The Phoenix Suns recently registered their 29th victory of the regular season against the Washington Wizards in the capital state of America. During the clash, the exchange between the visitors’ Devin Booker, and the host’s Johnny Davis became a highlight. Following the conclusion of the match, the audio of the Suns star’s trash talk was leaked, shedding light on the on-court intensity.
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During a Wizards possession, the 4x All-Star brought up the competitiveness of the game while guarding the low post. As Davis positioned himself in the left corner to provide his team with an attacking option, the 27-year-old shouted, “I’m low”. It indicated the shooting guard’s lack of concern surrounding the 21-year-old opponent as he preferred protecting the paint than contesting him.
Booker further devalued the Wisconsin-born soon after that as the 6ft 4″ youngster tried his luck from behind the arc. The 2022 draft pick left his marker to attempt a 3-pointer as the Suns’ guard mockingly stated, “Oh my god”. The antics of the 6ft 6″ star paid dividends as the shot hit the rim resulting in possession for the away side. “Hell nah,” the Michigan-born added to belittle DaviS.
The dynamics remained unchanged for the majority of the match as the visitors ensured a 140-112 victory over the home side. Booker played a key role in facilitating the gameplay for his franchise as he registered 14 points and 6 assists in 26 minutes. His words might have also done the trick as Davis went 1/7 from the field to score a mere three points in 18 minutes of display.
The trash talk is nothing new for Booker, and it reestablishes the Suns All-Star’s status as a leading heckler amongst active NBA players. Early last year, he ranked fourth on the list of the biggest trash-talkers in the league with 7.1% of the vote. His effective blows at the crucial junctures of the match thus often cause his opponents to lose sight of the bigger goal. This recent instance served as an example of that.
Devin Booker seems to have found the delicate balance
In the NBA, trash-talking has acted as a major part of a team’s on-court antics, even during the regular season matches. Yet, often the tormenters themselves lose their focus, resulting in concerns for his roster throughout the game. In that regard, Booker seems to have become an exception over time as he started mixing his experience with tricks.
During a recent matchup against the Orlando Magic, the followers witnessed one such instance as he trash-talked Paolo Banchero. “I ain’t have a game like this all season,” Booker said while complaining about Magic’s physical nature of the game. However, the Suns star ended the match on a good note for himself scoring 44 points in 36 minutes.
Throughout the season, the 2015 draft pick has produced several such moments. His ability to support his statements with his endeavours put him in a league of his own. As of now, Booker has no intentions of changing his approach as it has been paying him off significantly.
