Could the Suns and Booker Win the NBA Championship This Year?
Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker is on a hot streak that he doesn't want to overthink. In Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, Booker scored 36 points, matching teammate Kevin Durant's total, and went 14-of-18 from the field, leading the Suns to a 129-124 win and tying the series. Booker has been impressively efficient throughout the playoffs, scoring 331 points, the most by any player through nine playoff games since Michael Jordan in 1990. Booker has achieved this with a 70% true shooting percentage, the best ever by a player who scored at least 300 points over a span of nine playoff games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
D-Book has been lights out from the field in the last two games 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TdS0oGRDD6
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 8, 2023
Since the Suns faced an 0-2 deficit in the series, Booker exploded for 83 points in Phoenix's two home wins while shooting 79.1% from the floor. He made 20 of 26 jump shots in the pair of victories, hitting at a clip (76.9%) that ranks as the best over two playoff games in the decade that Second Spectrum has done player tracking among a group of more than 900 players who attempted at least 25 jumpers.
Devin Booker in the NBA playoffs 😮💨
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 8, 2023
☀️ 36 PTS, 12 AST, 78% FG
☀️ 47 PTS, 9 AST, 80% FG
☀️ 35 PTS, 6 AST, 48% FG
☀️ 27 PTS, 8 AST, 53% FG
☀️ 47 PTS, 10 AST, 70% FG
☀️ 30 PTS, 7 AST, 48% FG
☀️ 45 PTS, 3 AST, 62% FG
☀️ 38 PTS, 9 AST, 64% FG
☀️ 26 PTS, 3 AST, 53% FG pic.twitter.com/e01pf0asES
Despite Booker's impressive run, he believes the most important thing is winning. Durant delivered his best performance of the series Sunday, scoring 36 points on 11-of-19 shooting, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out six assists. It marked the first time two teammates each recorded at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in consecutive games, regular season or playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Book and KD both drop 36 to help even the series vs. the Nuggets ☀️ pic.twitter.com/sooxNXMHKM
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 8, 2023
The Suns also got a big lift off the bench from guard Landry Shamet, who scored 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including five 3s. Phoenix's front office anticipated this sort of explosive offense when the Suns made the blockbuster midseason trade to pair Durant with Booker. Injuries limited Durant to only eight regular-season games after the trade, so Phoenix is still figuring out a lot of things on the fly, with Williams' rotation varying significantly from game to game. But the belief in the superstar pair's potential keeps building.
Devin Booker is MASTERFUL once again as the @suns win Game 4 to even the series!
— NBA (@NBA) May 8, 2023
36 PTS
12 AST (Playoff career high)
14-18 FG
PHX/DEN Game 5: Tues, 10pm/et | TNT pic.twitter.com/XpNs3Slshx
Booker's impressive stats have helped him set several records this playoffs, including becoming the Phoenix player with the most 35-plus-point performances in a single postseason. However, it's not just the sheer numbers that he is producing, as remarkable as they are. He frequently hits momentum-shifting shots, sending a message to his team that he can carry them.
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