The Phoenix Suns caught fire from beyond the arc Tuesday night, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 129-114 at Fiserv Forum behind a season-high barrage of three-pointers.
Phoenix improved to 38-27 and strengthened its position in the Western Conference playoff race. The Suns have now won five of their last six games and moved within one game of the Denver Nuggets for sixth place.
Devin Booker led the offense with 27 points and seven assists while shooting 10-of-21 from the field. The All-Star guard controlled the tempo in the half court and created scoring opportunities throughout the game.
Jalen Green added 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting, attacking the rim and spacing the floor with three three-pointers. Royce O’Neale delivered one of the most impactful performances of the night with 21 points and seven three-pointers on 7-of-11 shooting.
Phoenix’s perimeter shooting proved decisive. The Suns connected on 24 of 51 attempts from beyond the arc, their highest total of the season, while finishing the night shooting 53.9 percent overall.
The game remained tight through three quarters. The teams combined for 16 ties and 12 lead changes as both offenses generated efficient looks.
Milwaukee stayed within reach behind strong scoring from its frontcourt. Kyle Kuzma posted a season-high 33 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner each added 22 points.
Ousmane Dieng contributed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Bucks continued to push the pace offensively.
The turning point came at the end of the third quarter. O’Neale drained a buzzer-beating shot from near half court to break a tie and give Phoenix the lead heading into the final period.
That momentum carried into the fourth quarter when the Suns scored the first seven points to stretch the lead to 107-97.
Phoenix maintained control the rest of the way by continuing to space the floor and move the ball. Collin Gillespie added 12 points, nine assists and nine rebounds, helping the Suns generate consistent offense.
Milwaukee shot efficiently as well, finishing 42-of-82 from the field and hitting 16 three-pointers. However, Phoenix’s higher volume from deep and ball movement created the separation.
The loss continued a difficult stretch for the Bucks, who have dropped six of their last seven games. Milwaukee recently completed a 3-7 run during a stretch that included nine home games.
The Bucks also remained shorthanded. Kevin Porter Jr. missed his fourth straight game with swelling in his right knee, while Bobby Portis and Jericho Sims were unavailable due to injuries.
Taurean Prince returned to action after undergoing surgery in November to repair a herniated disc in his neck, finishing scoreless in 18 minutes.
Phoenix now begins a six-game road trip with momentum, while Milwaukee faces a challenging schedule that includes six road games in its next eight contests.
The Suns will visit Indiana on Thursday, while the Bucks travel to Miami for their next matchup.
