PHOENIX — Devin Booker took over the final minutes Saturday night, November 7, scoring 24 points as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Houston Rockets 102-99. Booker supplied Phoenix’s final nine points, breaking a late tie and helping the Suns survive a second-half comeback. The matchup also brought Kevin Durant back against his former team, but the Rockets forward’s 21 points and 10 rebounds were not enough to prevent Houston from losing a tight finish.
Phoenix surged to a 19-point advantage during the first half before Houston closed with a major run to reach halftime tied at 47. With the contest level again late in the fourth quarter, Booker hit a jumper, followed by a three-pointer and another basket, to give the Suns control. Durant had a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer in the closing seconds but missed. Amen Thompson scored 17 for Houston, while Fred VanVleet added 16. Jalen Green scored 16 for Phoenix, with Miles Bridges contributing 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Phoenix snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Rockets and posted consecutive victories for the first time this season. For Houston, the concern is its offensive execution: the Rockets shot below 40 percent from the field and made only 10 of 35 three-point attempts. The team showed resilience by erasing a large deficit, but Booker’s closing stretch decided this one. Houston returns home to face Denver on Monday.