Every time Devin Booker sets foot at the Footprint Center, he makes sure to get one step closer to becoming the greatest Sun of all time. Friday night was no different. The 6ft 5’ guard went for 47 points in the Suns’ Game 3 win over the Nuggets Friday night and made it to some milestones that had Michael Jordan and Dirk Nowitzki written over them.
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With 5/8 shooting from the 3-point line and 20/25 from the field, Booker joined the German legend as the only NBA player with 45+ points in a Playoff game on 80% shooting, according to StatMuse.
Devin Booker tonight:
46 PTS
6 REB
9 AST
3 STL
20-25 FG
5-8 3PJoins Dirk Nowitzki as the only player in NBA history with a 45-point playoff game on 80+ FG%. pic.twitter.com/8kGmtj98RO
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 6, 2023
He did 1-up Nowitzki though.
The first player in NBA history with
45+ PTS
5+ REB
5+ AST
80+ FG%in a playoff game. pic.twitter.com/IyWqffVDjq
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 6, 2023
That was only one of the legendary things he did last night.
Devin Booker is knocking on the door of all-timers like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and more
The shooting guard also equaled Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and 3 other legends of the game to be in the elite list of the players who have had 3 or more 45+ points games in a single postseason.
Three games or more with at least 45+ points in the same postseason: Elgin Baylor (1961), Kevin Durant (2019), Allen Iverson (2001), LeBron James (2018), Michael Jordan (1989, 1990, 1992), Jerry West (1965)
And now, Devin Booker (2023)
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) May 6, 2023
With his monstrous night of 47 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block, Booker has kept his team’s championship hope alive in the absence of Chris Paul.
Considering he is just 26 and is able to step up as a pure point guard while also keeping up with his incredible scoring, one has got to bow down to his basketball genius.
Having a 6ft 10’ juggernaut who can dish out 8 assists with 0 turnovers while adding 39 points as well helps too.
Can Book and KD turn it around?
The resilience the two of them showed in Game 3 despite Durant being unbelievably inefficient at the start, and the Nuggets, led by the supremacy of the Joker and Jamal Murray not giving them breathing space throughout the game, make them the most dangerous team in the West.
No lead is big for a team having to face Booker and Durant in 7 game series. So, they can easily turn a 2-1 deficit on its head even without the Point God to help them in doing that.
However, their defense is still worrisome. Cam Payne and TJ Warren converting some crucial shots at the latter end of the game helped them big-time in running away with the 121-114 win. They would surely need more from their bench if they have to win 3 more games against the #1 team in the West.
