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Bledsoe's career-high 40 points lifts Suns past Raptors

Xinhua, January 23, 2017 Adjust font size:

Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe scored a career-best 40 points, added 13 assists and 6 rebounds in the team's 115-103 win over the Toronto Raptors in Sunday evening's NBA action.

With the win, Phoenix improves to 7-17 on the road and 15-29 on the season overall.

Bledsoe played a game-high 42 minutes while shooting an efficient 11-for-17 (64.7 percent) from the field and a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line. The 27-year-old eclipses his previous high of 35 points recorded two months prior against Denver and becomes the first Suns players to score 40 or more points this season.

"It's the best I've seen him. He's getting better and better and is continuing to grow," said Suns head coach Earl Watson after the game. "Not just playing at a high level, but his vocal leadership has grown. He's taken tremendous steps on and off the court," Watson added.

Bledsoe scored 22 of his points in the second half, including 15 in the fourth quarter where Phoenix overcame a 90-82 deficit near the start of the frame and finished the game on a 33-13 run for their second double-digit victory of the season.

A big reason for the run was the play on the defensive end, with the Suns holding Toronto to 18 points and 5-for-19 (26.3 percent) from the field.

"We did the same thing last night," Watson spoke of the team's defensive effort. "Last night we held the Knicks to 15 points in the fourth and (today) it was 18 points."

Watson credits the defence of Bledsoe and forward PJ Tucker against Toronto's dynamic backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

"No one wants to play isolation basketball versus PJ Tucker. He's a tough defender, he's in-your-face, he's physical, he's strong, he's very shifty, quick feet and a strong upper body," Watson told Xinhua. "He's the main reason and the way Eric (Bledsoe) played both sides of the ball because he had to defend Kyle (Lowry) too."

Entering the game, Lowry and DeRozan shot a combined 47.5 percent from the field. Tucker and Bledsoe held the duo to a combined 11-for-34 (32.4 percent) during the game, including one point on 0-for-7 from the field in the fourth quarter.

The victory over Toronto concludes an eleven-day span where the team played six games across three countries. Phoenix started the trip with two games in Mexico City on Jan. 12 and Jan. 14 as part of this season's NBA Global Games. The team returned home briefly for one game on Jan. 16 before embarking on a road trip that saw the team face Cavaliers, Knicks and Raptors in a span of four days.

"We play well in other countries," Watson reflect on their recent journey. "We're excited about being back home in Phoenix and hopefully the momentum will continue to grow game by game," Watson said.

Phoenix will return home to Talking Stick Resort Arena where they will play four of their next five games. Endite