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The Phoenix Suns face the Utah Jazz Monday night at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game tips off shortly and will be televised by Bally Sports Arizona.
The Suns are looking to follow up their win from Saturday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. It snapped a three-game losing streak for Phoenix and hopefully for the team, a return to consistent play.
Phoenix will return starting center Deandre Ayton, who missed the last four games due to a hip injury. Suns starting forward Kevin Durant, who sprained his ankle two weeks ago, could be back in the lineup Wednesday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Suns are looking for a win before they return home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday. Phoenix will also have a huge game Friday night against the first-place team in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets.
Here are live updates from Monday’s game and clips, which you can view on my Twitter page (@TrevorMBooth).
Fourth Quarter:
FINAL: #Suns 117
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Jazz 103
Phoenix gets its second straight win. Deandre Ayton returned and had 14 points and 8 rebounds. Devin Booker led with 24 points, 18 of which came in the first quarter.
The Suns face the Timberwolves Wednesday at home and could return Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/FPwVfJC2lM
TJ Warren with a huge 3-point play. Kevin Durant and others loved it on the bench. #Suns about to close this one, perhaps. They're up 103-89 with 6:18 left in the fourth. pic.twitter.com/lJZxgvNzrh
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Third Quarter:
— 3:41 left: The Jazz lead the Suns 78-76.
Utah went on a 10-0 run after the Suns led, 70-63, to take the lead. Phoenix has shot 50 percent from the field this quarter but the Jazz now have three players in double figures, led by Markkanen with 22.
Was this a goaltend or no? pic.twitter.com/41G1JwCt35
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Deandre Ayton with the hook after a few chaotic plays. #Suns back up by seven, 70-63, with 7:24 left in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/YOwy5XC245
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Some highlight plays from the third quarter:
Book with the hustle and and J.O. with the jam!
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 28, 2023
Things we love to see! pic.twitter.com/yfSiaFNyR6
CP3 tosses it ⬆️
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 28, 2023
DA hammers it ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5ocAbUn8Zs
Bismack Biyombo with the dunk. #Suns back up 82-81 late in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/PAKnvgOMzs
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
End 3Q: #Suns 84
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Jazz 81
In-game updates will slow down as I'll get ready to write our recap. Check out our story @BrightSideSun to see how the game has gone so far. https://t.co/hZ9F5udmK3
Close one between Phoenix and Utah. Here are stats through three quarters: pic.twitter.com/I8g5x6qpdD
Second Quarter:
— 6:50 left: The Suns lead the Jazz 46-37.
Phoenix built its lead to as large as 12 points before it called a timeout after a lob finish from Walker Kessler, which Lauri Markkanen assisted.
Utah is shooting 11-of-16 inside the arc and 3-of-15 from 3-point range. Phoenix is 16-of-38 from the field and 5-of-16 from 3-point range.
— 4:02 left: The Suns lead the Jazz 48-44.
Phoenix’s lead has been cut to two possessions. Kessler had a sequence in which he blocked two shots and recently had a follow-up dunk. He has three blocked shots to go along with a team-best 11 points with three rebounds.
Booker has not scored this quarter and hurt his hand after this play.
Walker Kessler ranks in the top-five in blocked shots per game, but the #Suns smartly attack him in the pick-and-roll here.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
This coverage is not going to work on Chris Paul: pic.twitter.com/e4ic8uqD6S
Not sure how it happened, but Devin Booker grabbed his hand while running down the floor after this play: pic.twitter.com/d1xIU1T0GN
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
HALFTIME: The Suns lead the Jazz 57-52.
Phoenix had a very poor second quarter as it shot 6-of-28 from the field. Four of those makes were from 3-point range.
The Suns had a difficult time in the paint against Kessler, who has three blocks. He is plus-four for the Jazz.
Booker did not score in the second quarter after he had 18 first-quarter points. He leads all Suns scorers.
Despite its offensive struggles, Phoenix has had all of its starters and five bench players score.
Here are some clips from the second quarter and halftime stats:
Damion Lee has not played in four of the last five games but is getting some run for the #Suns here.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Lee has not played more than 20 minutes in a game since Feb. 14.
Damion Lee hits a massive 3-pointer to regive the Suns the lead pic.twitter.com/RQVZPom55E
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Kevin Durant is with the team for Monday’s game and was shown on the Utah Jazz’s broadcast.
Kevin Durant could return to the #Suns' lineup Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Here he is on the road with the team: pic.twitter.com/qGFLoGumIs
First Quarter:
— 6:40 left: The Suns lead the Jazz 14-10.
Devin Booker has nine points to lead Phoenix. He hit a shot inside the arc, had a two-handed dunk and a 3-pointer.
Here are some of Booker’s highlights.
Devin Booker for two: pic.twitter.com/XPpK2Oxoqz
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Devin Booker to the rim #Suns pic.twitter.com/mRVLtw8j2Y
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Wrote in our preview story how it would be important for Devin Booker to assert himself with Utah guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton out.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Goes right at the rookie Ochai Ogbaji here.
Nine early points for Booker. #Suns lead 14-10 with 6:31 left in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/3gnpXNrvc5
— 2:26 left: The Suns lead the Jazz 28-18.
Booker (13 points) has almost half of the Suns’ total. Each of Phoenix’s starters has scored along with TJ Warren and Bismack Biyombo off the bench.
Here is Deandre Ayton’s first made shot of the game. He also had a right-handed hook over a smaller defender.
Deandre Ayton hits his first shot of the game. Landry Shamet and TJ Warren are the first two bench players to play for the #Suns. pic.twitter.com/yHXNro5ote
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
— END Q1: Suns lead the Jazz 37-26.
Devin Booker has 18 points. Here’s one of his 3-pointers at the end of the quarter:
There goes that man#Suns pic.twitter.com/oWfyIVe4Ho
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
End 1Q: #Suns 37
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) March 28, 2023
Jazz 26
Devin Booker is on fire with 18 points. He shot 5-of-9 from the field and 13-of-24 (54.2 percent) from the field.
Monty Williams must be happy about this: Suns got to the free-throw line nine times.
Stats: pic.twitter.com/89xwnV2nuS
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