Wizards 106, Suns 99
PHOENIX -- Washington guard John Wall had 22 points and 10 assists and
forward Markieff Morris scored 21 points in his return to Phoenix in the Wizards' 106-99 victory over the Suns on Friday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Guard Bradley Beal scored 21 points and center Marcin Gortat had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards (37-39), who remained three games behind Chicago for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with six games to play after the Bulls also won Friday.
Wizards reserve guard Ramon Sessions had nine points, including seven in a 16-1 run midway through the fourth quarter that turned an 86-81 deficit into 96-87 lead with 4:51 remaining.
The Suns (20-56) were never closer than six thereafter while losing their fifth straight.
Reserve forward Mirza Teletovic had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns, and forward P.J. Tucker had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Center Tyson Chandler had 11 points and 15 rebounds as the bigger Suns, who also start center Alex Len, had a 56-44 rebounding edge.
But the Suns shot only 37.8 percent from the field and had 16 turnovers, four during the Wizards' go-ahead spurt in the fourth quarter.
Washington shot 44.2 percent and made 10 of 26 3-pointers, three by Beal and two by Morris.
Morris, who demanded a trade this summer and was dealt to the Wizards on Feb. 19, was booed virtually every time he touched the ball in his 34 minutes. Morris added nine rebounds and four blocked shots.
Rookie guard Devin Booker scored 14 points for the Suns.
NOTES: Washington F Markieff Morris made his first appearance in Phoenix since the Suns traded him to the Wizards for F Kris Humphries, F DeJuan Blair and a first-round draft pick (protected through No. 9) on Feb. 19. He had requested a trade this summer. "I always felt free to play," Morris told reporters at Friday's shoot-around. "It was just tough to do certain things with no trust and play for people that you really don't trust." Morris did not identify who he did not trust. The Wizards have the 12th-worst record in the league, which means the Suns would get the pick at this point. Morris averaged 11.6 points and 5.2 rebounds with the Suns and is averaging 11.2 points and 5.7 rebounds with the Wizards. ... Suns G Brandon Knight, who missed 22 games with a sports hernia injury, was held out of the lineup with the same issue. ... Wizards G John Wall, who averages 19.9 points and 10.2 assists, is attempting to become the first player in franchise history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds in a season. He would join Clippers G Chris Paul (2007-08, 2008-09) and G Russell Westbrook (2015-16) as the only players to do that since 1993-94. ... Suns F Mirza Teletovic had 157 3-pointers, the most among NBA reserves. F Chuck Person holds the league record for 3-pointers off the bench at 164 with San Antonio in 1994-95. ... Suns G Devin Booker is the seventh NBA player to reach 900 points while still a teenager. The others are LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady. Booker does not turn 20 until Nov. 30.