Devin Booker shrugs off historic efficiency as Suns even seriesq
Booker continued his phenomenal playoff run by scoring 36 points, matching teammate Kevin Durant's total, while going 14-of-18 from the field in Phoenix's series-evening 129-124 win over the Denver Nuggets in Sunday night's Game 4 at Footprint Center.
"Man, I'm just trying to win," Booker said. "I always say, and it's something that I'll tell KD, like throw that efficiency s--- out the window. I don't care about that. Just keep going, keep attacking, keep being aggressive."
But Booker's efficiency has been astounding throughout the playoffs and especially in the past two games of the Western Conference semifinals series.
Booker has now scored 331 points during this postseason, the most by any player through nine playoff games since Michael Jordan in 1990, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Booker has done so with a 70% true shooting percentage, the best ever by a player who scored at least 300 points over a span of nine playoff games.
Since the Suns left Denver facing an 0-2 deficit in the series, Booker exploded for 83 points in Phoenix's two home wins while shooting 79.1% from the floor. He made 20 of 26 jump shots in the pair of victories, hitting at a clip (76.9%) that ranks as the best over two playoff games in the decade that Second Spectrum has done player tracking among a group of more than 900 players who attempted at least 25 jumpers.
"I know the spots where I'm supposed to be aggressive and where I'm supposed to make 'em pay," said Booker, who also had 12 assists in Sunday's win. "I talked about transition earlier and just trying to get out and play fast, so they can't set their defense and set their double-team. I don't usually get open shots. So this is a new thing with having KD's gravity on the floor."
Durant delivered his best performance of the series Sunday, scoring 36 points on 11-of-19 shooting, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out six assists.
It marked the first time two teammates each recorded at least 35 points, five rebounds and five assists in consecutive games, regular season or playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. And Durant believes that the best is yet to come for a duo that has played only 17 games together, nine of which have come during the playoffs.
"To be honest, we're still learning each other, learning which plays work for both of us, which plays work for our team as well," Durant said. "But at the core of it, it's just all about playing ball and getting to your spots and just playing aggressive. I think we both do that. Book is always comfortable out there in any spot on the floor, and I feel like I'm the same way. The more reps we get, the better we going to get."
Booker already has six 35-plus-point performances in these playoffs, the most ever by a Phoenix player during a postseason. His past two have occurred while adding significant facilitating responsibilities with Chris Paul sidelined by a strained left groin.
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Voting ended onMay 11, 2023
