PHOENIX (AP) — Mikal Bridges scored 28 points, Deandre Ayton had 24 points and 14 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns beat the Brooklyn Nets 117-112 on Thursday night.
The Nets rallied from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a tight final minute of the game.
A 3-pointer by Kyrie Irving — who hit 21 of his 30 points in the final quarter — cut the lead to 113-110 with 10.9 seconds to go. Following a Suns free throw, Nic Claxton’s dunk with 7.4 seconds left made it 114-112, but that was the closest the Nets got to taking the lead.
Brooklyn conceded its fourth loss in a row as the Suns snapped a three-game losing streak.
Phoenix brought back Cam Johnson, who was playing his first game in more than two months after a knee injury. He had 19 points and made four crucial free throws in the final 20 seconds.
Both teams had significant casualties: for the Nets, Kevin Durant was sidelined with a knee injury and the Suns were unable to field Devin Booker (groin) and Chris Paul (hip).
