PHOENIX (AP) – Bismack Biyombo isn’t a particularly good shooter, he’s a clank machine at the free-throw line and is undersized defensively against most opposing post players.
On the other hand, he plays really, really hard.
And that’s exactly what the Suns needed yesterday.
Biyombo had one of his best games this season with 17 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, Devin Booker scored 29 points and Phoenix beat the Philadelphia 76ers 125-105 to snap a three-game losing streak.
“When things are not going well, what do you do?” Biyombo said. “You’ve just got to put your head down and keep working and eventually we’ll catch a break.”
It was a badly needed win for the Suns, who had lost six of seven coming into the game to slide down to number 5 in the Western Conference playoff race. The Sixers have lost three of their past four.
Biyombo – starting for the injured Deandre Ayton – was a force on both ends of the court, getting interior buckets on offense and making life difficult for Sixers star Joel Embiid on defence. It was his constant energy that boosted the Suns, particularly after a frustrating loss to the Kings one night before.
“Bizzy plays hard,” Suns guard Chris Paul said. “That’s a talent. He’s in the right spot at the right time and his energy – we feed off it. He covers up a lot of our mistakes on the defensive end.”
The game was tight through most of the first three quarters, but the Suns used a 26-11 run to turn a tied game into a 15-point advantage early in the fourth quarter. Phoenix got good minutes from most of their bench players, particularly Terrence Ross and TJ Warren.
Warren finished with 16 points, while Ross had 15.
“Our bench production – it was huge,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “We had to dig deep.”
Booker shot nine of 18 from the field and hit all nine of his free throws.
The Suns won despite a huge game from Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 37 points on 14-of-19 shooting.
