Warren Scores 27 To Lead Well-Balanced Suns Past Bulls, 113-105
PHOENIX (AP) — T.J. Warren scored 27 points to lead six Phoenix players in double figures and the Suns handed the Chicago Bulls their sixth loss in seven games, 113-105 on Sunday night.
Rookie Lauri Markkanen, the former University of Arizona standout, scored a career-best 26 points for the Bulls in a matchup of the NBA's two youngest teams.
Devin Booker and Mike James added 15 points apiece for Phoenix. Eight of James' points came in the final 10 minutes. Troy Daniels added 14 for the Suns, including four of seven 3s. Centers Greg Monroe and Alex Len had 10 apiece.
Kris Dunn scored 17 points and Robin Lopez 16 for the Bulls. They were coming off a Friday night victory over Charlotte that snapped a five-game losing streak.
The Suns scored the first seven of the second quarter to tie it at 37 and neither team led by more than six the rest of the half. Warren's layup capped a 10-0 run that gave Phoenix a 54-48 lead with 2:42 left in the half and the Suns led 61-56 at the break.
Chicago outscored Phoenix 16-5 over a five-minute span to take an 84-79 lead with 2:17 left in the third. But the Bulls didn't score again in the quarter while Daniels and Josh Jackson each sank 3-pointers to put the Suns up 85-84 entering the fourth.
Phoenix took the lead for good 87-85 on Len's stuff. James scored six and Warren the final four in a decisive 15-5 run that put the Suns up 106-95 with 3:37 to go.
Chicago cut it to 108-103 on Markkanen's fourth 3 with 1:37 to play and got the ball back. But Dunn threw it away and the Suns held on for the win.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Chicago has not won two in a row yet this season. ... Bulls opened a four-game road trip. ... Ex-Sun Robin Lopez had 10 points and five rebounds in the first quarter, six points and five rebounds the rest of the way. ... Teams have split their series each of the previous three seasons.
Suns: Phoenix won consecutive games for the third time this season. ... Suns had a season-high 32 assists on 45 baskets. Their previous season high was 28 assists in each of the two previous games. ... Booker, who has seven 30-point games this season, was just 5 of 15 from the field. ... Phoenix is in midst of stretch when nine of 10 games are at home.
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Suns: Host Milwaukee in the return to Phoenix of Eric Bledsoe on Tuesday night.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.
