PHOENIX — Dillon Brooks scored a career-high 40 points, Grayson Allen added 24 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons 114-96 on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
The Suns kept a comfortable lead through much of the fourth, winning for the fifth time in seven games. They are 10 games above .500 for the first time this season at 29-19.<\/p>\n
Brooks sliced through the lane for a layup for a 105-89 lead with 5:43 left, scoring the last of his 40 points. He finished 13 of 22 from the field and had eight rebounds on a night the team gave the first 5,000 fans who entered the arena a shirt that read \u201cDillon The Villain” \u2014 a nod to his combustible personality.<\/p>\n
The Pistons lost for just the third time in 12 games. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 26 points, and Jalen Duran had 23 points and 13 rebounds.<\/p>\n
Brooks had 38 points through three quarters, which was already a career high. The 6-foot-7 forward\u2019s previous best was a 37-point performance for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old Canadian is in the midst of a career year, averaging more than 20 points per game to become a dark horse candidate to make his first All-Star game. He came to the Suns during the offseason as part of the trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston.<\/p>\n
Detroit trailed 72-56 at halftime but cut it to 77-74 midway through the third. Phoenix recovered to take a 93-81 advantage into the fourth.<\/p>\n
The Suns made their first four 3-pointers and rode the hot shooting to a 72-56 halftime advantage. Brooks scored 24 points before the break, making 8 of 11 shots on an array of turnaround jumpers and threes.<\/p>\n
Suns star guard Devin Booker missed his third straight game with a sprained ankle.<\/p>\n
Pistons: At Golden State on Friday night.<\/p>\n
Suns: Host Cleveland on Friday night.<\/p>\n
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