Booker becomes Suns' all-time leading scorer, Brunson quells Rockets

(AFP) At just 28 years old, Devin Booker became the all-time leading scorer for the Phoenix Suns on Monday as Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 42 points in a comeback win over the Rockets.

Booker scored 34 points, but his performance had a bitter aftertaste when he made a mistake that sealed the Suns' 121-119 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime.

With the Blazers leading 120-117, Booker had three free throws to tie the game with just 4.4 seconds remaining, but missed the last shot, handing the win to the home team.

The shooting guard, whose grandfather emigrated from Mexico to the United States, had to score 23 points to surpass the 15,666 accumulated by Walter Davis, a Suns franchise record since 1988.

Midway through the third quarter, Booker knocked Davis off the top with a 3-pointer from the corner, after which he went into the stands to hug family members.

Picked 13th overall in the 2015 Draft, the graceful shooter has played all 10 of his NBA seasons in Phoenix, a franchise he led to its third Finals ever in 2021.

Although Booker competed at a high level, the Suns then fell to Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks and remain one of only ten franchises that have not won a championship.

A four-time All-Star Game pick, the shooting guard is averaging 24.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in his career.

Phoenix is one of the most active teams in the trade market, which closes Thursday, in search of another star to complement Booker and veteran Kevin Durant, who scored 27 points Monday.

Knicks rally to beat Houston

In New York, Jalen Brunson shined with 42 points as the New York Knicks ended the young Houston Rockets' ambitions for success at Madison Square Garden.

The point guard, a brand-new starter in the upcoming All-Star Game, led the home team to a 124-118 victory in a riveting duel with young guard Amen Thompson, who posted a triple double of 25 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

The Rockets, who were without Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengün, entered the last five minutes with a 6-point lead (106-100) but Brunson boosted his team over the top.

The charismatic point guard was relentless for Houston's defense, scoring 15 of his 42 points in the fourth quarter, including a decisive 3-pointer with a minute to go. Brunson also dished out 10 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds.

Ice Trae freezes Detroit

Another of the night's big performances came from Trae Young, leader of the Atlanta Hawks, in the 132-130 win over the Detroit Pistons, which snapped a streak of eight straight losses.

The point guard once again honored his nickname “Ice Trae” by nailing a spectacular mid-range shot from just inside the 3-point line that decided Atlanta's win with 1.6 seconds left.

Young finished with 34 points and 9 assists, coming out on top in a battle with Cade Cunningham, called up for his first All-Star Game, who had 30 points and 14 assists.

Meanwhile, Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of the favorites for the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award, needed only 22 minutes on the court to score 34 points against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, leaders of the West, won 125-96, reaching a maximum lead of 44 points, against a Bucks team that sat Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton due to injuries.