SAN ANTONIO — Paolo Banchero scored 26 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Phoenix Suns 113-98, overcoming Devin Booker’s 44-point effort two days after he had 62 in a loss at Indiana.
Phoenix went more than eight minutes between field goals in the fourth quarter and scored only four points in the last 10 minutes, losing its second straight after a seven-game winning streak.
“A lot of teams aren´t built the way they are. They´re a massive team,” Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said according to AP. “You can attack them if you do it the right way. We didn´t do it well enough or handle their pressure well enough.”
Booker was 17 of 26 from the field and hit 9 of 11 free throws. But he had only two points in the fourth quarter.
Elsewhere, Devin Vassell had 25 points; Victor Wembanyama added 23 points and 10 rebounds as San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat Minnesota Timberwolves 113-112.
Anthony Edwards had 32 points and 12 rebounds as Minnesota had a two-game winning streak snapped.
“They wanted it more,” Edwards said according to AP. “They got every loose ball. They got the loose ball that determined the game at the end. They just wanted it a lot more than we did.”
Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points each. Towns missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called it the “The best win we´ve had” this season. It certainly was the strangest.
Doug McDermott´s 3-pointer put San Antonio up 93-92 with 8:40 remaining for their first lead since the opening minutes.
The Spurs finished 13 for 30 on 3-pointers and had 35 assists on 46 baskets.
“They play fast,” Edwards said. “Tre Jones pushed the tempo every single time he touches the ball. So, that´s great for them.”
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 12 rebounds as one of four Bucks with at least 20 points in a 141-117 blowout of the New Orleans Pelicans. The Bucks led by as many as 34 and matched their fourth-largest victory margin.
The Bucks shot 56 per cent as they improved to 2-1 in their third and final game with Joe Prunty as interim head coach following the firing of Adrian Griffin.
“It’s crazy that he’s never been a head coach in this league,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s insane.”
“I think the last couple of games we’ve played, we’ve just had good energy,” said Damian Lillard, who had 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
“I think our team recognizes everything that’s happening around us, and we’ve just kind of come closer and just focused even more on games.
“Once we get to Denver, it’ll be similar. We’ve just got to stay connected and stay on the same path that we’ve been on the last couple of games.”
Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez scored 24 points with shooting from 3-point range, and Bobby Portis had 20 points.
Brandon Ingram scored 26 points and Zion Williamson had 23 for the Pelicans. Jonas Valanciunas added 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
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