Phoenix Suns snap three-game skid, blast Philadelphia 76ers by 20 ...

The Phoenix Suns are still missing injured Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton, but overcame their absence in blasting Philadelphia, 125-105, before a sellout crowd of 17,071 at Footprint Center.

Snapping a three-game skid, Phoenix (39-35) shot 15-of-32 from 3, cranked out 53 bench points and didn’t allow Joel Embiid to completely dominate the game.

The MVP candidate still went for 28 points and 10 rebounds, but Embiid didn’t impact the game to the point Phoenix had to change its strategy to contain him enough to win.

Devin Booker paced the Suns with 29 points while Bismack Biyombo posted his own double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds to go along with five blocks in starting for Ayton, who missed his fourth straight game with a right hip contusion.

Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 35 points in leading Philadelphia (49-25) as both teams were on the second of a back-to-back. The Sixers were without James Harden, who sat with a left Achilles soreness.

The Suns are now 3-6 without Durant, who is recovering from a left ankle sprain he suffered during a pregame workout March 8 before what would’ve been his Suns home debut.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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