With Kawhi Leonard’s last-minute forfeit, the Suns had a golden opportunity to regain home-court advantage, lost in Game 1 of the series, and Devin Booker clearly smelled blood…
“It’s victory at all costs” he explains about the mentality of his team. “We want to win every game, even if they lack players (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George) because we know that they will give everything. So we had to have the mentality to strike first. And we weathered the storm the whole game.”
Because this Game 3 was far from simple for Phoenix. Although Devin Booker scored 45 points (18/29 shooting), to which he added 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks, the Clippers fought to the end.
With a Norman Powell at 42 points, Los Angeles gave the Suns cold sweats in the “money time”.
But a 3-pointer from Torrey Craig, followed by a layup with a foul from Devin Booker, finally folded the game. The fullback thus attacked the intervals all evening, making his game speak at mid-distance but also often winning near the circle, to punish the defense off the troop of Tyronn Lue.
“I’m just in the right situation. We have KD, we have Chris Paul. These guys get a lot of attention and open up a lot for me. The coach does a good job of putting us in situations where we can be successful. And that’s what we do” he concludes thus.
This is already his fifth game with more than 40 points in the playoffs, as much as Charles Barkley, who until now held the club record. There is no doubt that at this rate, Devin Booker will quickly seize this record…
| Devin Booker | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | PHX | 76 | 28 | 42.3 | 34.3 | 84.0 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 13.8 |
| 2016-17 | PHX | 78 | 35 | 42.3 | 36.3 | 83.2 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 22.1 |
| 2017-18 | PHX | 54 | 35 | 43.2 | 38.3 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 24.9 |
| 2018-19 | PHX | 64 | 35 | 46.7 | 32.6 | 86.6 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 6.8 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 4.1 | 0.2 | 26.6 |
| 2019-20 | PHX | 70 | 36 | 48.9 | 35.4 | 91.9 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 6.5 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 26.6 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 67 | 34 | 48.4 | 34.0 | 86.7 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 25.6 |
| 2021-22 | PHX | 68 | 35 | 46.6 | 38.3 | 86.8 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 26.8 |
| 2022-23 | PHX | 53 | 35 | 49.4 | 35.1 | 85.5 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 27.8 |
| Total | 530 | 34 | 46.1 | 35.6 | 86.8 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 23.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
