Booker scores 31, leads Suns to 120-112 victory over Jazz in the teams' NBA Cup opener

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Devin Booker scored 31 points and Bradley Beal added 24 to help the Phoenix Suns open NBA Cup pool play with a 120-112 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

Grayson Allen chipped in 15 points for the Suns. Booker, Beal and Allen combined to make 13 3-pointers. Mason Plumlee finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds while starting in place of injured center Jusuf Nurkic.

John Collins led the Jazz with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Filipowski added 18 points off the bench and Lauri Markkanen chipped in 17. Jordan Clarkson finished with 16 points and a team-high eight assists.

Utah trailed by double digits much of the game but cut the deficit to 89-83 on Filipowski’s dunk with 10:18 left. Beal countered with consecutive baskets to keep the Jazz from drawing closer. Royce O’Neale and Booker followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to extend Phoenix’s lead to 110-98 with 3:58 remaining.

Suns: Explosive and efficient offense helped Phoenix squash multiple would-be rallies. The Suns were proficient in transition, scoring 16 fast-break points, and also knocked down 18 3-pointers.

Jazz: Utah flexed its muscle around the basket, outscoring the Suns 58-34 in the paint.

After the Jazz pulled within five on back-to-back baskets from Markkanen and Filipowski, an unforced defensive error ignited the Suns. Markkanen accidentally tipped the ball into the Phoenix basket while going for a rebound. It touched off a 12-0 run that put the Suns up 49-32 midway through the second quarter.

Phoenix went 9 of 17 from 3-point range in the first half while shooting 58.5% from the field overall.

The Suns visit Sacramento on Wednesday for their second game in four days against the Kings while the Jazz host Dallas on Thursday.

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Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh, left, and Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) battle for a loose ball during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Utah Jazz forward John Collins goes to the basket as Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker, center, Mason Plumlee (22) looks on during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) blocks the shot from Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, center, drives to the basket as Phoenix Suns' Ryan Dunn (0) and Devin Booker, right, defend during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) goes to the basket as Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) defends during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) goes to the basket as Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) defends during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 35 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds for his third straight triple-double and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-123 on Wednesday night.

Anthony Davis scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. He picked up his fifth foul with 3:51 remaining in the third quarter, then came back in with 6:48 left and hit a couple of pivotal baskets, including a 3-pointer with 4:51 remaining to put Los Angeles up for good at 111-108.

James was 13 of 22 from the field, hitting 4 of 7 3-pointers.

Jaren Jackson Jr. had 29 points for Memphis, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Rookie Dalton Knecht and Rui Hachimura added 19 points apiece for the Lakers.

The Lakers trailed 96-91 at the end of three quarters before starting the quarter with a 10-2 run. The lead would change hands three more times before the 3-pointer by Davis, who also had 14 rebounds.

Grizzlies: Memphis had seven players in double figures for the fourth straight game. Marcus Smart returned after missing six games due to ankle injury and had 14 points.

Lakers: Los Angeles is 6-0 at home for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

Davis reached 18,000 career points with a layup at the 7:51 mark of the first quarter. He is the 80th player in NBA history to reach that milestone as well as the 12th to also have at least 7,000 rebounds and 1,500 blocks since 1973-74.

The Lakers made a season-high 20 3-pointers. Knecht made all five of his shots from beyond the arc.

Both teams have NBA Cup games on Friday night. The Grizzlies are at Golden State. and the Lakers travel to San Antonio.

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Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells, right, dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Comedians Chris Rock, right, and David Spade stand near their seats during a break in the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Memphis Grizzlies center Jay Huff (30) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) dribbles next to Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, left, grabs a rebound over Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., right, is defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)