PHOENIX SUNS

Devin Booker has another strong game in Mexico City, scores 39 points in Suns win

Jan 14, 2017, 7:12 PM | Updated: 11:11 pm

On Thursday in Mexico City, Devin Booker’s 39-point night against the Dallas Mavericks was an outline of how the 20-year-old could turn his season around.

Maybe all Booker needs to do is play all of his games in Mexico City.

In the Suns’ second and final game in Mexico, they beat the San Antonio Spurs 108-105, thanks in large part to Booker’s 39 points, his second straight game posting the number.

Once again, he was efficient.

He entered the two-game trip shooting 41 percent overall and 34 percent from deep, but in these two games, Booker has shot 26-of-42 from the field, scoring 78 points on 62 percent overall shooting. That also includes a 9-for-12 number from beyond the three-point line, continuing a run of stellar shooting in January that is giving Suns fans hope that he will improve his poor three-point shooting numbers at the start of his career.

The most impressive part of the trip had to be in Saturday’s game, when Booker did nearly all of his scoring with either Kawhi Leonard or Danny Green on him, two of the best perimeter defenders in the league.

Despite the aggressive defense, Booker continued to attack, whether it was going to the rim or creating space for his jumper.

Luckily for the Suns, they were able to hold for the win despite Booker’s tough matchup and not being able to score late.

Leonard — arguably the best perimeter defender on the planet — shadowed Booker over portions of the game, including towards the end, when Booker found it more difficult to get his shot off.

In the last five minutes of a very close game, Booker took only three shots and made one, which was a dunk that came in transition off a steal. On most of those possessions, Leonard’s defense was so tight that Booker wasn’t even able to get the ball.

With the Suns approaching the midway point of the season near the bottom of the Western Conference, Booker turning the corner and meeting his high expectations in the second half of the season would be a welcome sight for all. If there’s anything to learn from his two games in Mexico City, it’s that he’s ready to do so.

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