Kevin Durant's fourth-quarter heroics led the Phoenix Suns over the Philadelphia 76ers, 118-116, on Monday at Footprint Center. Durant scored 15 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth.

The Suns won their fifth consecutive game while the Sixers (1-5) dropped their third straight.

Philly was without its injured former MVP Joel Embiid but All-Star Tyrese Maxey stepped up with a team-high 32 points. Guerschon Yabusele contributed 19 points while another 2024 All-Star, Paul George, had 15 points in his season debut.

Yabusele hit a driving layup to push the Sixers' lead to 115-108 with only 3:39 remaining in the fourth, but the Suns rallied with an 8-0 run.

Jusuf Nurkic hit a layup, Durant and Grayson Allen hit a pair of free throws each and the Suns clamped down on defense.

Durant then hit a contested mid-range jump shot to put the Suns up 116-115 with one minute left. Maxey tied the game at 116 on the first of two free throws, but missed the next one at 49 seconds. Then Durant had the go-ahead layup with 24 seconds left.

The game was a 3-point party for Philly, which nailed 20-of-51 to Phoenix’s 11-of-32.

Durant hit 14-of-20 from the floor, picking up the slack for co-star Devin Booker, who suffered through a 3-for-18 night including 0-for-6 from 3-point range.

Bradley Beal scored 17 points, hitting 3-of-5 from long range, and Nurkic finished with 15 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

The Suns play the final game of their three-game homestand on Wednesday against the Miami Heat at 7 p.m.

Analysis: What we learned from another Suns nail-biter win, this time over 76ers

Booker, Suns trail Sixers in close 3rd quarter

Booker put up nine of his 13 points in the third period, and Phoenix leads Philly 94-93 entering the fourth.

The Suns and Sixers kept the margin tight in the third. The Suns led by four and Philly by three at different junctures.

The Suns are dominating the paint, outscoring the Sixers 44-30, and outscoring them 12-4 in fast-break points. However, the Suns’ perimeter defense has been lacking, allowing 15-of-37 from 3, including five treys in the third. Tyrese Maxey got 13 of his game-high 25 points for Philly in the third as well.

Durant, Beal keep hot hands in tight 2nd quarter

Phoenix led Philly, 65-63 at halftime.

Kevin Durant (15 points, 7-of-9 shooting) and Bradley Beal (12 points, 5-of-7 FG) remained hot as the Suns’ top scorers in the second quarter. Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen have contributed 10 points off the bench.

Philly’s Kyle Lowry has his team’s high 10 points, and All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have 12 and 10, respectively.

The Sixers led for most of the second quarter after the Suns were ahead for most of the first. Philly upended the score, 34-32, on a triple by the former Suns’ sixth man Eric Gordon (7 points) at 10:20. They increased their biggest advantage to six just over a minute later, but there were four lead changes and four ties thereafter.

Suns rain from deep in 1st quarter

Phoenix hit five 3s and led Philadelphia, 28-26, to close the first period. Philly hit 4-of-13 from the arc.

Kevin Durant leads the Suns with six points. Philly's veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has their high 10 off the bench.

The Suns gained their biggest lead of 11 on their fourth 3 by Grayson Allen (5 points) after the four-minute mark. The Sixers then went on an 11-1 run to tie the score by Lowry at 46 seconds left, then Allen made a layup to regain the lead.

Beal in Suns' starting lineup

Bradley Beal (knee) has been upgraded from questionable to available. He will start for the Suns alongside point guard Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic.

The Sixers will start Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., forwards Paul George and Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond in the middle.

Beal game-time decision

Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said during this pregame media availability that Bradley Beal (knee) will do his individual warmup before the tip-off to see if he plays.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Paul George (knee) will be on a minutes restriction for his season debut.

Beal questionable for Suns, Sixers' George making his debut

Bradley Beal (elbow) is listed as questionable after his return from the same injury in the Suns' win over Portland on Saturday.

The Sixers' former MVP Joel Embiid (knee) remains out as he's missed the entire preseason and their first five games. His new teammate and nine-time All-Star Paul George (knee) is expected to make his debut for Philly. George joined the team in free agency after leaving the Los Angeles Clippers.

Booker nets NBA honor

Suns' All-Star guard Devin Booker was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for Oct. 28-Nov. 3. Booker averaged 33.7 points in three games last week, along with 6.3 assists 5. 7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. It was Booker's 10th Player of the Week honor.

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell won the Eastern Conference award. He averaged 25.3 points last week.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns win 5th straight behind Durant's 35 vs. 76ers