Booker, Durant combine for 72 points as Suns dominate Cavaliers for 2nd straight win

Devin Booker scored the game-high 40 points and Kevin Durant put up 32 as the Phoenix Suns (45-31) cruised to a 122-101 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers (46-31) on Wednesday.

This was Phoenix's second consecutive win as they swept the two-game season series against Cleveland.

The Suns dominated for most of the game, leading by as much as 28 in the first half. Royce O'Neale posted 17 points, which mostly came from his 5-of-7 from the perimeter, in his seventh start for Phoenix to replace the injured Grayson Allen. Bol Bol had 15 points (5-of-8, 3-of-4 from 3) and six rebounds off the bench.

The Cavaliers were led by All-Star Donovan Mitchell's team-high 24 points, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen each had 20 in the losing effort.

The Suns play next against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday at 7 p.m., the second of Phoenix's four-game homestand.

Booker, Durant drive Suns to counter Cavaliers' 3rd-quarter run

Devin Booker put up 15 of his total 34 points and Kevin Durant produced eight of his 25 in the third quarter to keep Phoenix ahead, 98-77.

The Cavaliers blitzed to a 19-5 run, ignited by Mitchell’s seven points during that surge, to start the second half and cut the lead to 11 near the seven-minute mark. The Suns briefly slumped shooting 2-for-9 during that stretch.

Booker and Durant repowered the Suns to counter Cleveland with a 19-4 run to push the lead back to 26, capped off by Bol Bol’s third trey. Bol has 15 points.

Mitchell has the Cavs' high 18 points (7-of-15 FG).

Booker, Durant continue driving Suns' domination in 2nd quarter

The Devin and Kevin Show continued for Suns' fans in the second quarter, which the team closed on a 72-47 lead.

Devin Booker leads all scorers with 19 points and Kevin Durant has 17. Royce O'Neale has 12 points from four made 3s, Bradley Beal has five points and has matched Booker's game-high five assists. Bol Bol has 12 points (4-of-7 shooting) off the bench.

The Suns extended their biggest lead to 28 at 1:14 left in the half, shot a stellar 12-of-18 from deep and 57.8% from the field overall, and are defending well against the Cavaliers' 3-point attempts by holding them to 4-of-15.

Cleveland's top contributors are Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley, who each have nine points.

Booker, Durant spark Suns surge in 1st quarter

Phoenix took control early and ended the first period with a 34-20 lead behind Devin Booker's 13 points and Kevin Durant's eight.

After Cleveland had an early five-point lead three minutes into the game, the Suns went on a 25-6 run for their largest advantage of 14 at one minute left.

Cleveland's big Jarrett Allen has its team-high eight points thus far.

Starting lineups

The Suns are starting guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, Royce O'Neale and Kevin Durant at the three and four spots, and Jusuf Nurkic at the pivot.

The Cavaliers are starting their All-Star Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in the backcourt, swingman Max Strus, along with their twin towers Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Suns' Allen ruled out

Grayson Allen (left hip soreness) will miss his seventh game this season. Suns coach Frank Vogel said during his pregame media session that Allen was downgraded from questionable to out because Allen's hip "flared up" when they beat the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.

Vogel added that backup forward Royce O'Neale will replace Allen's starting role.

Injury reports: Suns' top 3-point shooter Allen questionable

Grayson Allen, the NBA's leader in 3-point percentage (46.9%), is questionable for Phoenix due to left hip soreness. He's started in all 69 of his appearances this season, and is Phoenix's fourth-best scorer (13.4 points per game) behind its Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The only other Suns player listed on the pregame injury report is Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery), who's been out all season.

The Cavaliers listed injury report includes Ty Jerome (right ankle surgery), Isaac Okoro (right great toe sprain), Craig Porter Jr. (illness), Dean Wade (right knee sprain), and Emoni Bates (G League – Two-Way), who all are out.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Booker, Durant combine for 72, Suns beat Cavaliers for 2nd straight win