Phoenix Suns back to 6th in West, riding three-game win streak into final Spurs matchup

SAN ANTONIO — The Phoenix Suns take a three-game win streak, their longest since early February before the NBA All-Star break, into Monday’s final matchup against San Antonio at Frost Bank Center.

The Suns (42-29) rocked the Spurs, 131-106, on Saturday in San Antonio as Devin Booker posted a near triple double of 32 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in 30 minutes.

“It’s just everybody,” Booker said. “Team defense, we found a rhythm and that directly translates to the offensive side of the ball. We don’t want to get complacent. We have a lot to work on, but we’re taking steps in the right direction.”

Kevin Durant added 25 points in 31 minutes while Bradley Beal delivered a double-double of 13 points and a game-high 12 assists to match his season high for dimes.

“They did the best they could,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich about his 15-win team after the game. “I thought we had a little more contact and physicality in the second half, but you're not going to stop Book and KD from doing what they're doing, and Bradley is healthy now. That's a pretty tough trio. Our guys did everything they could, and you move on.”

Beal has generated 49 assists to 19 turnovers in Phoenix’s last six games.

“He’s reshaping his game for this team,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “This role is different than some of the roles he’s had on his teams in Washington. He’s going to do whatever the team needs. To see him playing this way is really uplifting to our whole group. Efficient scoring the basketball, efficient with ball security and he’s defending his butt off, too. His ball containment is the best on our team right now.”

The Suns had 38 assists to just 10 turnovers Saturday after committing 23 turnovers against Philadelphia and 17 versus Atlanta in their previous two games.

“We were in straightforward attack mode,” Suns veteran guard Eric Gordon said. “No second guessing and when you’re in attack mode, I think it’s easier to make the right play.”

The Suns also limited Victor Wembanyama to just 13 points in 21 minutes as Durant took on the defensive challenge of guarding the 7-5 rookie phenom out of France.

“It’s a team effort with him,” Durant said. “He’s a load. It’s tough. He’s so long. You feel like you’re playing good defense, he still can get around you because of his length. Then you look up, he’s at the rim. I think it was a team effort. Guys were there for one another and we were able to just get in his way a little bit.”

Phoenix got Josh Okogie back from a lower abdominal strain that kept him sidelined for 10 games. Okogie had last played on March 2 at Houston. He didn’t score Saturday on two shot attempts in nine minutes.

“Josh is somebody we really value because of his defensive disposition, his intangibles, his energy plays, offensive rebounds, all those types of things,” Vogel said before Saturday’s game.” One of our smarter players. We’re excited to get him back.”

Phoenix hadn’t won three games in a row since winning Feb. 4 at Washington and topping Milwaukee and Utah at home.

The Suns are sixth in the West with a half-game lead over the Kings (41-29) and Mavericks (41-29). Dallas has the tiebreaker over Phoenix while Sacramento has split its four games against the Suns.

The Kings and Suns will meet for a fifth and final time in the regular season on April 12 in Sacramento.

The two Pacific Division teams usually play each other four times, two at home, and two away, but they drew an extra matchup from the first NBA In-Season Tournament.

They played each other after losing in the tournament quarterfinals with the game being played in Phoenix to give the Suns three home games against 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: Phoenix Suns back to 6th in West, riding three-game win streak