Beal scores 35 points, Wizards top Suns 140-132

PHOENIX (AP) — Bradley Beal scored 35 points, Thomas Bryant added 23 and the Washington Wizards held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 140-132 on Wednesday night.

Washington bounced back from a 13-point loss at Denver a night earlier by shooting 57% from the field and making 19 of 35 3-pointers.

Phoenix fell below .500 — at 8-9 — for the first time this season. Devin Booker led the Suns with 27 points and eight players scored in double figures, but they couldn’t contain the Wizards on a consistent basis.

Washington led 74-69 at halftime after both teams made just about everything they threw toward the basket. The Wizards’ backups scored 43 of those 74, including 14 from Ish Smith, the former Suns guard who finished with 21.

The Wizards scored 10 points in the first 1:33 of the third quarter to continue the onslaught and led 108-95 after three quarters.

Phoenix cut it to 124-120 with about 3 minutes left before Beal made two free throws to stop the rally. Isaiah Thomas, another former Suns guard, made a 3-pointer on the next possession to push the advantage back to nine.

Beal shot 11 of 18 from the field and added six assists. Bryant shot 9 of 11, including 2 of 2 from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

Wizards: Guard C.J. Miles hurt his left wrist in the loss to the Nuggets. Coach Scott Brooks said he won’t play the rest of the road trip and the results of his MRI should be available soon.

Suns: Starting center Deandre Ayton missed the 16th game of his 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy after testing positive for a diuretic. He’ll be eligible to return against the Clippers on Dec. 17. … Forward Aron Baynes missed the game with a right hip flexor strain.

UP NEXT

Wizards: At Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Suns: Host Dallas on Friday night.