Booker drills game-winner as Suns stun Thunder

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Devin Booker drilled the game-winning three-pointer in the final second as the Phoenix Suns rallied to silence the National Basketball Association (NBA) champion Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-105, on Sunday.

The Suns erased an early 18-point deficit to avenge the worst defeat in franchise history — a 138-89 loss to the league-leading Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals last month.

Booker scored 24 points and handed out nine assists and Dillon Brooks added 22 for Phoenix, which had a career-high 26 points off the bench from Jordan Goodwin.

Brooks drained a three-pointer over Canada teammate and Oklahoma City’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 36 seconds remaining.

That gave Phoenix a 105-101 lead, but Oklahoma City tied it at 105-105 with 8.2 seconds left before Booker connected.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 25 points and Jalen Williams added 23, but the Suns snapped Oklahoma City’s four-game winning streak.

The Thunder’s 30-6 record remains the best in the league.

Detroit boosted its Eastern Conference lead with a 114-110 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers that moved the Pistons to 26-9.

Cade Cunningham scored 27 points and reserve Daniss Jenkins added 25, including 21 in a dazzling second quarter for Detroit.