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Turkish national team player Alperen Sengun scored 15 points as Houston lost 102-99 to Phoenix in the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Saturday night at the Mortgage Matchup Center, the Suns’ home arena.
Sengun played about 32 minutes and also recorded six rebounds, five assists, and one block, a defensive play that stops an opponent’s shot.
Houston, which suffered its third loss of the season, was led by Kevin Durant with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Amen Thompson scored 17 points, Fred VanVleet had 16, and Jabari Smith Jr. added 15, matching Sengun’s total.
Phoenix shot 76% (16 of 21) in the first quarter to build a 35-23 lead and led by 19 in the second quarter. Houston finished the half on a 22-3 run to tie the game at 47, while Phoenix went four of 19 from the field in the second quarter.
VanVleet’s jumper tied it with under a minute to go before halftime. He had 10 points in the second quarter and 13 for the half. Khaman Maluach had 11 points off the bench to lead Phoenix before the break.
Devin Booker scored 24 points, including seven straight to break a late tie.
He broke a 95-95 tie with a basket with just under four minutes left, then hit a three-pointer to make it 100-95. Another basket with 2:30 left put Phoenix up by seven, and Houston could not come back.
Former Phoenix player Durant missed a three-point attempt in the final seconds, and the Suns ran out the clock.
Jalen Green had 16 points, Miles Bridges added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Dillon Brooks scored 11 for Phoenix, which snapped an eight-game losing streak against Houston.
Phoenix, which beat Orlando on Thursday night, has won consecutive games for the first time this season and improved to three wins.
Booker played in his 745th career game, passing Steve Nash for third place in Suns history.
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