No Kevin Durant, but Suns overtake Jazz by long distance

Devin Booker and Bradley Beal combined for 9-of-16 3-pointers en route to 24 and 31 points, respectively, and the Phoenix Suns opened the NBA Cup group stage with a 120-112 loss to the host Utah Jazz on Tuesday in Salt Lake City.

Mason Plumlee recorded a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds starting in place of an injured Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) for Phoenix, which was also without All-NBA forward Kevin Durant for another game with a strain in the calf.

Despite missing two starters, Phoenix struck early against Utah.

The Suns trailed only momentarily in the first quarter before going on a 15-4 run that opened up their first double-digit lead of the night. Phoenix’s advantage grew to as many as 18 in the second quarter.

Utah, seeking its first win at home this season, rallied from a deficit in the second half. Jordan Clarkson connected on a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute, both of which pulled the Jazz within six, but they could get no closer.

Phoenix’s 15-of-20 to 7-of-9 edge at the free throw line helped keep Utah at arm’s length. The Suns also had the advantage of outscoring the Jazz beyond the 3-point arc on a night where both teams shot well from deep.

Beal, who shot 4-of-7, and Booker, who was 5-of-9, helped Phoenix to an 18-of-39 performance (46.2 percent) from long range. Grayson Allen came off the bench to knock down 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, part of his 15 points.

Clarkson’s 4-of-9 night led Utah to 15-of-38 shooting (39.5 percent) from 3-point range, including the two down the stretch. Clarkson finished with 16 points off the bench. Jazz rookie Kyle Filipowski added 18 off the bench and Lauri Markkanen scored 17.

Utah also got a big second-half effort from John Collins, who scored six straight points over a stretch midway through the fourth. Collins’ flurry, which was part of a team-high 29 points, couldn’t make a dent with Devin Booker responding with five points over the stretch and Royce O’Neal hitting a 3-pointer that pushed the Phoenix- the lead to 13.

–Field-level media