Kevin Durant scores 23 in Suns debut

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Kevin Durant feels a sense of comfort.

Durant scored 23 points on 10 of 15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Charlotte Hornets’ five-game winning streak with a wire-to-wire 105-91 victory on Wednesday night.

Devin Booker scored 37 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the Suns’ seventh victory in 10 games. Chris Paul added 11 assists.

Durant, acquired in blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9, showed no lingering effects from a sprained right knee that kept him out of action for more than seven weeks. And the 34-year-old star fit in rather seamlessly with his new club, also grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes.

"I feel like I fit in pretty well," Durant said. "Everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible. I just have to keep riding it, man."

Durant made two 3s, a flurry of mid-range jumpers and showed he still has the burst to get to the hole on a driving left-handed layup for his first basket with the Suns. He also provided a boost on defense, blocking Hornets rookie center Mark Williams twice in the opening five minutes.

Suns coach Monty Williams said he doesn’t want Durant worrying about being a team leader, but rather just playing.

"I think there’s too many players in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead," Williams said. "I just don’t think it’s necessary. It’s my job to lead. The players do it in spots, but that’s the one thing I told him. I said, ‘I’m not looking for you to lead. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I think that’s where he’s the most free to be himself."

Phoenix (34-29) entered the game in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, but could be poised for a strong finish with Durant anchoring what has the potential to be an explosive offense.

Durant scored 12 points in the first half as Phoenix opened a 57-41 lead.

Charlotte cut Phoenix’s lead to six entering the fourth quarter behind former Sun Kelly Oubre Jr., who got the start with LaMelo Ball out.

But Durant, who had only played 19 minutes in the first three quarters, returned to the start the fourth quarter and began to take over.

He hit a 17-footer off a ball fake, drawing a foul to set up a three-point play. The 15-year veteran seemed to find his groove from there, knocking down three more mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 12 and finished with nine points in the fourth quarter.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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