Durant and Beal score 27 points each, Suns beat Nuggets 110-100 to close out Christmas slate

PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 110-100 on Wednesday night in the nightcap to the NBA’s Christmas slate of games.

The Nuggets blew out Phoenix 117-90 on Monday night in Denver, but the Suns put up much more of a fight despite playing without Devin Booker (groin) and Grayson Allen (concussion protocol).

Phoenix led by seven after three quarters and stretched it to 99-81 by the midpoint of the fourth quarter. The Suns pushed the lead to 15 and held off the Nuggets down the stretch to end a three-game losing streak.

Nikola Jokic had 25 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. added 22 and Russell Westbrook had 17.

Jamal Murray had 13 points, six rebounds and six assists after missing the game Monday game with a sprained ankle.

The Suns led by nine early after making six of their first seven 3-pointers, but the teams traded shots the rest of a hot-shooting first half.

Nuggets: Denver got back Murray, but couldn't match the intensity of Monday's blowout. Jokic scored seven points after halftime and the Nuggets shot 8 of 29 from 3-point range.

Suns: Phoenix might have been missing two of its best shooters, but still 11 of 36 from 3-point range. Monte Morris gave the Suns a nice lift off the bench with 11 points and three assists.

The Suns took advantage of Jokic resting late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, stretching the lead to 12 before he returned.

The Suns are at their best when they get out in transition and outscored the Nuggets 15-6 on the break.

On Friday, the Nuggets host Cleveland, and the Suns host Dallas.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) drives past Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray drives between Phoenix Suns guard Monte Morris and center Oso Ighodaro during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun drives on Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Nuggets guard Jalen Pickett, right, drives past Phoenix Suns guard Monte Morris in the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic scores on Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun gets fouled by Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) drives on Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant falls to the floor after getting fouled by Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables, police said, in the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure.

Finnish police and border guards boarded the vessel, the Eagle S, early Thursday and took over the command bridge, Helsinki Police Chief Jari Liukku told a news conference. The vessel was being held in Finnish territorial waters, police said.

The Eagle S is flagged in the Cook Islands, but was described by Finnish customs officials and the European Union's executive commission as part of Russia's shadow fleet of fuel tankers. Those are aging vessels with obscure ownership, acquired to evade Western sanctions amid the war in Ukraine and operating without Western-regulated insurance. Russia's use of the vessels has raised environmental concerns about accidents given their age and uncertain insurance coverage.

The Eagle S's anchor is suspected of causing damage to the cable, Yle television reported, relying on police statements.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said in a statement that the incident was “the latest in a series of suspected attacks on critical infrastructure” and commended the Finnish authorities “for their swift action in boarding the suspected vessel."

The ship “is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget,” said Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister. "We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet.”

The Estlink-2 power cable, which brings electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea, went down on Wednesday. The incident follows damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines, both of which have been termed sabotage.

The Estonian government met in emergency session over the incident. The shadow tankers “are helping Russia to earn funds that will aid Russian hybrid attacks,” Prime Minister Kristen Michal said at a news conference. “We need to improve the monitoring and protection of critical infrastructure both on land and on sea.”

He said repairs to the cable could take as long as seven months.

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina said she was in close touch with Michal and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. “Our armed forces have strengthened surveillance and are monitoring the situation,” she said on X. “The Baltic states currently have sufficient energy production capacity, although we are challenged by the Baltic Sea cable incidents.”

Two data cables — one running between Finland and Germany and the other between Lithuania and Sweden — were severed in November. Germany’s defense minister said officials had to assume the incident was “sabotage,” but he didn't provide evidence or say who might have been responsible. The remark came during a speech in which he discussed hybrid warfare threats from Russia.

The Nord Stream pipelines that once brought natural gas from Russia to Germany were damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022. Authorities have said the cause was sabotage and launched criminal investigations.

Estonian network operator Elering says there is enough spare capacity to meet power needs on the Estonian side, public broadcaster ERR said on its website.

This photo provided by Rajavartiosto (Finnish Border Guard) on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, shows the oil tanker Eagle S at sea outside Porkkalanniemi, Finland. The Eagle S was sailing at the same time in the area where the Finland-Estonia electrical link was disrupted on Wednesday. (Rajavartiosto via AP)

This photo provided by Rajavartiosto (Finnish Border Guard) on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, shows the oil tanker Eagle S, background, and the Finnish Border Guard ship Turva at sea outside Porkkalanniemi, Finland. The Eagle S was sailing at the same time in the area where the Finland-Estonia electrical link was disrupted on Wednesday. (Rajavartiosto via AP)

FILE - Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File)

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo attends a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, as police investigating the electricity transmission between Finland and Estonia through the Estlink 2 connection which was cut on Christmas Day, according to Finnish grid operator Fingrid. (Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva via AP)

Finnish National Police Comissioner Ilkka Koskim'ki attends a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, investigating the electricity transmission between Finland and Estonia through the Estlink 2 connection which was cut on Christmas Day, according to Finnish grid operator Fingrid. (Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva via AP)