Hot-shooting Suns devour the Sixers

The Phoenix Suns came to town, devoured cheesesteaks, and handed the 76ers their third consecutive setback.

Riding Goran Dragic and Gerald Green, the Suns prevailed, 124-113, Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Green finished with a season-high 30 points and Dragic added 24 as Phoenix improved to 26-18 this season. The Sixers dropped to 14-31 after losing for the 10th time in 12 games.

"We didn't come out like we intended," said coach Brett Brown, whose Sixers gave up 40 first-quarter points. "We want to [be] a better defensive team.

"We talk about it. We drill it. We show it. We've got to find a better way to get that done."

The Suns feasted on more than the Sixers in what was a homecoming for three of their teammates. Guard Dionte Christmas and twin forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris are from Philadelphia.

Christmas is a product of Samuel Fels and Temple. He spent the last four seasons overseas before signing a free-agent contract with the Suns on Sept. 12.

"It feels good to be back in Philly," said Christmas, who had 50 tickets for the game.

The Morrises, who had 60 tickets, felt the same way.

The twins, who hail from North Philadelphia, stood out at Prep Charter and later at Kansas. Markieff Morris was selected by the Suns with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. The Houston Rockets drafted Marcus Morris one pick later. He was traded to Phoenix last season.

The three Philadelphians treated their teammates to cheesesteaks from Max's Steaks in North Philly after they arrived from Cleveland at 12:30 a.m. Monday.

"Miles [Plumlee] and Channing [Frye] had two," Christmas said. "Channing was like, 'I can't get the second one. I want to so bad. But I can't.' "

No worries.

Angel Morris, the Morris twins' mother, had 20 cheesesteaks from Tony Luke's waiting for the Suns after the game.

"Max's is where it's at. Let me tell you," Markieff Morris said. "No disrespect to Tony Luke's. But Max's is five, 10 times better."

The Suns played like they were eager to eat those cheesesteaks.

Phoenix opened the game by making 10 of 11 shots and shooting 77.3 percent (17 of 22) in the first quarter. The Suns shot 53.8 percent for the game while leading from 2-0 on.

"They started pressing a lot," Markieff Morris said. "And we did a great job of beating the press and getting open shots.

"And Gerald Green did a great job of getting open shots."

Green and his backcourt mate Dragic had the hottest hands.

Green made his first seven shots. The 6-foot-8 shooting guard went on to make 10 of 12. Dragic hit his first six shots en route to making 9 of 13. The point guard also had seven assists.

Plumlee had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Markieff Morris finished with 13 points and four blocked shots in his sixth-man role. Marcus Morris had four points off the bench. Christmas did not enter the game. He has played in only 22 of the Suns' 44 games.

But that's fine with him.

"I'm that energy guy," Christmas said of his role. "I keep the guys motivated. I try to do anything possible to help my team."

A lot of that involves providing reality checks when they're upset.

"When I see guys [upset], I'm like, 'What's wrong with you?' " he said. "This is the NBA. This is the best job ever.

"One night, I'm in L.A. The next night I'm in Phoenix. I'm living in Phoenix. It's 80 degrees every day. So this is a blessing."

Michael Carter-Williams led the Sixers with 22 points and 11 assists.

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