Suns beat Lakers again in playoff rematch matinee in Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) – Postseason or preseason, the Phoenix Suns keep getting the best of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Western Conference champions got their first exhibition victory with a 117-105 victory Wednesday in a rare weekday matinee start. The start time for the game in Phoenix was moved up so the Mercury could host their WNBA semifinal game on their home court late that night. The court was decorated with the Mercury’s logos. Deandre Ayton had 14 points and 11 rebounds to help the Suns even their exhibition record at 1-1. Mikal Bridges scored 15 points and Jae Crowder had 13 points and nine rebounds. Devin Booker rested for Phoenix. Chris Paul had eight points and 11 assists in his preseason debut and the Suns got a strong effort from their bench. Cam Johnson scored 13 points and newcomer JaVale McGee provided 12 points in 14 minutes. Cameron Payne had 11 points and five assists. The Suns beat the Lakers in the first round of last season’s playoffs, winning three straight games after falling into a 2-1 deficit. LeBron James and Anthony Davis were battling injuries in that series and Los Angeles still wasn’t at full strength Wednesday. James and Russell Westbrook sat out their second straight game, though Carmelo Anthony made his Lakers debut and scored eight points in 17 minutes. Davis had 14 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes. Malik Monk scored 18 points off the bench for the Lakers (0-2). Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn each added 11. Trevor Ariza also sat out again and the Lakers announced after the game the veteran forward had an arthroscopic procedure on his right ankle and will be evaluated in about eight weeks. MAVERICKS 111, JAZZ 101 DALLAS (AP) – Luka Doncic had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in just 19 minutes of his preseason debut and Dallas won its opener under new coach Jason Kidd. Boban Marjanovic added 14 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers later in the third quarter, and Jalen Brunson had 10 points and eight assists for the Mavericks. Rookie Jared Butler scored 22 points for the Jazz, who rested Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and most of their regulars while falling to 0-2. WARRIORS 118, NUGGETS 116 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Stephen Curry hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points in 15 first-half minutes and Golden State made 21 3-pointers. Curry made a 3-pointer to spark a 13-0 run over the final 2 minutes of the second quarter that was capped when Curry pump-faked as Denver’s PJ Dozier flew by, took a dribble and hit another 3 to give Golden State (2-0) a 63-62 halftime lead. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 17 points, Otto Porter Jr. scored 15 points and Nemanja Bieliczja added 13. Nikola Jokic made 3 of 4 from 3-point range and finished 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks – all in the first half for Denver (0-2). Aaron Gordon scored 16 points and Nah’Shon Hyland – the No. 26 pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of VCU – had 11 points, six assists, two steals and no turnovers. Michael Porter Jr. (knee) did not play for the Nuggets. PELICANS 104, MAGIC 86 NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Rookie Trey Murphy III made six more 3-pointers and scored 20 points for New Orleans. Murphy, the No. 17 pick in the draft, has made six 3s in both games for the Pelicans (1-1). Nickeil Alexander-Walker added five and finished with 19 points, while Jonas Valanciunas had 13 points and nine rebounds. The Pelicans were 18 for 35 (51%) behind the arc. Wendell Carter Jr. had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic (0-2). Rookie Jalen Suggs, the No. 5 pick, shot 1 for 7 and had two points and six rebounds. PISTONS 115, SPURS 105 DETROIT (AP) – Jerami Grant, a gold medalist with U.S. men’s basketball team at the Tokyo Olympics, scored 18 points and Josh Jackson added 16.