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Booker scores 41 to lead Phoenix past Chicago 127-121

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Booker scores 41 to lead Phoenix past Chicago 127-121
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Booker scores 41 to lead Phoenix past Chicago 127-121

2025-03-20 12:54 Last Updated At：13:21

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 41 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter, and the Phoenix Suns held off the Chicago Bulls 127-121 on Wednesday night.

Kevin Durant had 26 points and eight assists and Nick Richards had 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks as the Suns won for the third time in their last four games.

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Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives between Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) and guard Josh Giddey during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives between Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) and guard Josh Giddey during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Cody Martin drives on Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Cody Martin drives on Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) shields the ball from Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) shields the ball from Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant shields the ball from Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant shields the ball from Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives on Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives on Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Coby White and Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 24 points each and Josh Giddey had 22.

Booker led the Suns by shooting 7 for 11 (3 for 4 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line on the way to his 20-point fourth quarter.

The win moved the Suns into 10th place in the Western Conference standings and into the play-in picture, critical as their next three games are against the iron of the East — Cleveland, Milwaukee and Boston.

The Bulls lost for just the second time in their last seven games but dropped to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings. White has now scored 20 or more points in 10 straight games.

The Suns led by 18 early in the fourth quarter but the Bulls cut that to 121-117 on White’s 3-pointer with 27 seconds left. But Booker stepped up and scored seven points in the final moments, including a driving layup with 25 seconds left to give the Suns a 123-119 lead, followed by three clutch free throws.

The Suns have won two in a row for the first time since January. The Suns outscored the Bulls by 10 points at the free-throw line, making 18 compared to 8 for the Bulls, and the Suns had a 26-9 advantage in second-chance points. The Suns have now won the last 11 meetings between the teams.

The Bulls visit Sacramento on Thursday night. The Suns play host to Cleveland on Friday night.

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

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives between Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) and guard Josh Giddey during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives between Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) and guard Josh Giddey during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

 Phoenix Suns forward Cody Martin drives on Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Cody Martin drives on Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

 Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) shields the ball from Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) shields the ball from Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

 Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant shields the ball from Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant shields the ball from Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives on Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives on Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

 Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

MOSCOW (AP) — One year since the Moscow concert hall attack killed 145 people, Russian officials asserted Saturday that it was planned and organized by "the special services of an unfriendly state.”

The aim, according to a statement by Svetlana Petrenko, the representative of the Russian Investigative Committee, was to "destabilize the situation in Russia.”

Though she did not specify the “unfriendly state,” she noted that “six Central Asians” currently outside of Russia had been charged in absentia and placed on Russia’s wanted list for allegedly recruiting and organizing the training of four of the suspected perpetrators.

The four men, all of whom were identified in the media as citizens of Tajikistan, appeared in a Moscow court at the end of March last year on terrorism charges and showed signs of severe beatings. One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing.

According to Petrenko, 19 people are currently in custody in Russia in relation to the attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall.

A faction of the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the massacre in which gunmen shot people who were waiting for a show by a popular rock band and then set the building on fire. But Russian officials including President Vladimir Putin have persistently claimed, without presenting evidence, that Ukraine had a role in the attack. Kyiv has vehemently denied any involvement.

People gather to lay flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

People gather to lay flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

 People gather to lay flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

People gather to lay flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

 A woman lays flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

A woman lays flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

 A woman lays flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

A woman lays flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

 People gather to lay flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

People gather to lay flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

 A woman lays flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

A woman lays flowers at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

 People gather at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

People gather at the newly opened memorial at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 22, 2025, one year on from the concert hall attack that killed 145 people. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
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