Suns hit record-tying 18 3s in half, beat Rockets 126-120

Jae Crowder scored 26 points, Devin Booker added 24 and the Phoenix Suns tied an NBA record with 18 3-pointers in the first half on the way to a 126-120 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night.

The long balls came in bunches for both teams in this contest, which at times resembled a game of H-O-R-S-E. The Suns finished with a franchise-record 25 3-pointers and the Rockets added 17. The combined total of 42 3s was one shy of an NBA record.

The Suns jumped out to an 81-58 lead by halftime after making 18 of 24 (75%) 3s. Crowder was causing a big chunk of the damage, scoring all of his points in the first half while making 8 of 9 from behind the arc as a socially distanced crowd got louder with each shot.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is pressured by Houston Rockets forward Kelly Olynyk (41) and guard Armoni Brooks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, April 12, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP PhotoMatt York)

Crowder had previously never made more than six 3-pointers in a game. The Suns matched the record set by the Utah Jazz, who hit 18 3s in the first half earlier this season in a game against Orlando.

Despite the Suns’ hot shooting, the Rockets were able to stay relatively close because they were pouring in buckets as well. The Suns led 103-88 at the end of the third.

Houston pulled within 114-109 with 5:45 remaining but Phoenix responded with the next six points — on three rare 2-point buckets — and the Suns were able to hold on for the win.

Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) celebrates his three pointer with guard Devin Booker during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Monday, April 12, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP PhotoMatt York)

Christian Wood led the Rockets with 25 points and 15 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. added 22 points.

Phoenix was undeniably on a roll, especially in the first half, but one reason was Houston’s poor defense. Several of the Suns’ looks were wide open.

The Rockets have lost eight of their past nine, including the last three in a row, and fell to 14-40 this season. The Suns have won nine of 10 and improved to 38-15.

Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. and Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson, right, battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, April 12, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP PhotoMatt York)

TIP-INS

Rockets: Houston was without G Sterling Brown (left knee soreness), G Dante Exum (right calf strain), G Eric Gordon (right groin strain), F Danuel House Jr. (right ankle sprain) and G/F David Nwaba (right wrist sprain).

Suns: F Abdel Nader (knee soreness) missed his 12th straight game. ... This was the first season sweep for the Suns against the Rockets since the 2009-10 season. ... Deandre Ayton finished with 18 points. Chris Paul had 10 assists.

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host the Pacers on Thursday night.

Suns: Host the Heat on Tuesday night.

Follow David Brandt at www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

VADODARA, India (AP) — India captain Shubman Gill won the coin toss and opted to field first against New Zealand in the first one-day international cricket match on Sunday.

The Baroda Cricket Association is hosting its first-ever men’s ODI. Rajkot (Jan. 14) and Indore (Jan. 18) will host the second and third games of this three-match series.

Gill returned to the helm after missing the ODI series against South Africa in December.

India has opted for six bowlers – three pacers and two spin all-rounders along with wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

Star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also return to the international fold, after playing domestic List-A cricket.

Shreyas Iyer has recovered from a spleen injury sustained against Australia in October. He returns to the side after a two-month hiatus and will bat at number four.

Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the series with an abdominal strain he sustained whilst playing for Delhi in domestic List-A cricket. Dhruv Jurel has been called up as his replacement.

For New Zealand, medium pacer Kristian Clarker makes his ODI debut, while 23-year-old wrist spinner Adithya Ashok is its lead spin bowler.

The Black Caps come into this series on the back of some good form – not losing a single ODI in 2025.

The pitch for the first-ever international game at the BCA Stadium should suit batters. It is a black soil pitch which could exhibit variable bounce through the day. Evening dew will aid the chasing side.

Line ups:

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay, Michael Bracewell (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok.

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's captan Michael Bracewell gestures during practice session ahead of first One Day International cricket match against India in Vadodara, India, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's captain Shubman Gill during a practice session ahead of the first One Day International cricket match against New Zealand in Vadodara, India, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)