Suns sweep back-to-back, ending Cavaliers' winning streak at 5 with 126-113 victory

PHOENIX (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns beat Cleveland 126-113 on Friday night to sweep a back-to-back and end the Cavaliers' winning streak at a season-best five games.

On Thursday night against Detroit, the Suns gave out “Dillon the Villain” T-shirts before Brooks scored a career-high 40 points in a 114-96 victory. Phoenix has won three in a row with scoring leader Devin Booker sidelined by a sprained ankle.

Brooks was 9 of 14 from the field. He hit 2 of 4 3-pointers and 7 of 8 free throws. The Suns were 23 of 48 from 3-point range.

Jordan Goodwin added 17 points to help Phoenix improve to 30-19. Collin Gillespie had 16 points.

Jalen Green returned from a right hamstring injury to play only his fifth game of the season. Acquired from Houston in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Rockets, Green had 11 points in 15 1/2 minutes.

De’Andre Hunter led Cleveland with 17 points. Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson each had 16, with Mitchell committing eight turnovers.

The Suns outscored the Cavaliers 45-32 in the third quarter to take a 97-79 lead. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson was ejected early in the fourth with his second technical foul of the night, and Phoenix pushed the lead to 30 at 109-79.

Phoenix led 52-47 at the half. Cleveland had 15 first-half turnovers.

Cleveland fell to 29-21.

Cavaliers: At Portland on Sunday night.

Suns: Host Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.

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

Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson argues with officials after getting a technical foul during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, right, is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams, right, steals the ball from Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, right, is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Elise Mertens marked her return to the No. 1 ranking in women's doubles by combining with China's Zhang Shuai to win the Australian Open title on Saturday, joined later by American Christian Harrison and Britain's Neal Skupski who won the men's doubles trophy.

Back together after four years apart as a team, Mertens and Zhang trailed 3-0 and 4-1 in the first set but rallied to beat Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Mertens and Zhang led the final set 5-0 before withstanding a comeback attempt when Danilina and Krunic won four straight games.

Harrison served an ace on match point to give he and Skupski a win in the men's final by the same score as the women — 7-6 (4), 6-4 — over the Australian pair of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Kubler went into the match with a 14-3 doubles record at his home major.

Harrison and Skupski, who both competed at last year’s ATP Finals with different partners, joined as a team for the first time in Adelaide earlier this month, where they reached the semifinals.

Currently ranked No. 6 in doubles, Mertens, who won the Wimbledon doubles title last year with Veronika Kudermetova, will return to the No. 1 ranking after the Australian Open.

That will mark the Belgian player's 40th cumulative week as No. 1 in doubles and was guaranteed regardless of the outcome of the Melbourne Park final Saturday.

The win Saturday was Mertens' sixth Grand Slam doubles title, including 2021 and 2024 at Melbourne Park. Zhang now has three, including the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 U.S. Open.

It was their first Grand Slam trophy as a team, having lost the 2022 Wimbledon final in their last appearance together.

“This is like cherry on the cake,” Mertens said. “We paired up as a team very last-minute . . . this was our first tournament back together. In the second round we saved three match points, so that kind of took us to another level. An unbelievable two weeks."

Mertens reached the fourth round of women’s singles at Melbourne Park this year before being beaten by eventual finalist Elena Rybakina.

Zhang says she and Mertens adapt well.

“We know how to play finals, we know how to win finals,” Zhang said. “We are both very calm. If something doesn't work . . . we always adjust.”

The mixed doubles final was played on Friday, when Australians Olivia Gadecki and John Peers became the first team to win consecutive titles since 1989 after beating the French pair of Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

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

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, right, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Elise Mertens, right, of Belgium and Zhang Shuai of China in action against Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia during the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia react against Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai of China during the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, right, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)