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  • Adebayo scores 30, Heat storm back to stun Suns 113-112

    Adebayo scores 30, Heat storm back to stun Suns 113-112

    MIAMI — Elite scorer. Elite defender.

    Devin Booker got to his spot. Jimmy Butler got there, too. And Butler rose to the moment, capping a brilliant comeback win for the Miami Heat.

    Bam Adebayo scored 30 points, including a pair of go-ahead free throws with 35 seconds left, and Butler’s block was part of a frantic finish as the Heat rallied from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Phoenix Suns 113-112 on Monday night.

    “Those two guys are really the foundational heartbeat pieces to our team,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We follow their warrior spirits. They’re just so tough, the epitome of being two-way basketball players.”

    Phoenix had three shots to win on its final possession — a missed layup by Cameron Payne, the jumper from Booker from the right elbow that Butler blocked, and then a 3-pointer from Booker that bounced off the rim, with Butler hounding him again.

    “Tough break for us,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Our guys fought like heck to have a chance to win.”

    Butler finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for Miami. Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry each scored 15 for Miami, which got back to .500 at 7-7.

    “I love the fact that we won this game on the defensive end,” Butler said.

    Adebayo outscored the Suns by himself in the last eight minutes, 12-10. Phoenix missed 12 of its 16 shots in that span, while Miami finished 8 for its last 12.

    Booker led the Suns with 25 points. Duane Washington Jr. added 21 and Deandre Ayton finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns, who shot only four free throws compared to Miami’s 25.

    “That is hard to swallow … a physical game like that, where everybody’s bumpin’, we only get four free throws,” Williams said. “This is becoming really hard to swallow. You feel like you can’t even talk about it because you’re going to be fined.”

    The Heat went 22 for 25 on those tries from the line, the 13th consecutive game where they shot at least 80% from the stripe — extending their franchise record.

    It was the first time an NBA team shot four free throws in a game since May 16, 2021 — also the Suns, against San Antonio.

    Torrey Craig’s layup with 8:03 left put Phoenix up 102-89, the Suns’ biggest lead of the night. The Heat outscored Phoenix 24-10 the rest of the way.

    “We’ve had tests all year, and some of those games we didn’t finish,” Adebayo said. “They were nothing but experience for a game like this.”

    Both teams were missing key guards. Miami’s Tyler Herro was out for the fourth consecutive game with a sprained left ankle, and Phoenix’s Chris Paul sat with right heel soreness.

    TIP-INS

    Suns: The Suns don’t believe Paul’s heel issue is long-term. “Day-to-day,” coach Monty Williams said. … Phoenix lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. … The Suns had been 7-0 in games in which they led by at least 13 points.

    Heat: Among those in the crowd — Wayne Gretzky, Odell Beckham Jr. and Melvin Ingram. … Dewayne Dedmon had 12 for the Heat, including a pair of 3-pointers late in the third to stop a Phoenix run. … Adebayo also had 10 rebounds.

    LOWRY 2K

    Lowry’s first 3-pointer was the 2,000th of his career. He’s the 12th player in NBA history to make that many.

    BIRTHDAY REF

    South Florida native Dedric Taylor was one of the referees, working on his 47th birthday. Taylor worked for the City of North Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Department and was a UPS driver before getting into the NBA.

    UP NEXT

    Suns: Host Golden State on Wednesday

    Heat: Visit Toronto on Wednesday.

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    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Suns beat Clips 112-95, Paul 3rd NBA player with 11K assists

    Suns beat Clips 112-95, Paul 3rd NBA player with 11K assists

    LOS ANGELES — Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul became the third player in NBA history to reach 11,000 assists, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-95 on Sunday night.

    The Suns didn’t waste any time getting started on the blowout. They raced to an 11-0 lead from the opening tip and led by 20 points at halftime and again in the third.

    Marcus Morris scored 22 points, John Wall added 17 points and Paul George had 16 points in the Clippers’ home opener after winning their first two games on the road. Kawhi Leonard had 11 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in his second game of the season.

    Paul assisted on the Suns’ first basket of the game, a 3-pointer by Booker. Paul followed with an alley-oop pass to Deandre Ayton, who dunked, to give him 11,000 assists.

    Paul joined John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history with that many assists. Paul also became the first player in the league with 20,000 points and 11,000 assists.

    Stockton had 15,806 assists and Kidd, now coach of the Dallas Mavericks, had 12,091.

    Fittingly, Paul reached the mark against the Clippers, with whom he played for six seasons and is the franchise’s career assists leader.

    Paul finished with seven points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

    Last season, the Clippers overcame deficits of at least 24 points four times.

    Not this time.

    The Clippers got no closer than 10 points on a 3-pointer by George late in the third. Booker and Cameron Payne scored to send the Suns into the fourth leading 86-72.

    The Clippers were called for offensive fouls on Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac after getting within 12 early in the final quarter.

    Cam Johnson, former Clipper Landry Shamet and Booker hit consecutive 3-pointers that stretched the Suns’ lead to 99-81, sending the crowd to the exits.

    TIP-INS

    Suns: Shamet (left hip strain) and Johnson (right hip contusion) both returned.

    Clippers: Reggie Jackson remains limited by a groin injury. He was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting. … George and Leonard walked to center court to address the fans before the game, with George doing all the talking. He said the team’s slogan is Why Not Us. “Let’s go get it this year,” George said.

    UP NEXT

    Suns: Host defending NBA champion Golden State on Tuesday to open a six-game homestand.

    Clippers: Play at Oklahoma City on Tuesday and Thursday in a two-game trip.

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    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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