Booker hits clutch jumper with 2.4 seconds left to lift Suns over Bucks 108-106 for 4th straight win

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker made a mid-range jumper with 2.4 seconds remaining to lift the Phoenix Suns over the Milwaukee Bucks 108-106 on Monday night for their fourth straight win.

It's a crucial victory for the Suns, who stayed in the final position for the Western Conference play-in tournament with 10 games remaining in the regular season. Kevin Durant scored 38 points, while Booker added 19, including the clutch 20-foot jumper after catching the in-bounds pass in the final moments.

Brook Lopez missed a turnaround jumper at the buzzer that could have tied it, ending a frantic final stretch. Milwaukee was led by Giannis Antetokoumpo, who scored 31 points. Lopez added 23.

Milwaukee's Kyle Kuzma hit a corner 3-pointer with 1:22 left while being fouled by Durant and completed the 4-point play for a 105-103 lead. Durant responded with a 3 with 26.2 seconds left to put the Suns up 106-105.

Lopez made 1 of 2 free throws with 10.7 seconds left to tie it at 106, setting up Booker's winner.

Durant scored 13 points in the third quarter to help the Suns take an 81-78 advantage into the fourth.

Bucks: It's a tough loss for the Bucks, who are fighting for the No. 3 through No. 6 playoff positions in the Eastern Conference with the Knicks, Pacers and Pistons.

Suns: Coach Mike Budenholzer has tinkered with the playing rotation all season in an effort to find a competitive group to put around Booker and Durant. The current mix of Nick Richards, rookie Ryan Dunn and Collin Gillespie isn't perfect, but its been better than most.

Dunn threw down a huge one-handed jam over Antetokounmpo in the third quarter for a 68-67 lead.

Phoenix had a 52-36 rebounding edge.

The Bucks are on the road against the Nuggets on Wednesday; The Suns host the Celtics on Wednesday.

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

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) and guard Kevin Porter Jr. (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives on Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, right, fouls Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker drives between Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) and center Brook Lopez during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts to a call against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) drives against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) drives on Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma (18) drives against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson scored the go-ahead goal 1:23 into the third period, and Lindy Ruff became the NHL’s second coach to win 600 games with one franchise in the Buffalo Sabres’ 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.

Jack Quinn and Jacob Bernard-Docker also scored for Buffalo, and James Reimer stopped 30 shots in winning two straight starts for the first time this season. Ruff is in the first season of his second stint in Buffalo, and improved his record with the franchise to 600-467-90 with 78 ties.

Ruff trails only Al Arbor, who won 740 games with the New York Islanders.

Brady Tkachuk and David Perron scored power-play goals for the Senators. Anton Forsberg stopped 21 shots in an outing the Senators blew two one-goal leads.

MAPLE LEAFS 7, FLYERS 2

TORONTO (AP) — William Nylander and John Tavares each had two goals and two assists, and Toronto beat Philadelphia.

Bobby McMann, David Kampf and Max Domi also scored for Toronto, and Matthew Knies had two assists. Anthony Stolarz made 17 saves.

Ryan Poehling and Sean Couturier scored for Philadelphia, which lost its sixth straight. Samuel Ersson had 23 saves.

LIGHTNING 6, PENGUINS 1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists to lead Tampa Bay over Pittsburgh.

Anthony Cirelli scored twice in the first period, Brandon Hagel and Ryan McDonagh both had a goal and an assist. Brayden Point also scored for Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 14 saves.

Tristan Jarry started in net for the Penguins but was pulled 16 minutes into the first period after allowing four goals on seven shots. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 18 shots in relief. Bryan Rust scored for Pittsburgh.

The Lightning scored four goals in the first period in the span of 3:47 to race out to the lead and never looked back.

PREDATORS 3, HURRICANES 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Luke Evangelista scored twice, Juuse Saros stopped 34 shots in his 200th career win, and Nashville beat Carolina.

Michael Bunting also scored for the Predators, who won for just the second time in seven games.

Taylor Hall scored for the Hurricanes, who lost their second straight after an eight-game win streak. Pyotr Kochetkov had 13 saves.

BLUES 6, CANADIENS 1

ST. LOUIS ( AP) — Philip Broberg and Robert Thomas each had a goal and three assists, and St. Louis beat Montreal to extend their active NHL-best winning streak to seven games.

Broberg recorded four points in a game for the first time. Coupled with Minnesota’s regulation home loss to Vegas, St. Louis is now two points back of the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Jordan Kyrou got his 31st goal of the season, Dylan Holloway, Alexandre Texier and Zack Bolduc also scored and Jordan Binnington made 24 saves for the Blues, who are now five points up on Vancouver for the second wild card.

The Canadiens lost their third in a row despite a quick-answer goal from captain Nick Suzuki 47 seconds after Kyrou opened the scoring late in the first period. They did not score again.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, WILD 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jack Eichel posted his fifth career hat trick as Vegas defeated Minnesota.

Brett Howden also scored and Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone each had two assists for Vegas. Adin Hill made 23 saves for the Western Division-leading Golden Knights, who won their fourth straight.

Marcus Johansson scored a goal and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 shots for Minnesota, which lost for the second time in two nights.

JETS 3, CAPITALS 2, OT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers scored on a breakaway 1:28 into overtime and Winnipeg clinched a playoff spot, beating Washington in a matchup of the NHL’s top two teams.

Josh Morrissey and Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets, who swept the two-game season series with the Capitals — both wins coming in overtime. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 27 saves.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 889th goal to move six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record, and Andrew Masngiapane also scored for the Capitals. Logan Thompson had 22 saves.

AVALANCHE 5, RED WINGS 2

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, Jonathan Drouin and Martin Necas had two assists apiece, and Colorado rolled past Detroit.

Devon Toews had a goal and two assists, and Cale Makar, Valeri Nichushkin and Logan O’Connor also scored for the Avalanche, which improved to 11-1-1 in its past 13 games.

J.T. Compher, who played for Colorado from 2016-23, and Austin Watson scored for the Red Wings.

MacKinnon, the NHL’s points leader, has a point in each of his past 22 home games, tying the longest home point streak in the NHL this season.

Mackenzie Blackwood saved 21 of Detroit’s 23 shots on goal.

FLAMES 4, KRAKEN 3, OT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Nazem Kadri scored his second goal of the game 3:58 into overtime, sending Calgary to a victory over Seattle.

Adam Klapka and Rasmus Andersson also scored for the Flames, who have won four straight. They are four points behind streaking St. Louis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with three games in hand.

Jaden Schwartz had a power-play goal and an assist for the Kraken, who lost their third in a row. Tye Kartye and Jordan Eberle also scored.

KINGS 3, RANGERS 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala scored twice, Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 shots, and Los Angeles beat New York.

Phillip Danault also scored as the Kings extended their home point streak to 15 games (12-0-3). Los Angeles is the second team in the NHL to have a home streak of at least 15 games, joining Washington (11-0-5).

J. T. Miller scored for New York, and Igor Shesterkin finished with 30 saves. The Rangers have lost four of their last five games.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle (18) is hooked by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)