Quick Recap: Suns get a much needed 100-98 win over Minnesota

It wasn’t really a pretty win but a win is a win and the Suns needed one tonight. They haven’t been below .500 all season long and this one pushes them back up above that mark with an 8-7 record.

Devin Booker came up just one assist short of his first ever triple-double with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists... and he would have gotten there if his teammates had been shooting better tonight. Kelly Oubre Jr. had a double-double of his own with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns had 31 points and 16 rebounds for the Timberwolves and Keita Bates-Diop added 22 point off the bench. Andrew Wiggins also scored 22.

Both teams shot poorly tonight. The Suns shot only 34.4% from the field and 28.6% from three. The Wolves were better from the field hitting 41.8% of their shots and an equal 28.6% from three. The Suns really won the game from the free throw line as they made 24 of 26 (92.3%) as opposed to 10 of 17 (58.8%) from the line for Minnesota. Eleven of Booker’s 35 points came at the line.

Rebounds were essentially equal for the teams tonight (Suns 56, Wolves 57) which also played a big part in the win for a normally weak rebounding Suns team. The Suns also took good care of the ball today and had only 7 turnovers as opposed to 14 for the T-wolves.

Even though they were down two starters and their shots weren’t falling, the Suns stayed disciplined, played smart and came away with a win on the road.

1st Quarter

Wolves win the tip but fail to score. Oubre hits a trey on the other end! Suns have an early 9-2 lead after 3 made threes by Oubre, Sraic and Kaminsky.

Suns picking up fouls early, two on Saric already with 8:56 remaining. Wolves tie the game at 9.

Wolves make a 12-0 run to take a 14-9 lead. Suns call time with 7:50 left in the first.

Suns were cold for a while but are heating back up and take a 17-16 lead after an 8-0 run of their own. Suns have already hit 5 of 7 threes so far.

Kaminsky blocked Wiggins’ shot... but KAT puts it in any way. Oubre goes to the line for an and-1 and the Suns take back the lead 22-21... and a steal leads to a Booker dunk!

Wolves answer on the other end. Suns lead 24-23.

Suns have missed some shots in near the basket but Saric finally gets on to go. Bridges goes to the line and hits 2 FTs. Suns up 28-23.

Another Suns’ layup rolls off the rim but Tyler Johnson goes to the line and makes both. Suns are on a 12-2 run.

Elie Okobo’s last second shot rims out and the Suns lead 30-23 at the end of the 1st.

2nd Quarter

All the Suns’ starters are on the bench to start the 2nd quarter. Diallo hits a 15 ft jumper!

Lots of misses by both teams since Diallo’s score.

Okobo is fould and goes to the line where he makes 1 of 2.

League Pass just completely crapped out on me for a while. I missed a lot but the Suns are up 40-36 with 5:46 left in the half.

After several misses by both teams, Kaminsky hits another 3. Suns up 43-36 at the 3:51 mark.

Neither team is shooting well in this game. Suns are up 47-40. suns have only 4 turnovers so far. Wolves have 9.

Book blocks KAT!

Suns lead 52-45 at the end of the half.

At the Half

Neither team shot well in the 1st half. The Suns were 19-52 from the field for 36.5% but hit on 36.4% of their threes. Minnesota was 18-48 from the field for 37.5% and shot only 27.3% from three.

Rebounding is tied at 29 per team and the Suns committed only 4 turnovers as opposed to 9 for the Wolves. The Suns also lead in assists 17 to 10.

Oubre has 14 points for the Suns, Booker has 8. Towns leads the Wolves with 17 points and Wiggins has 12. Only 5 Minnesota players have scored and 8 have put points on the board for the Suns.

Devin Booker leads the Suns in rebounding with 7. Towns has 9 for the Wolves. Booker also has 6 assists. Teague leads Minnesota with 4 assists.

3rd Quarter

Book adds 2 to start the 3rd. Book gets his 8th rebound and then his 12th point... and one more as he’s fouled and gets the FT.

Book scores again! Suns up 59-47.

Wolves cut the lead down to 59-51 but Oubre gets fouled and makes 2 at the FT line to put the Suns up 61-51.

Suns have been playing good D but the Wolves have gone on a run to cut the Suns’ lead to 61-59 at the 7:37 mark. Book goes to the line and adds 2 more after Wiggins picks up his 3rd foul.

Book now has 9 rebounds but a miss by Kaminsky leads to foul on the other end and a trip to the line for an and-1 for the Wolves. Time called with 6:49 left in the 3rd and the Suns leading 63-61.

63-62 suns lead. Book draws another foul and makes both. Wolves hit a three and it’s tied at 65.

Oubre misses a trey but is fouled and hits all three. He has 19 points now. Wolves turn it over but Suns can’t convert. Wolves score on the other end. Suns lead 68-67.

Book goes to the line again and makes both.

Booker is getting hot, he has 25 points now. Suns up 76-69 after a Bridges score.

Time out with 2:20 to go in the 3rd. Suns up 76-71.

Cam Johnson hits a 3 but Booker takes a shot but seems okay. Suns up 79-71. Good D by the Suns and Oubre gets back to the line. He misses the first but hits the second.

Suns lead 82-73 at the end of the third quarter.

4th Quarter

I swear I just saw Silent Bob sitting court-side as the start of the 4th was delayed by a cleanup.

Suns lead 85-77 after more League Pass hiccups made me miss the first 2 mins of the 4th. I had to finally switch to audio only because it’s so messed up today.

Suns up 87-77 as Book gets his 27th point. 8:25 left in the game.

Minnesota hits a 3 and cuts the suns lead to 87-83 but the Suns return the favor and their lead is now 90-83 with 6:16 left to go.

Wolves score but Book answers with his 29th point. Minnesota gets 2 on the other end and time is called with 4:46 remaining and the Suns leading 92-88.

Starters plus Cam Johnson in for Saric on the floor for the Suns now.

Teams trade buckets and Booker gets blocked by Wiggins. Wolves miss. Suns miss. Minnesota calls time with 3:05 to play and the suns leading 94-90.

Booker now has 29 pts, 9 rebs and 9 assists.

Wolves score and the lead is down to 94-92. Wiggins picks up his 5th foul. Suns can’t score and the wolves have a chance to tie. Steal by the Suns and Booker scores! Suns back up by 4.

Wiggins scores and the lead is down to 2.

Booker draws another fouls and hits both. Suns up 98-94 with 48 seconds to go. Suns foul Teague and he makes only one but the Wolves get the rebound. Miss and the Suns have the ball. Towns misses a three, Booker grabs the rebound and gets fouled with 5 seconds to go.

Booker hits both FTs and the Suns go up 100-95.

Wolves hit a three with their last shot but it’s too late.

This game is over.

Suns win 100-98!