Jusuf Nurkic enjoyed watching a Devin Booker masterclass firsthand. The center played 35 minutes in the Suns’ 123-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, where Booker scored a season-high 52 points. However, some fans on social media weren’t too pleased with Booker’s performance, but Nurkic had a way to shut their mouth.
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Booker was having one of his best days on the court as he went 16-of-30 from the field and a perfect 10/10 off the free-throw line. This was Booker’s sixth career 50-point game and second against the Pelicans. Post-game, Nurkic gave his teammate props on X, (formerly called Twitter). He posted, “H1M,” a nod to Booker’s jersey number. One fan tried to rain on the Suns’ parade and claimed Booker wouldn’t be this effective in the playoffs.
Nurkic called them a “dummy” and reminded them that Phoenix has two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant on the roster.
Having Durant by their side is something worth boasting about. He is one of the most prolific playoff performers in NBA history averaging 29.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Last year, he made his playoff debut for the Suns and averaged 29 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists across 11 games. Durant always ups the ante in the playoffs. He can carry teams on his back if needed.
However, with Booker, Nurkic, and Bradley Beal by his side, Durant could be unleashed like never before in the playoffs. The Suns are eighth in the Western Conference standings with a 23-18 record. If they make it to the playoffs, they’ll be one of the favourites to win the title, regardless of their seed.
Jusuf Nurkic in awe of superstar teammates
Jusuf Nurkic is enjoying life. Playing alongside Durant, Booker, and Beal is the stuff of dreams for the Bosnian center. During an interview after a practice session last year, Nurkic was asked to describe what playing alongside his new teammates felt like.
“I look at yesterday and today, I’m coming down the floor and Devin Booker has the ball. I’m running and playing pick and roll with D-Book, but on the corner, I got KD and Bradley Beal, I’m saying, “God Damn!”. It’s kinda crazy when you think about it!”
Despite boasting a lineup of three bonafide superstars, the Suns are eighth in the Western Conference standings. That was because Beal played only six of the Suns’ first 30 games. Durant was miffed about his teammate’s injury situation and the team’s form. ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that some inside the Suns’ top brass could sense their superstar’s frustration. A bewildered Durant shut down the report with an Instagram comment that read,
“Woj says somebody else ‘feels’ that I’m frustrated and it turned into me being mentally checked out. This s**t crazy, these people can flat out lie on my name and make s**t up and you people will believe it but when my teammates n coaches speak on how I am as a teammate, u ignore it lol.”
Durant, Nurkic, Beal, and Booker are locked in on one goal. They want to lead the Suns to their maiden NBA title. They’ve shut down the outside noise and have found their rhythm. They are 8-3 over their last 11 games with Beal in the lineup and look like the championship contenders they were expected to be when they formed their star-studded quartet.
