Booker becomes 1st Suns player with 35 points in 4 straight games in win vs. Thunder
Mar 8, 2023, 9:22 PM | Updated: Mar 9, 2023, 10:53 am
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker took over Wednesday’s 132-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder early and dropped 44 points in only 28 minutes.
It was Booker’s sixth game with at least 40 points this season.
Booker scored 17 in the opening period, right after Suns (37-29) forward Kevin Durant was scratched after slipping in pregame workouts.
The three-time All-Star had 30 points by halftime and soon after became the first player in Suns history to record four straight 35-point games.
He scored 37, 35 and 36 points in his last three games, respectively.
Devin Booker dropped 30 points in the first half for the Suns!
📽️: @JGSports_6 pic.twitter.com/N6cjfT4FtD
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 9, 2023
He played a little too well, though, as head coach Monty Williams pulled his starters early while up 121-88 with 7:26 left in the game.
Booker tried to hide and stay in to no success. He was close to his third 50-burger of the year.
“I had a little bit left,” Booker said on the TV broadcast after the game.
He tried to hide 😂
Devin Booker gets the salute from the crowd exiting the game on his 44-point night. pic.twitter.com/Py2qswqL3P
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) March 9, 2023
Booker managed 44 points while shooting 17-for-23 from the floor and 6-for-10 from deep.
The Suns outscored the Thunder (31-35) by 33 points during his minutes.
A sold-out crowd expecting to see Durant’s first home game on the Suns still received a show, and they won their fourth straight game.
Phoenix is back at home Saturday against the Sacramento Kings at 8 p.m.