Since being drafted into the league, both Luka Doncic and Devin Booker have not only proven themselves to be elite scorers but have also been cornerstones of their respective franchises. We may very well consider the ongoing tussles between Doncic and Booker a budding rivalry in the league, which kickstarted after the Phoenix Suns faced a massive blowout upset against the Dallas Mavericks at home in the Western Conference semi-finals in 2022.
Advertisement
Luka Doncic and Devin Booker have had their respective moments with 70-point games but in different situations. Scoring 70-plus points in one game is no easy task but the two stars made it seem easy. In this article, we will compare the 70-point efforts by both Doncic and Booker, evaluating who amongst the two emerges as a better player for their efforts in the league.
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic stunned the league last night, outscoring the Atlanta Hawks with his 73-point outburst. Doncic was just three assists away from a triple-double, recording a staggering 73 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead the Mavs to an impressive 148-143 win.
To amass such an impressive stat line, Doncic drained 25 of his 33 field goal attempts with an impressive 75.8% field goal percentage and an outstanding 61.5% three-point conversion rate, making 8 of his 13 threes. Furthermore, the five-time All-Star also maintained a 93.8% free throw percentage by making 15 of his 16 free throw attempts, which very well explains him reaching 73 points within 45 minutes of play.
Doncic’s contribution to the game can also be understood from his incredible +13 plus/minus rating inside the box. The 24-year-old kept looking out for his teammates and contributed more than just points. With this feat, the Slovenian has joined an elite club, including Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant, to rank fourth on the list of players with the most points scored in a game in the NBA.
Devin Booker
Besides Luka Doncic, Devin Booker also had an impressive night, scoring 62 points against the Indiana Pacers last night. However, the Suns unfortunately lost 133-131 to the Pacers in that game. But Booker’s last night’s showing against the Pacers is just a shadow of his March 24, 2017 blowout 70-point performance against the Boston Celtics.
Though the Suns had to face a sorry 130-120 loss in that game as well, the matchup was particularly incredible as Booker joined the ranks of Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, and David Robinson at just 20 years of age. Booker had a 52.5% field goal percentage, draining 21 of his 40 shot attempts, with a 36.4% three-point shooting percentage. The Suns All-Star had an amazing free throw conversion rate as well, scoring 24 of his 26 free throws that night.
In terms of contributing to the game, Book wasn’t as impactful for the team. He had a plus/minus rating of -6 inside the box, with most of his points coming when the Celtics were certain they would win the game. Regardless, Booker’s feat was remarkable, as the 20-year-old broke Elgin Baylor’s previous record of scoring the most against the Celtics. Furthermore, Booker became the youngest player to score 60+ points in a game with this feat.
Luka Doncic stands clear of Devin Booker with his performance
Comparing the stats of both Luka Doncic and Devin Booker from their iconic 70-point games, it’s pretty clear that Doncic had a better scoring night than his Suns rival. Doncic has a much better field goal and three-point shooting percentage, with fewer free throws taken than Devin Booker.
Furthermore, the Slovenian was much more involved with his teammates throughout the game as well, achieving a double-double and a win from this game. On the other hand, Booker only recorded six assists and eight rebounds, ultimately losing the game by 10 points against the Celtics.
