Kevin Durant recorded 32 points and eight rebounds and the Phoenix Suns increased their winning streak to six straight games with a 115-112 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
Devin Booker added 22 points and nine assists and Jusuf Nurkic collected 20 points and 18 rebounds as Phoenix won for the seventh time in eight games this season. Grayson Allen added 12 points off the bench.
Tyler Herro registered 28 points and six assists and Haywood Highsmith added 19 points for the Heat. Jimmy Butler had 15 points and Bam Adebayo contributed 12 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals for Miami.
The Heat had possession with a chance to tie but didn’t get a shot off in the final seconds. Butler was open inside the 3-point line and tried to scurry back behind the line. He started to jump and then oddly gave up the ball to Herro, who was nearby and standing out of bounds as time expired.
Phoenix shot 50 percent from the field, including 18 of 43 from 3-point range.
The Heat made 43.5 percent of their shots and were 13 of 34 from behind the arc.
Herro drove for a hoop to bring Miami within 114-112 with 10 seconds left. Booker split two free throws with 4.8 seconds to go to keep the door open for the Heat.
Earlier, Booker hit a tying 17-footer with 4:31 remaining and Beal followed with a 3-pointer 39 seconds later to give the Suns a 106-103 edge.
Durant nailed a jumper to make it a five-point advantage with 2:53 left.
Later, Highsmith converted a three-point play with 33.2 seconds left to bring the Heat within two.
Durant’s 21-footer made it 114-110 with 16.1 seconds left.
The Heat led 84-69 after a basket by Herro with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Phoenix responded with a 15-3 quarter-ending burst. Booker’s three-point play with 0.1 seconds left brought the Suns within 87-84.
Phoenix moved ahead 93-92 on Allen’s 3-pointer with 8:03 remaining. Less than a minute later, Durant buried a trey to make it 98-94.
The Heat later scored six straight points, taking a 103-101 lead on Herro’s jumper with 4:53 remaining.
Herro scored 14 points in the first half as the Heat led 58-55 at the break. Nurkic had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the half to pace the Suns.