Devin Booker and Jalen Johnson, the heroes of the NBA day

Phoenix Suns deepened the crisis Indiana Pacers with a 133-98 victory led by Devin Bookerwhile Jalen Johnson shone in Atlanta Hawks for the 122-132 victory against Utah Jazz.

The Suns-Pacers was the most notable of the games played this Thursday, a day with only three games on the calendar as an appetizer to the NBA Cup duels on Friday.

Booker had 33 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists for the Suns (8-5), who won by 46 before the Pacers could make up the final result. Dillon Brooks contributed another 31 points for Phoenix.

Indiana (1-11), with only one victory in 12 games, goes through a deep crisis just five months after having played the NBA Finals in a frenetic seven-game duel with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Without Tyrese Haliburton, with his Achilles tendon torn precisely in that seventh game, the Pacers disintegrated and are squandering the season right from the start.

Jalen Johnson’s triple-double in the Hawks’ victory

Lauri Markkanen’s 40 points were of no use to the Utah Jazz (4-8) to stop the Atlanta Hawks (8-5) on a roll.

On the other side, Jalen Johnson had an excellent triple-double -31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists and 7 steals- that catapulted the Hawks to their fourth consecutive victory.

Onyeka Okongwu added a double-double of 32 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta.

The Hawks completed 18 steals and scored 34 points after losses (24) by Utah.

The Raptors are exciting in the East

Toronto Raptors (7-5) beat the Cleveland Cavaliers (8-5) 113-126 who had just played – and won – 24 hours earlier in Miami.

Scottie Barnes scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 8 assists for the Raptors. Immanuel Quickley contributed another 25 points.

For Cleveland, without Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points.