Booker, Phoenix jumps out hot shooting in the 1st quarter

On By Littum

game

The Phoenix Suns (10-7) faces Brooklyn Nets (8-10) Wednesday, airs on Arizona’s Family (Ch. 3 TV) at 19.00

This is the Suns’ second of back-to-back games, the fourth of their six-game homestand and the first of their home-and-away series against the Nets.

The Suns are coming off a 127-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, who snapped a five-game losing streak. The game reunited the Big 3 of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal after the latter two players returned from calf strains. Durant missed seven games and Beal five.

The Nets have won their last two. They are led by former Suns starter and 3-point shooter Cameron Johnson.

Check azcentral for live updates of scores, highlights and stats during the Suns-Nets game.

Booker, sun shoots hot in the 1st quarter

Phoenix is ​​off to a sizzling 75% shooting start to lead Brooklyn 37-34 to close the opening quarter.

Booker scored 11 points to lead all scorers, including his four-point play to give the Suns their biggest lead of seven at the 3:15 mark.

Brooklyn, led by Tyrese Martin’s nine points and Ben Simmons’ eight, trailed Phoenix throughout the first. But the Nets have shot well at 50% and 46.2% from 3.

The Suns and Nets have hit five and six respectively from deep.

Starting lineups

The Suns start Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic from one through five.

The Nets will open with Dennis Schröder and Cam Johnson in the backcourt, Ben Simmons and Ziaire Williams at forward and Dorian Finney-Smith at center.

Nets’ Johnson returns to the Valley

Cam Johnson is back in Phoenix.

This is the second the former Suns fan favorite has returned to Phoenix since being traded Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and a bunch of future first-round draft picks to Brooklyn for Kevin Durant.

Johnson is blossoming as the Nets’ second-leading scorer this season, averaging a career-best 18.9 points on 18.9 and .498/.431./906 shooting splits.

He was drafted by the Suns in the first round in 2019 and was a key player in their 2021 NBA Finals run.

Durant, Beal in

Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal (left calf – injury management) have been upgraded to unavailable.

Suns’ Beal questionable, Nets’ Thomas out

Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are back on the Suns’ injury report after their return against the Lakers. Durant is listed as probable and Beal is questionable with injury management after left calf strains on the sidelines for both players recently.

Net’s damage report is comprehensive. Their top scorer Cam Thomas (left hamstring) will be out for the next three to four weeks. Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle) is questionable. Bojan Bogdanovic (left foot), Nic Claxton (lower back), Noah Clowney (left ankle), Day’Ron Sharpe (left hamstring) and Jaylen Martin (G League – two-way) are out.