Kevin Durant scores 16 points in home debut, Phoenix Suns top Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Durant made his Suns home debut Wednesday against Minnesota (39-37) at Footprint Center after missing 10 games with a left ankle sprain.

Suns coach Monty Williams said Durant would be available for the game during hiss pregame interview. Durant was listed as questionable in the injury report released Tuesday, but upgraded to probable Wednesday.

Fourth in the West, Phoenix (40-35) plays conference leader Denver on Friday at home.

The 13-time All-Star made his Suns debut March 1 at Charlotte. The Suns went 3-0 with him in the lineup, but Durant twisted his left ankle during a pregame warmup March before what would’ve been his home debut March 8 against Oklahoma City. Durant was scheduled for a re-evaluation this week.

Durant averaged 26.7 points he played with Suns, who went 4-6 in the 10 games he was sidelined due to injury. Phoenix is riding a two-game winning streak.

The Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first round picks and a pick swap to Brooklyn for T.J. Warren and Durant right before the Feb. 9 trade deadline.

The two-time finals MVP was out with right MCL sprain suffered Jan. 8 at Miami when the trade happened. He was sidelined nearly two months before returning to action March 1.

The Republic will update his progress through the game with updates below.

Durant scores 16, Suns win

Durant checked back into the game with 3:21 remaining and Phoenix up, 99-94.

The Suns pulled out the win, 107-100, with Durant posting 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes.

The Suns (41-35) are now 4-0 with Durant in the lineup.

Devin Booker scored a team-high 29 points as all five starters reached double figures. Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 31 in leading the Timberwolves (39-38).

Durant for 3, and 3 again

Durant hit two huge 3s to give him 16 points on 5-of-18 shooting (2-of-4 from 3) before coming out of the game with 7:36 left and Phoenix up three.

Unlike the fourth, Durant hardly forced a shot.

The one Kyle Anderson blocked was a tough fader. Good defense, but Durant didn’t square his body to the rim on the baseline.

The Suns still have limited Towns to just two points in the second half, but Anthony Edwards has 25.

Durant has played 25 minutes. He’s on a minute restriction.

Will he return?

Durant reaches double figures

Kevin Durant finished the third quarter with 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting in 21 minutes, going 0-for-2 from 3.

The Suns still managed to lead after three, 81-74, as Cameron Payne had a seven-point scoring burst late in the quarter. Payne has 11 points off the bench going into the fourth.

Booker leads the Suns with 24 while Chris Paul has 11. Phoenix trailed by as many as 10 points in the third.

Towns scored just two points in the third to give him 22 for the game.

Durant misses first six shots, Suns down three at half

Kevin Durant finally gets on the board with a free throw with 6:32 left in the first half.

Made the first. Missed the second.

Durant misfired on his first six shots from the field before finally hitting a tough shot over McDaniels, who has played him physical, for his first basket from the field in his Suns home debut.

Durant has three points in 13 minutes. A far cry from the 26.7 points he averaged in his first games with the Suns capped by a 37-point blast in his third game at Dallas.

He scored with a free throw with 6:32 left in the first half.

When Durant has been in the game, he’s spent a number of possessions in the far right corner with getting it.

It’s almost as if he’s being used as a decoy to draw the gravity of the defense, but the T-Wolves are playing him straight up with McDaniels.

Durant has forced his share of shots, too, but then there have been times he’s been open and called for the ball, but hasn’t seen it come his way.

'No. 35'

He was first one introduced in his Suns home debut.

“Standing 6-foot-10, from the University of Texas, No. 35.”

Pause. Crowd roars.

“Ke-Vin. Dur-Ant.”

He had a series of firsts after that, but didn't score in the first quarter on 0-of-2 shooting.

First shot: 11:36 left in first quarter (first shot of the game for either team)..

First rebound: 11:21 left in first.

First assist: 7:43 left in first (finds Deandre Ayton).

First checkout: 5:45 left in first (Torrey Craig replaced him).

Durant is on a minute restriction. The Suns lead 25-24 after one as Devin Booker has nine points to lead Phoenix.

Karl-Anthony Towns paces the Timberwolves with eight.

'He's not afraid of anything'

Jaden McDaniels has the challenge of guarding Kevin Durant tonight.

His head coach believes he’s up for it.

“He takes on Steph (Curry) one night KD the next,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said before Wednesday’s game . De'Aaron Fox in between. He's always ready for it. He's pretty even keel. Super competitive. That's what we love about him. He's not afraid of anything."

Durant will get the start as he’s on a minute restriction.

Durant finishes pregame workout with dunk

No slips. No falls. No worries.

The last time Durant did a pregame workout on the Footprint Center floor, he twisted his ankle and didn't play in the March 8 game that would be his home debut.

This time, Durant not only got through without any problems, but finished it pregame workout with a two-handed dunk and signed autographed with a group of excited fans in the hallways.

Check back here for live updates thoughout the evening on Durant and the Suns game.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant scores 16 points in home debut, Suns top Timberwolves