Even though the Phoenix Suns faced the Los Angeles Clippers without their lethal All-Star pairing of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for most of the series, Devin Booker and co. faced some tough competition.
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Despite the resurgence of Russell Westbrook, Monty Williams’ boys managed to clinch the series after grabbing a 136-130 well-fought Game 5 win.
While 7 of the 9 LAC players, who took on the floor, scored in double digits, their incredible team performance was eclipsed by the Booker-Durant duo’s outstanding production.
KD erupted for 31/6/4 while shooting the ball extremely efficiently. However, it was D-Book who was easily the best player on the floor tonight.
“We feed off his aggression”: Kevin Durant on Devin Booker
Thanks to a magnificent 25-point 3rd quarter outburst, D-Book finished the night with the best display of the entire series. Going 19/27 from the field, the shooting guard lodged 47 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds.
Scoring half of the team’s total points in the 3rd period, Devin was unstoppable. Just like most people for the basketball fraternity, the Slim Reaper also commended his teammate for the same.
In the postgame interview, the 2014 Most Valuable Player was gushing over Booker’s historic night.
“It was spiritual. I don’t scream too much in games as I get older, but when he hit that 3 at the top of the key, I felt that energy and I know everyone in the crowd felt it. We feed off his aggression. His impact and his presence just means a lot to us, so that was incredible to see,” Durant said.
Coming from one of the NBA’s most lethal offensive stars, this praise will definitely be a huge morale booster for the 26-year-old.
As they prepare to face the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals, a confident and in-form Booker will be the key to PHX’s success.
Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns: Who is more favorable to win the series?
The Denver Nuggets were the best team in the Western Conference this regular season. Even in the playoffs, despite facing a tough battle against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Colorado-based franchise managed to clinch the series 4-1.
While the likes of Jamal Murray and Micahel Porter Jr. have had great performances, as expected, Nikola Jokic has been the star player of the Nuggets’ first-round series.
During the course of the regular season, the Nuggets and the Suns faced a total of 4 times, with each of the teams grabbing 2 wins apiece.
However, Mike Malone’s boys won their 2 games before KD’s arrival in Arizona. Since the blockbuster trade, the Suns have won both the clashes against the reigning MVP’s teams.
Hence, there is a huge possibility that the #4 Phoenix end up emerging victoriously and advancing to the WCF for the 2nd time in 3 years.
