PHOENIX (AP) \u2014 Grayson Allen stood at the free throw line, soaking in the chants from the Phoenix Suns crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cM-V-P! M-V-P!\u201d<\/p>\n
Sure, it was a little tongue-in-cheek hyperbole from the home fans considering the former Duke star has never been more than a solid starter in the NBA. But for one night, the 6-foot-4 guard couldn\u2019t be stopped.<\/p>\n
Allen scored a career-high 42 points on a franchise-record 10 3-pointers, leading the Suns to a 121-98 win<\/a> over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Even after all those points, it was the MVP chants \u2014 along with the game ball \u2014 that he\u2019ll take from a special night.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how many times that\u2019s going to happen,\u201d Allen said, grinning when recalling the fans\u2019 response. \u201cThat was pretty cool. I\u2019ll never take for granted the amount of support and appreciation I have here.\u201d<\/p>\n Allen\u2019s outburst was the latest example that the Suns might be little better than expected this season. Phoenix stripped down its roster during the offseason \u2014 dealing 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets<\/a> \u2014 but has started the year with a 6-5 record after Monday\u2019s win.<\/p>\n The normally stoic Allen broke into a wide grin when he made his 10th 3-pointer of the night with 11:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. He would add two more free throws \u2014 while being serenaded with those MVP chants \u2014 to match his career high with 40 points and a close-range bucket with 10:05 left made it a career-high 42.<\/p>\n Soon after, his night was done thanks to the Suns\u2019 comfortable lead. Allen finished 12 of 17 shooting, including 10 of 15 from 3-point range.<\/p>\n \u201cHe makes it look pretty easy,\u201d first-year coach Jordan Ott said. \u201cWhen you have that kind of range, where he\u2019s shooting from, it was a career night, a very efficient night. Awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n Allen is averaging a career-high 18.6 points through 11 games, which would be a career high by a wide margin if it holds. He\u2019s been a good complement to four-time All-Star Devin Booker, who is averaging more than 28 points.<\/p>\n Booker is usually the Suns player garnering the MVP love from Phoenix fans, but for one night, he was happy to cede the spotlight.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll share them every night,\u201d Booker said. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n