DEVIN BOOKER PRODUCED a 52-point masterpiece as the Phoenix Suns eclipsed the New Orleans Pelicans 124-111 in the NBA on Monday.
Booker boosted Phoenix’s hopes of overtaking New Orleans for an automatic playoff berth with a dazzling performance on the road at the Pelicans’ Smoothie King Center.
The Phoenix win — which ensured that the Minnesota Timberwolves have clinched a playoff spot — leaves the Suns just one win behind sixth-placed New Orleans.
As things stand Phoenix are now 44-31 and on course for the Western Conference play-in tournament.
However New Orleans (45-30) face a nerve-wracking finale to the regular season, knowing that one slip could be fatal.
All five of Phoenix’s starters posted double digit points totals, with Kevin Durant finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Jusuf Nurkic adding 19 points with 19 rebounds.
Zion Williamson led the New Orleans scoring with 30 points while Trey Murphy added 21.
Elsewhere on Monday, Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser both scored 25 points as the Boston Celtics romped past the Charlotte Hornets 118-104 in North Carolina.
Boston, who have already secured top spot in the Eastern Conference, were stung by the Hornets in a surprise upset defeat earlier this season.
But despite trailing early on in Monday’s game, there was little chance of a repeat defeat after the Celtics cut loose to open up a commanding 19-point advantage in the fourth quarter.
Hauser’s 25-point contribution off the bench included seven three-pointers while starters Kristaps Porzingis (20), Derrick White (19) and Al Horford (15) also made double figures.
The Indiana Pacers boosted their hopes of locking an automatic playoff berth with a 133-111 rout of the Brooklyn Nets, who are all but eliminated, and the Hawks edged towards a place in the play-in tournament with a 113-101 win over the Chicago Bulls on the road.
- March Madness -
Meanwhile, US women’s college basketball sensation Caitlin Clark scored 41 points as the University of Iowa avenged their defeat over Louisiana State University in last year’s national championship showdown with a 94-87 victory on Monday.
Clark, the all-time leading scorer in the history of collegiate basketball, produced a stunning exhibition of long-range shooting to lead the Hawkeyes into the final four of the tournament known as March Madness.
The 22-year-old prodigy, who is playing her final season of college basketball before heading into the WNBA, drained nine three-pointers with a scintillating performance at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
“This one feels a little bit better,” Clark said after Monday’s win. “It’s my senior year with this group, and a lot of people counted us out at the beginning of the year.
“And all we did was work really hard…But the job’s not finished.”
