Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns were yet again on the receiving end of a Luka Doncic masterclass at Footprint Center. The Dallas Mavericks superstar scored 50 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out 15 assists in a 128-114 win for his team. In the post-game press conference, Booker was asked about the reasons behind the tough loss at home.
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The Suns superstar did not mince words, saying, “Just poor rotations. Poor game plan discipline. We knew what we were supposed to do out there, but as the game goes on, we just lose focus.” To his credit, Booker took responsibility for the loss and called on the team’s leaders to turn the tide of their season:
“We have to get it together. And that’s on me, that’s on [head] coach [Frank Vogel], that’s on KD, Eric [Gordon], all the leaders we have in here to make sure that we’re more prepared when we come to play.”
Booker’s comments are pretty warranted in the wake of the Phoenix team relegating below .500. The situation in Phoenix is quite concerning. Before losing to the Toronto Raptors on November 29th, the Suns had won seven games on the trot. However, they are 3-8 since that game. Their record has slumped to 14-15 after the Mavs game and they are currently 11th in the Western Conference standings. If the season ended today, the Suns would miss the playoffs.
Book says “as the game goes on, (the Suns) just lose focus.” pic.twitter.com/ZNB9UqOMcv
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) December 26, 2023
The Suns’ struggles are not down to Booker and Kevin Durant’s form. D-Book is averaging 27.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.4 rebounds this season. On the other hand, KD is scoring even better, operating at an All-NBA level. The 2014 MVP is averaging 30.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He’s also shooting 46.9% from beyond the arc, the best mark of his career. However, beyond the duo’s scoring prowess, the situation is grim.
The Suns’ decision to land Bradley Beal has been a disaster so far. The 30-year-old was expected to form a new “Big 3” alongside Booker and Durant. However, he has played only six games this season and averaged only 14.7 points. Beal is currently out due to injury and is unlikely to return this year. Jusuf Nurkic has also had a quiet start to his Suns career. He’s averaging only 12.1 points and 10.3 rebounds, and hasn’t been as impactful as expected.
Beal’s absence and Nurkic’s subpar performances have contributed heavily to the Suns 14-15 record. Their lack of solid role players to effectively aid the KD-Book duo has hurt the team.
Kevin Durant might be getting frustrated with the Suns’ poor showing
Speaking of the Suns’ role players, forward Eric Gordon aired his discontent at his lack of usage in the team’s offense. After Phoenix’s 120-105 loss to the Sacramento Kings, Gordon, who finished the game with only two shot attempts, said:
“Early on in the season, it was better. And lately, there just hasn’t been an emphasis [to involve me in the offense]. So, it’s definitely different. Lately I haven’t been getting hardly any touches really.“
His plea worked. He took 12 shots and converted six for 14 points in the Suns’ loss to the Mavericks. He may be content with being involved in the offensive scheme, but that didn’t help Phoenix. He wasn’t the only Suns player miffed about the team’s situation.
— Guru (@DrGuru_) December 25, 2023
Per NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Suns officials can feel Durant’s frustration rising with each passing game. Beal’s absence is unfortunate and Booker is trying his best, but the two-time Finals MVP is less than impressed with the rest of the roster. He’s displeased about the management not making any moves to improve the team. Wojnarowski reported:
“The underwhelming supporting cast that comes from those massive trades for Durant and Bradley Beal that really gutted the organization and left them having to sign a lot of minimum players to fill out the payroll.“
Booker expects Durant to be a leader and guide the Suns out of their current mess. However, he’s seemingly forgetting that the only reason he’s in Phoenix is because he had no desire to sort out the mess in Brooklyn. Durant signed a four-year, $198 million extension with the Nets in the 2021 offseason and demanded a trade a year later.
Durant has a reputation for bailing on tough situations. If the Suns’ current predicament gets too hot to handle, fans fear the superstar might demand an exit.
