Devin Booker’s late heroics and career-high 38 points lift Suns to OT win in New Orleans

Nov 4, 2016, 8:54 PM | Updated: Nov 5, 2016, 8:32 am

Suns reporter, ArizonaSports.com editor

After a 1-4 start to the season, the Phoenix Suns got back on track against a winless New Orleans Pelicans team in a 112-111 overtime win.

A large contributing factor to their four losses had been the early struggles of their three guards who many believe to be their three best players.

One of those guards, Devin Booker, was shooting under 40 percent in those first five games and couldn’t find his rhythm while dealing with a toe injury.

All of that changed for Booker, however, in New Orleans Friday night.

Booker scored a career-high 38 points and made two huge shots for Phoenix late in the fourth quarter to keep the game alive.

Off a broken play and an offensive rebound, Booker found himself with just enough space to redeem his earlier miss on a far more open opportunity seconds earlier.

After Pelicans guard Lance Stephenson gave the Pelicans the lead back, head coach Earl Watson ran a play to get Booker a chance on the baseline and the 20-year-old made it count.

.@devinbook is a bad, bad man. #WeArePHX https://t.co/bfo3NPt3Kl

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 5, 2016

The step-back jumper by Booker would tie his career high for points with 35, and the second-year pro would break that previous high with a phenomenal finish for the and-one in overtime.

You can't make this stuff up, folks. #WeArePHX pic.twitter.com/H7VG1UkXKE

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 5, 2016

With 14.4 seconds left in OT and the Suns up one, Booker would foul out of the game. Pelicans guard E’Twuan Moore made both free throws with 8.6 seconds left to put New Orleans back in the lead.

Another terrific sideline out of bounds play designed by Watson had T.J. Warren open for a dunk that would win the Suns the game.