It’s been weeks since any team has been able to figure out a way to slow down Phoenix Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
Durant and Booker have been tormenting opponents, and the duo will try to keep rolling on Monday when Phoenix collides with the host Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Suns have caught fire in the wake of a four-game losing streak that bridged December and January, going 6-2 in their past eight games. Durant has put up 26.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game during that strong stretch, while Booker has averaged 30.0 points, 4.5 boards and 7.1 assists.
Even though Durant finished with a game-high 36 points and Booker supplied 35 in a 125-121 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, it was backup big man Nick Richards who stole the spotlight.
Richards collected 21 points and 11 rebounds in his Phoenix debut after being acquired in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Based off that initial performance, Booker is eager to see what else the 27-year-old can bring to the Suns’ bench.
“Nick was incredible. He was catching, he was finishing. He was rebounding. For his first game, playing in the right spacing, too. Getting looks in that dunker catching and finishing,” Booker said. “That was a big pickup for us. It showed (Saturday).”
Richards could get some more run on Monday if Jusuf Nurkic isn’t able to play. Nurkic is dealing with an illness and has missed the past six games. Phoenix has also been without Bradley Beal, who is nursing a sprained left ankle.
Cleveland also is a bit banged up, as it didn’t have Evan Mobley (calf) for its 124-117 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. The Cavaliers still took care of business, though, getting 36 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from Donovan Mitchell and 29 points from Darius Garland.
Mobley’s status for Monday is not yet known. Cleveland is also hoping to have Isaac Okoro back after the guard/forward aggravated a right shoulder injury that sidelined him earlier this season.
Before beating Minnesota, the Cavaliers were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder 134-114 on Thursday. Cleveland forward Georges Niang has been pleased with just how resilient his team has been, and he is hoping that the Cavaliers can get another winning streak going on Monday.
“I thought (the win) was awesome,” said Niang, who netted 15 points against the Timberwolves. “Obviously, playing a Minnesota team that has a lot of weapons, they can do a lot of different things and offer a lot of different positional challenges, especially with one of our big guns, Evan Mobley, out.
“I thought it was awesome how we responded, especially after the performance in Oklahoma City.”
The win against Minnesota marked the end of a three-game road trip for Cleveland, which now returns home, where it is 20-2 this season. The Suns, meanwhile, are just 8-12 away from Phoenix.
Phoenix has taken seven of its past nine meetings with the Cavaliers.
