Suns Deliver in the Clutch, Survive Knicks Late

PHOENIX — It wasn't easy, but the Phoenix Suns made it happen when the seconds counted most.

The Suns held off the visiting New York Knicks in 112-107 fashion at Mortgage Matchup Center, improving to 23-15 on the season.

It was a Friday night matchup that went down to the wire between the two sides, as the Suns led by double digits in the second half before New York stormed back late to make things interesting and forcing Phoenix to hit free throws at the end of action.

Devin Booker (31) and Dillon Brooks (27) combined for over 50 points on the night to help Phoenix overcome a slow start to the game shooting-wise.

Jalen Brunson had 27 points of his own to pace New York in what's now their fifth loss in their last six games. The Knicks had 18 turnovers on the night but out-rebounded Phoenix 50-37.

First Quarter

After initially exchanging buckets to start action out, the Suns pulled ahead and paced the Knicks for majority of the first quarter thanks to the efforts of Jordan Goodwin, who finished the opening period with five points and four rebounds coming off the bench as Phoenix led 28-23 entering the second quarter.

Neither team shot well to start the game, especially from downtown where Phoenix and New York shot 33% from deep. Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 11 points.

Second Quarter

The Knicks got themselves back in the lead, 40-39, halfway through the second. That was thanks in part to Karl-Anthony Towns' second three-pointer made of the season.

From there, the Suns and Knicks exchanged turns in the driver's seat of the scoreboard before Phoenix carried a 62-60 advantage entering the halftime break.

New York out-rebounded Phoenix 26-18 but committed eight turnovers to the Suns' two.

Phoenix led for 68% of the first half thanks in part to a combined 37 points from Devin Booker (17) and Brooks (20).

Third Quarter

The even play carried into the beginning stages of the second half, though Royce O'Neale gave the Suns a bit of breathing room after hitting his third three-pointer of the night, putting Phoenix up by four and forcing Mike Brown to call a Knicks timoeut.

Phoenix scored 14 straight points in the third quarter, seeing their lead reach a then-high 12 points thanks to a mix of aggressive defense and pristine ball movement.

The Suns carried a 94-86 lead into the fourth after ultimately closing on a 16-6 run. Phoenix's physicality took a toll on the Knicks while the Suns made 7-12 three-pointers in the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter

OG Anunoby hit a pair of big three-pointers in the fourth quarter to draw the Suns' lead to just four points with six minutes left.

Anunoby later hit a pair of free throws to knot things up at 101-101 with three minutes remaining.

Booker completed a tough shot over Mitchell Robinson to push the Suns back into the lead 60 seconds later before O'Neale put home another three-pointer to push Phoenix up by five.

After a quick Knicks bucket, Oso Ighodaro missed a pair of free throws on the other end to keep things at one possession, 106-103.

Grayson Allen managed to make an incredible hustle play to bat a loose ball of Mikal Bridges before it went out of bounds, giving the Suns possession with 14.2 seconds left.

Allen then hit the free throw line and made both attempts before Bridges nailed a three-pointer to draw their deficit to 108-106 with five seconds on the clock.

Again at the line after being fouled at the in-bound play, Allen drilled both free throws to extend Phoenix's lead to two possessions.

Anunoby was fouled on the three-point shot on the other end, though he missed the first two free throw attempts. Brooks hit a pair of his own free throws with under a second left, seeing the Suns hit the final buzzer with a win.