LDN - Sports

Suns take short way past Bulls

[February 11, 2017] PHOENIX -- Fresh out of centers, the Phoenix Suns used their small-ball lineup to fashion one of their biggest wins of the season.

Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe combined for 50 points and little-used reserve Alan Williams contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks as the Suns blitzed the Chicago Bulls 115-97 on Friday night.

Booker scored 27 points and Bledsoe had 23 for the Suns, who played without center Alex Len (suspended) and lost center Tyson Chandler to a sprained right ankle before halftime.

"Smallest team, biggest heart," Suns coach Earl Watson said. "We stayed together and fought together ... this hasn't been an easy season, but we keep navigating through the journey with a young, feisty roster."

Watson said Chandler will not travel with the team to Houston, where the Suns play the Rockets on Saturday.

Phoenix (17-37) led by 13 at the half and Chicago never got closer than six points in the second half. The 18-point margin of victory was the second largest of the season for the Suns, who had lost seven straight at home.

Williams, the son of Phoenix police chief Jeri Williams, played 24 minutes and now has four double-double in the four NBA game in which he has played at least 17 minutes.

Asked if he was ready as for more minutes, Williams shook his head, "No, sir. he said. I will just continue to do what I do and when my number is called, if that's tomorrow, if that's next week, I will just do what I can."

"Every time he's played, he's contributed," Suns guard Jared Dudley said. "Eventually it will catch on that he's got to play more. I know we have guys here, but he's showing not just the Suns but other teams what he can do."

"It's nothing new. In practice, we play three-on-three and the team he's on always wins. He's not a sexy player, but he does a lot of dirty work and sometimes those guys get overlooked."

T.J. Warren added 16 points for the Suns, who have 11 of their 17 wins this season against the Eastern Conference (11-7). They are 6-30 against the West.

Jimmy Butler scored 20 points and Dwyane Wade had 18 for the Bulls (26-28), who a 2-3 on a six-game road trip that ends Sunday in Minnesota. They were blown out 123-92 by the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and lost to another fast-breaking team in the Suns, who had 25 assists and outscored the Bulls 19-6 in fast-break points

"Awful, awful ... they out-competed us in every category," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg said. "Rebounding, loose balls, 19-6 in transition; that tells you all you need to know."

Butler and Wade both returned to the lineup after missing time but struggled with stamina against the young Suns.

"I'm just trying to get a rhythm back now," Wade said. "I'm trying to fight fatigue and Jimmy the same thing. It's that time of year, beaten up, but it's part of the game."

[to top of second column]

Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) goes up for a layup against Phoenix Suns forward TJ Warren (12) during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Bulls used a 17-4 run in the first quarter and took a 25-16 lead on a Doug McDermott jumper with 2:01 left. Butler had eight points in the quarter to lead Chicago.

The Suns ended the quarter on a 12-1 run, with Marquese Chriss and Booker both hitting 3-pointers in the final 31 seconds to give Phoenix a 28-26 advantage.

Booker had all 13 of his first-half points in the quarter.

"We found a little bit of a rhythm, the only rhythm we had all game," Hoiberg said. "We got a six-point lead and we never got the momentum back."

The Bulls scored just 17 points in the second quarter -- six in the final 8:59 -- and the Suns caught fire late.

Warren had eight points in the final 3:38 and Phoenix scored the final eight points of the half, with P.J. Tucker's layup just before halftime giving them their biggest lead a 56-43.

We just didn't get back," Butler said. "They got a lot of easy ones and it's tough when you've got to take ball out of the net every time."

NOTES: Suns C Alex Len served his one-game NBA suspension for leaving the bench and entering the court during the 110-91 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 8. "We are already the smallest, shortest team in the NBA so not having Alex or (Dragan) Bender (right ankle surgery) makes us really small on our second unit," Phoenix coach Earl Watson said. ... Bulls F Paul Zipser (knee) sat out. ... Suns F P.J. Tucker has at least one steal in 15 straight games, including a career-high seven against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 4. ... Phoenix entered the game leading the NBA in average free throws a game (26.2) while the Bulls were last at (18.5). ... The last time the two teams met was 14 months ago (Dec. 7, 2015), when the Suns scored 42 points in the fourth quarter and rallied from 16 down to win 103-101 at the United Center.

Back to top