Duke basketball guard Grayson Allen (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
Duke Basketball Champ Takes Flight for Suns With Authority
With Devin Booker and Bradley Beal out with injury, former Duke basketball guard Grayson Allen has drawn a starting nod in each of the Phoenix Suns' first three games this season.
Allen struggled in the squad's opening two-game road trip, shooting 2-for-12 from the field, including a combined 2-for-9 clip from three, between the Suns' win over the Golden State Warriors and loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
But his determination to find his groove was apparent in his home debut on Saturday night. Allen tallied 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 31 minutes on the floor, helping Phoenix improve to 2-1 with a 126-104 defeat of the Utah Jazz, the franchise that drafted the four-year Blue Devil at No. 21 overall in 2018.
The 28-year-old high-energy sharpshooter finished 6-for-10 from the field, 3-for-7 beyond the arc, and 2-for-2 at the charity stripe against the Jazz.
Early in the first quarter, Allen delivered a 50-foot dime in transition to Suns superstar Kevin Durant for the slam:
That wasn't the 2015 Duke basketball national champ's top fastbreak highlight. No, that honor belongs to the following coast-to-coast hammer in traffic to give the Suns a 30-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Check out Grayson Allen's fearlessness on the play and the ensuing reaction to the statement dunk from the Phoenix bench:
Grayson Allen, one of several pieces in a three-team offseason trade and now with his fourth NBA squad following stints with the Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Milwaukee Bucks, is averaging 7.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 0.7 assists through three games in his sixth season as a pro.
He and the Suns have two days off before hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball news.