PHOENIX — While Kevin Durant is recovering from a fluke ankle sprain suffered doing pregame warmups ahead of what was supposed to be his home debut on Wednesday night, Devin Booker has a chance to continue one of the best stretches of his NBA career and keep the Suns afloat.
In a Friday edition of the Locked On Suns podcast, host Brendon Kleen discussed why playing things patiently with Durant is possible thanks to Booker’s excellent play, and how Booker has continued to develop as a scorer into his mid 20s.
“It might sound ridiculous to say Devin Booker doesn’t get enough attention for his scoring because he’s known for it and he’s a star for it, but I think this season is getting overlooked,” Kleen said.
Booker has scored 35 or more points on at least 58 percent shooting in the past four games. He is averaging a career-best 27.6 points per game on 49 percent shooting from the field, also a career best.
“The crazy thing to me recently has been … when you combine the ability to get to the line more consistently and more in the flow of your normal game, plus he just has the ability now, and the timing and knack for the moment of it, of ‘I need to mix in these pull-up threes because sometimes that’s the only shot they’re going to give me,’” Kleen explained. “That’s what’s allowed him to let the game come to him is he has an answer for everything at this point.”
Booker has had huge scoring games without taking a three-pointer, and he has gotten scorching hot from three. He has had low free-throw games and games where he gets the opponent into the bonus quickly. Booker is putting it all together.
“He just takes that half second, he has the dribble package and the hesitation move to create the time and space for himself to check where the defense is, make sure there’s no rim protection there,” Kleen said. “He knows he can get past (the defender), that’s been there for five years. But now, he has that extra little bit of hesitation and the ability with the ball to make that space for himself, and then he just gets the shot off.”
Booker will look to extend his 35-point streak on Saturday at home against Sacramento.