Phoenix Suns dominate West's top team Minnesota Timberwolves for 3rd straight win

The Phoenix Suns (46-31) led the entire game in their 97-87 statement win over the Minnesota Timberwolves (53-24), the top team in the Western Conference, at home on Friday.

This is Phoenix's third straight victory, which ended Minnesota's win streak at two, and Phoenix remains ahead 2-0 in both team's three-game season series.

Grayson Allen scored the game-high 23 points (4-of-8 from the 3) in his return, and Kevin Durant had 22 for the Suns. The team's three other starters, Bradley Beal (14 points, 6-of-9 shooting), Jusuf Nurkic (11 points, 15 rebounds, six assists), and Devin Booker (13 points, 13 assists) all helped pile on the lead.

Minnesota's All-Star and best scorer Anthony Edwards was held to 17 points as he made just 6-of-19, and didn't score a field goal after 4:46 left in the third quarter.

After Booker hit his only trey around four minutes left to play, and extended the lead to 22, Minnesota coach Chris Finch conceded the loss and pulled out his starters.

The Suns will play the third of their four-game homestand against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Suns increase lead, turnovers in 3rd quarter

Phoenix has led the entire game, increasing the margin to its largest, 21, in the third period with the score 77-61 entering the fourth.

However, the Suns were a bit more careless in the third. They committed eight of their total 16 turnovers. Plus, the Suns went from 5-of-10 from the 3 at halftime to 1-of-7 since.

Grayson Allen has the game-high 20 points, followed by Kevin Durant's 18, Bradley Beal's 14 and Devin Booker's 10 points with 10 assists.

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards has 17 on 6-of-18 shooting.

Durant, Suns outpace T-wolves to stay ahead in 2nd quarter

Led by Kevin Durant (14 points 5-of-7 shooting), Phoenix has led a balanced attack on both end of the floor and is still up over Minnesota, 57-41, at the intermission.

Two additional Phoenix starters in Grayson Allen (13 points, 3-of-5 from deep) and Bradley Beal (11 points, 5-of-5 FG) have scored in double figures. Devin Booker had eight points and eight assists, and Jusuf Nurkic has four points with four rebounds and five assists.

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards has his team's most 13 points and five rebounds.

Phoenix is giving the league's top-ranked defense Minnesota a taste of their own medicine. The Suns have snared eight steals, and scored 19 points off 14 caused turnovers. Also, the Suns held the Timberwolves, the league's second-best at preventing paint-scoring, to just 10 points in paint to Phoenix's 26. Lastly, the Suns are outpacing the Timberwolves in the open floor 13-3 in fast break points.

Durant, Beal drive Suns' surge in 1st quarter

Phoenix jumped to 15-0 lead, and its biggest lead was 17 points before ending the first quarter on a 32-20 lead over Minnesota.

Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal scored nine points to spark the Suns.

Timberwolves' top scorer Anthony Edwards has eight points.

Starting lineups; Suns' Allen, Nurkic ruled in

Two of Phoenix's starters Grayson Allen (hip) and center Jusuf Nurkic will suit up against Minnesota. They were respectively upgraded from probable and questionable available.

Allen and Nurkic will open with guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant.

Minnesota will start Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards in the backcourt, Jaden McDaniel and Naz Reid at the three and four spot, and Rudy Gobert at center.

Injury reports: Suns' Allen probable, Nurkic questionable; T-wolves' Towns still out

Grayson Allen (left hip soreness), the league's best in 3-point shooting percentage, is listed as probable for Phoenix. Allen missed the Suns' win over Cleveland on Wednesday, his seventh absence this season. Starting big and top rebounder Jusuf Nurkic (left calf soreness) is questionable. Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) remains out as he has been all season.

Minnesota All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns (left meniscus tear) remains out indefinitely and has missed the team's past 14 games since March 7. The Timberwolves backup shooting guard Jaylen Clark (right Achilles tendon rupture) is out, too.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns dominate West's top team Timberwolves for third straight win