early in the second half of Wednesday’s setback at Toronto.

He looked good physically. Played even better.

Kevin Durant added 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting after going 0-for-10 in second half of Friday’s loss.

Durant relocated the touch. Played with his usual efficiency.

The Suns (12-8) utilized a 14-0 run to take a 69-57 advantage in the third quarter as Booker scored eight points in the run.

Phoenix couldn’t contain Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane as it did when the two combined for 19 points in their Nov. 24 win at Memphis in the NBA In-Season Tournament group play.

Jackson posted a season-high 37 points and nine rebounds while Bane scored 20 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the short-handed Grizzlies (5-14), who are without the suspended Ja Morant and multiple players sitting with long-term injuries.

The Suns may have been running on near empty at the end, but Phoenix got back on the winning track after losing two straight. They were minus Eric Gordon, who was ruled out with a right knee contusion.

Here's what we learned as Phoenix attempted 43 free throws Saturday, making 34, after going 24-of-26 in Friday’s loss.

Nine and counting

Through 20 games, the Suns have had nine different starting lineups.

Having guys in and out has a lot to do with that. Bradley Beal (back) has only played in three games.

Booker and Durant have missed time. Gordon didn’t play Saturday.

Jusuf Nurkic is the only one to start every game for the Suns this season.

So, Suns coach Frank Vogel has had to do his share of mixing and matching, but he came into the season saying that matchups were going to have a say in who’d be the fifth starter.

The five that took the floor Saturday night – Josh Okogie, Grayson Allen, Booker, Durant and Nurkic made their third start together.

The Suns are 2-1 with unit as Okogie made his mark with hustle plays including two that led to 3s by Durant and Allen in the first half. He also took on the challenge of guarding Bane.

Started good, ended rough as Bane scored 20 points in the fourth. Young man caught fire as the Grizzlies rallied to make it way more interesting than it should've been, but he had just seven points through the first three quarters.

Wondering what is their most successful starting lineup?

Gordon, Allen, Booker, Durant and Nurkic. The Suns are 5-0 with group that features a three-guard look taking the floor to start a game.

Okogie came off the bench when Phoenix won at Memphis after Keita Bates-Diop started. Bane scored just six points on 3-of-12 shooting (0-for-5 from 3) as Okogie played a role in that.

So, it makes sense for Okogie to start. Plus he scored 13 points off the bench Friday night, but Bates-Diop started that game.

Sorry I took the scenic route to reach the following prediction.

The Suns, even when Beal comes back, won’t have a consistent lineup because Vogel appears to be driven by matchups.

He values cohesion, but matching up against teams helps him determine defensive strategy.

Injuries have prevented him from having a consistent starting unit, but even when healthy, if the Suns ever do so this season, expect different lineups.

Nurkic finding his game, attitude

He’s coming off a season-high 31-point effort Friday night against two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Nurkic was upset about losing, but he had to feel good about his play.

Less than 24 hours later, Nurkic posted a near double-double of 14 points and nine rebounds – with attitude.

Now, he got denied at the rim multiple times.

Former Suns backup big Bismack Biyombo returned him to sender, but Nurkic continued to use his size to try to score and finished his share, but two plays stood out that show he’s more comfortable.

After getting called for an offensive foul and watching Jaren Jackson Jr.’s embellish it, Nurkic stared at him from the baseline to when he walked to midcourt.

Then after later getting fouled on the other end, Nurkic started clapping on the baseline and the fans in that area reacted and clapped with him.

Listen, dude is going to foul. He came into the game averaging 3.5 PFs.

Had four after three quarters, later fouled out, but the Suns can live with that if he’s scoring, rebounding and finding Booker and Durant for back-cut layups.

His passing is why the Suns say he’s a “better fit” than Deandre Ayton, but he’s got to do more than that.

Recently, he has.

Said it before, will say it again.

If Nurkic can be a difference maker in the Suns winning a championship, he’ll not only forever be revered here, but Phoenix also will win that part of the three-team trade that sent Ayton to the Blazers.

Booker’s return

Booker had quick, fluid movement early in the game.

He didn’t display any of that after returning from the injury Wednesday night in Toronto.

Beyond that, Booker was looking to beat people off the dribble, something he didn’t even look to attempt Wednesday night.

Then when he went to the basket, took off and found Yuta Watanabe for corner 3 and came down clean and without any grimacing, that was an indication he’s good.

Then Booker pulled off the crossover, spin move to the rim to put Phoenix up 69-57 with 5:57 left in the third and forced Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins to call a timeout.

Yep. Ankle good.

Again, he wasn't on a minute restriction. Booker played the most of anyone in the first half – 17 minutes and 23 seconds.

The Suns will have Sunday off after a back-to-back and likely travel Monday to Los Angeles for Tuesday’s NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinal game.

Short flight.

Booker’s ankle shouldn’t swell and if it does, not nearly as much as it did when the Suns made the trip from Toronto back to Phoenix after the game.

Definitely not like his left ankle did after he sprained it in the season opener at Golden State. Booker revealed after Saturday's he could barely walk after traveling from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Three signs

Felt like Booker’s ideal return from the sprain would be Tuesday at the Lakers.

Hindsight being 20/20, playing a game before that was probably for the best, but here were three visible signs he was set to return Saturday.

One, he had normal movement after Friday’s shootaround and didn’t look limited. Not going full speed, but Booker wasn’t moving in slow motion either.

Two, Vogel said before Friday’s game if Booker can play Saturday, he will. You don’t say that if it's already predetermined that he won’t play.

Three, when Booker came out for his pregame workout and the Suns brought out a taller staff member to guard him.

That’s more than seeing how he feels. That’s game plan work.

Yep, he was going to play.

Booker later revealed after the game he tested the ankle Saturday morning at the team's practice facility.

"I knew I was ready to go," he said.

So, make that four reasons.

In-Season Tournament scenarios

Real quick.

A win over the Lakers will push the Suns into the Dec. 7 semifinals at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas where they will play either the Kings or Pelicans.

The East quarterfinals matchups are Celtics at Pacers and Knicks at Bucks.

The Suns are 0-2 against the Lakers, but Booker didn’t play in either game due to injuries. Looks like he’ll be good to go for this third matchup.

The tournament championship game is Dec. 9 in Vegas.

A loss to the Lakers will lead to the Suns playing Dec. 8 against either Sacramento or New Orleans.

If the Kings win, Phoenix will travel to New Orleans. If the Pelicans win, the Suns will host the Kings.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Devin Booker returns, Phoenix Suns 9-2 with him in lineup after topping Memphis Grizzlies