Phoenix Suns drop 2nd straight in loss to Rockets; Durant reaches milestone

Kevin Durant's milestone and Bol Bol's season-best performance were tainted as the Phoenix Suns (33-24) lost 114-110 at the Houston Rockets (25-31) on Friday.

In their third consecutive game without Bradley Beal (hamstring), the Suns dropped their second straight since returning from the All-Star break.

Durant had the game-high 28 points, and passed Carmelo Anthony for ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list early in the fourth quarter. Durant added 11 rebounds and the team-high eight assists.

Bol Bol tremendously stepped up for Phoenix’s usual starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who was sidelined from a right ankle sprain. Bol had 25 points, team-high 14 rebounds, one steal, and one block in 26 minutes off the bench. Devin Booker matched Bol's 25 points in the loss.

Houston's Fred VanVleet had his team-high 23 points, five assists, and made six 3s, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 22 points and game-high 16 rebounds.

The Suns return home to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Suns continue shooting slump in 3rd quarter

Phoenix trails Houston 89-76 entering the fourth quarter.

Houston had a double-digit lead for most of the third quarter, as Phoenix still is struggling on both ends of the floor.

Phoenix had made just 4-of-22 from deep through three quarters compared to Houston's 13-of-35.

Devin Booker and Houston's Fred VanVleet are tied for the game-high 23 points, and Phoenix's backup center Bol Bol has a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Rockets take advantage as Suns go cold in 2nd quarter

Houston went on a 24-6 run to take a 57-52 lead over Phoenix entering halftime.

The Suns had their second-largest lead 13 at the five minute mark. Then the Rockets hit six of their 11 made 3s thereafter, and had their biggest lead eight before Grayson Allen hit a trey with four seconds left for the half's final field goal.

Allen has hit all three from deep for Phoenix, which is struggling at 3-of-17.

The Suns' top scorers are Devin Booker and Kevin Durant with 15 and 11 points, respectively. Bol Bol has been their bench's best contributor with eight points, team-high seven rebounds, and a steal.

The Rocket's top scorers are Fred VanVleet's 17 points and Jalen Green's 11. VanVleet's hit a game-high five treys thus far.

Suns jump out to lead, Rockets' run counters in 1st quarter

Phoenix gained a 16-point lead early in first quarter and leads 28-20 entering the second.

The Rockets answered that Suns run by outscoring them 12-2, which shaved the lead to six near the two-minute mark.

Devin Booker leads all scorers with nine points, but is off to a mere 4-of-13 shooting start.

The Suns shot a poor 1-for-10 from the 3 as well.

Suns-Rockets starting lineups

The Suns will start Eric Gordon to replace Bradley Beal in the backcourt with Devin Booker, forwards Grayson Allen and Kevin Durant, and Drew Eubanks gets the nod for the injured Jusuf Nurkic.

The Rockets are opening with guards Jalen Green and former All-Star Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. at the three and four spots, and their most versatile player Alperen Sengun in the middle.

Suns' Beal out again, new addition Young set to play

Bradley Beal (hamstring) and the Suns' starting big Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) have been ruled out against Houston.

The Republic's Duane Rankin reported from Suns coach Frank Vogel's pregame media availability that Beal hasn't progressed enough from Thursday to suit up against the Rockets.

Nurkic will miss just his fourth game his season, the least among Phoenix's starters.

Vogel added that the Suns' 17-year veteran forward Thaddeus Young is set to play. Young was officially signed from the buyout market on Tuesday, after he was waived by the Brooklyn Nets. He played 23 games for the Raptors this season, and was traded to Brooklyn on February 8th.

Houston's at full strength with no players on the team's injury report.

Beal, Nurkic doubtful against Rockets

Two of Phoenix's starters, Bradley Beal (left hamstring tightness) and Jusuf Nurkic (right ankle sprain), are listed as doubtful for Friday's game, per the team's pregame injury report.

Beal, Phoenix's third-leading scorer (18.2 points per game), has missed the previous two games and 25 total this season. The veteran center Nurkic has been the Suns' most consistent starter, appearing in 53 of their 56 games among the team's 18 different opening lineups.

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

Durant's encounter with fan in Dallas

The Republic's Duane Rankin reported about an incident Thursday night between Suns star Kevin Durant and a fan in Dallas. As Durant overheard a female fan call him "b----". He turned around and had a conversation with two fans, the other one being male. Both were wearing Dallas Mavericks gear.

Rankin talked about the situation in his story and explained why Durant didn't want the people removed from the arena. Read the full story in the link below.

More: 'Real human beings, too': Suns' Kevin Durant didn't have fan kicked out game for pregame insult

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns drop 2nd straight in loss to Rockets; Durant reaches milestone