Suns’ Devin Booker in pretty lofty teenage company

Since 1980, there have been 55 times an NBA player under the age of 20 has scored 30 or more points in a single game.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is responsible for three of them.

The first-round pick pumped in 32 points in a 128-97 loss to the New York Knicks Wednesday night. Booker hit 14-of-28 shots from the floor, including three 3-pointers, and hit 1-of-2 from the free-throw line in the loss.

It was also Booker’s second 30-point game in his last four contests. He had a career-high 34 in a loss to the Miami Heat on March 3.

The Kentucky guard is in some pretty lofty company on the list of teenagers that have three or more 30-point games. LeBron James is the all-time leader with 20 such games. Carmelo Anthony had 10 and Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant hit for 30 seven times before hitting the age of 20.

Booker is now fourth on this list. Kobe Bryant, Stephon Marbury and Andrew Wiggins are the only other players to do it more than once.

Despite Booker’s scoring success, the Suns haven’t been successful in the win column in those games. They’re now 0-3 in games where Booker scores 30 or more, and that’s what matters.

“We’re here to get wins,” Booker said. “Especially, we got blown out, it wasn’t really even a close game. So (scoring 30) means nothing.”

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