Rasheer Fleming scores career-high 16 vs. Hornets


Rasheer Fleming didn’t let fellow Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach hog all the praise in Sunday’s 111-99 win against the Charlotte Hornets, cashing in on a career-best 16 points in 23 minutes off the bench.

He was instrumental in Phoenix (37-27) keeping its nose in front of the road warrior Charlotte (32-33) — which had won 10 straight away games — with Fleming draining two of his career-most four 3s in the third quarter.

The 3-ball stroke is a part of the game Fleming has spent the most time on between the G League and NBA, and he is now seeing the work pay off with his 55.6% clip (8 for 15) this month. The 6-foot-9 rookie shot 7 for 17 from 3 in February.

An increased volume of minutes is another area where Fleming has seen growth, the forward up to nine consecutive games with double-digit minutes on the court after just seven such games between November and January.

He finished Sunday 6-of-8 shooting and added two rebounds, with both being on the offensive glass.

Three Suns players eclipsed the 20-point mark, with Devin Booker scoring 30 with a perfect 15 for 15 from the charity stripe, Jalen Green’s 24 points (on 8-of-19 shooting) and Collin Gillespie’s 24 with five made 3s.





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