Phoenix Suns update: Deandre Ayton (hip) available, Kevin Durant (ankle) out at Utah Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY — Suns All-Star point guard Chris Paul didn’t bathe in the enthusiasm of Phoenix’s 125-105 home win Saturday over Philadelphia to snap a three-game losing skid.

“When you play a game like this and you win, everybody like, oh it’s going, but I think for us, it’s trying to be consistent with our energy,” Paul said.

Oh, the Suns (39-35) needed a win, though.

Monty Williams admitted it afterward as they’d lost six of their previous seven games, but the Suns will look to build off the 20-point win in Monday’s matchup against Utah (35-39) at Vivint Arena.

NBA: SCOREBOARD | STANDINGS | STATISTICS

“I’m just glad we won,” Williams said. “I don’t have a lot of declarations and theories after one game; we just needed to win a game.”

Deandre Ayton is back for Monday’s game as he’s missed Phoenix’s last four with a right hip contusion suffered in the fourth quarter of a home victory March 16 over Orlando.

Ayton was listed as probable Sunday.

Kevin Durant is listed out as he’s been sidelined Phoenix’s last nine games with a left ankle sprain suffered in a pregame workout March 8 before what would’ve been his Suns home debut.

He could finally make that first home splash for his new team Wednesday against Minnesota (38-37), which is seventh in the West and just 1.5 games behind Phoenix.

Making the trip to Utah, Durant was scheduled for a re-evaluation three weeks after the injury.

“He’ll be back soon,” Suns All-Star Devin Booker said last week about Durant as the Suns are 3-0 with the 13-time All-Star and two-time finals MVP in the lineup.  

Phoenix plays Friday against West leader Denver (50-24) at Footprint Center in Phoenix.

The Suns are once again fourth in the Western Conference as the Clippers (39-36) dropped to fifth following their 131-110 home loss to the Pelicans, who are now eighth in the West.

Only two games separate Phoenix and New Orleans (37-37).

While fourth is probably the best seed the Suns can get considering they’re six games behind Sacramento (45-29) with eight games remaining, they’re still not out of the play-in possibility.

The seven through 10 seeds play for the final two playoff spots in each conference.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Deandre Ayton (hip) available, Kevin Durant (ankle) out for Suns-Jazz