Durant, Suns hand Wizards 13th straight loss
Published
PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Nick Richards added 20 points along with a career-high 19 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns held off the Washington Wizards 119-109 on Saturday night.
The Suns have won eight of 11. Bradley Beal scored 20 points and Devin Booker added 18 despite missing all eight of his 3-point attempts.
The Wizards are an NBA-worst 6-38. Their last victory came on Jan. 1. Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Jordan Poole added 19 points.
Phoenix led 111-98 with about four minutes remaining, but Washington cut it to 113-109 when Kuzma banked in a 3-pointer with 1:57 left. Richards responded with two free throws on the next possession to turn back the threat.
Grayson Allen made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Suns a 68-53 halftime lead. Richards — recently acquired in a trade with Charlotte — had 15 rebounds in the half.
Takeaways
Wizards: Washington's losing streak is approaching a month. The Wizards are obviously athletic and had a few spectacular dunks, but there's not much consistency on either end of the court.
Suns: There's a lot uncertainty about the team's roster ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but despite the turmoil, the Suns are playing some decent basketball. Richards has been a great addition through four games. Rookie Ryan Dunn left early in the first quarter and didn't return because of a sprained left ankle.
Key moment
The Wizards cut the Suns' lead to 87-83 in the third quarter, but Durant responded with three straight baskets, including a 3-pointer.
Key stat
The Suns went on a 17-2 run midway through the first quarter to take a 14-point lead. They wouldn't trail again.
Up next
Both teams are back in action Monday night. The Wizards are at Dallas, and the Suns host the Los Angeles Clippers.
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