BBNBA: Devin Booker looking as lethal as ever, leads Suns to 4th straight win
The Phoenix Suns are surging behind the play of one man in particular. Call him what you want — the conductor, bus driver, or general of this Phoenix team — but Devin Booker is the driving force for this high-flying offense that once again went all through him in a 132-101 win against Oklahoma City.
What exactly did Booker do in Wednesday night’s thrashing of the Thunder? Buckle up. Booker led all scorers in Phoenix and it wasn’t close. D-Book went off for 44 points. The next highest scorer would finish with 24 in the contest. Booker was unconscious from the field, shooting 17-23 which included six 3-pointers made from the 10 he took. He was shooting like he was in a 3-point contest from beyond the arc.
Booker’s game isn’t going unnoticed either. He’s coming off an NBA Player of the Week award where he led Phoenix to a flawless 3-0 week while averaging 36.0 PPG. Booker followed that up with a 44-point bomb and we are all witnesses to his mile-high ceiling.
Not the second option
You wouldn’t think Booker recently returned from a groin injury about a month ago. He’s been on a scoring spree since then, with his lowest outing being 19-point performances. D-Book is back to his 30-plus point nights, with the casual 40-point game still being a staple in his arsenal. Even more impressive could be Booker’s consistent effort with the new addition of Kevin Durant, who actually slipped on the floor during warmups and was ruled out for Wednesday’s game. Safe to say Booker stepped up. The Suns go through him, period. Which is a major compliment considering the star power and household names that the offense provides.
Book seemed to think his new teammate didn’t hurt himself too badly.
Phoenix has now won four straight and is 5-1 since the All-Star break. They’ve climbed their way to fourth in the West and sit within striking distance of the second spot. The Suns are two games back from the Kings who are second in the Wild Wild West.
The good news? Sacramento and Phoenix face off on Saturday in a war of scoring and seeding. A BBNBA shootout should be expected in the desert when both squads meet. The bad news? I don’t think there is any, unless you’re a defensive fanatic. I would think Saturday brings a scoring spree between two proficient offenses.
BBNBA’s capital city?
I would say it’s either Miami or Sacramento, but that debate can come another day. It’s no surprise that the BBNBA boys in Miami have a monumental impact on the Heat, so for argument’s sake let’s talk about about “capital city Miami.” Wednesday night brought a battle in South Beach, where the Heat fell 104-100 to the Cavaliers.
Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo had meaningful contributions in Miami’s loss. Herro dropped 22 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 35 minutes of play. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has had streaky performances since the break, but Wednesday night proved to be one of his better outings. Herro went 7-15 from the field and 4-8 from beyond the arc. If that trey-ball is falling, Herro has no limits for what he can do. Finding that consistent 3-pointer is the key. One positive from Wednesday night for Herro was the new milestone that he eclipsed.
Ups and downs
That same consistency can be the perfect word to describe Miami’s season so far. The Heat are three games above .500 and in seventh place in the East. Consistency has been nearly impossible for Miami this year, with one factor being due to the squad struggling to have its main guys healthy at the same time. However, as of late, Adebayo, Herro, and Jimmy Butler have all been healthy. Yet the final product has continued to be mediocre.
Adebayo added 17 points in the loss but oddly ended the night with just one rebound. Arguably Miami’s steadiest piece this season, Adebayo was held short on the glass. A man who averages 21.2 PPG and 9.5 RPG has struggled to get back to his double-double nights recently. Bam only has one double-double since the All-Star break. Looks like the Heat can’t catch a break or a rebound if we’re being honest.
Other BBNBA notes
- Shaedon Sharpe added 12 points off the bench for Portland. The Trail Blazers fell in Boston 115-93. Sharpe got 25 minutes of action in the loss.
- Jamal Murray had a quiet night in Denver’s 117-96 loss to Chicago. Murray went for 11 points and six assists. Murray couldn’t click from the field, shooting 4-15.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t feature in OKC’s defeat to Phoenix. The Thunder guard was out due to an abdominal injury.
BBNBA Stats 3/8/23:
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | MIN | +/- |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 132-101 W vs. OKC | 44 | 17-23 (6-10) | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 27 | +33 |
| Tyler Herro (MIA) | 104-100 L vs. CLE | 22 | 7-15 (4-8) | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 35 | -8 |
| Bam Adebayo (MIA) | 104-100 L vs. CLE | 17 | 8-11 (0-0) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 28 | -4 |
| Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | 115-93 L @ BOS | 12 | 4-8 (3-6) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | -8 |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 117-96 L vs. CHI | 11 | 4-15 (1-7) | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 35 | -14 |
| Kevin Knox II (POR) | 115-93 L @ BOS | 0 | 0-2 (0-0) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -1 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | 132-101 L @ PHX | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC) | 108-100 W vs. TOR | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Tonight in the NBA
7:00: Hornets (PJ Washington, Richards) @ Pistons (Diallo: out
7:00: Rockets (TyTy Washington: G League) @ Pacers (Jackson)
7:00: Jazz @ Magic
7:30 (TNT): Warriors @ Grizzlies
8:00: Nets (Noel) @ Bucks
10:00 (TNT): Knicks (Randle, Quickley) @ Kings (Monk, Fox, Lyles)
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