Devin Booker drops 13 points in preseason debut

Booker rebounded in the second half, but had just two points and five turnovers in 19 minutes in the first half. The Suns trailed by eight at halftime and would go on to lose by nine, which was the closest margin of the series. For much of the series, Booker was stymied by the Thunder defense and it led to a quick exit for the Suns in these playoffs.

It has been a struggle for Booker offensively in this series, and the Thunder deserve credit for that. In Game 3, he didn’t have the best day shooting the basketball, but the seven assists were solid. And another concern came up during the third quarter, as Booker departed briefly after injuring his left ankle. He did return to the game, so there may not be any issue regarding Booker’s availability for Game 4 on Monday.

It was tough for Booker to find scoring opportunities on Wednesday. He had only 10 shot attempts through the first three quarters against a Thunder defense that continues to guard him well. The low output left him as Phoenix’s second-leading scorer on the night with a points total that fell short of his regular-season average. Booker also had more turnovers than assists in Game 2 in his 40 minutes of game action. The Suns will likely need him to perform at a higher level if they want to avoid falling behind by three games on Saturday.

Of the three Suns players to score in double figures in Sunday’s blowout defeat, Booker was the only one to get close to shooting 50 percent from the field. Given the matchup, the Suns will need more from their star guard if they’re to have a chance of winning this series. With Phoenix having played on Wednesday and Friday in the Play-In Tournament before Sunday’s afternoon matchup, an extra day off ahead of Game 2 on Wednesday night may do Booker and the Suns some good.

Booker logged a fairly balanced performance as Phoenix’s lead guard. He shot inefficiently from beyond the arc but repeatedly worked his way to the line to help reach the 20-point mark. Meanwhile, he took on the role of lead playmaker, which nearly led him to a points-assists double-double. The veteran combo guard didn’t deliver any major counting stats. However, he took a very calculated approach, which allowed him to finish with a team-high plus-25 on the evening. He’ll have a chance to log another strong outing on Sunday in Game 1 against the Thunder.

Booker had an off night on Tuesday, as he saw his streak of 30-point performances end at three games. He struggled overall from the field, missed the mark on both of his three-point attempts, and missed five free throws along the way. The veteran scorer played 38 minutes, despite dealing with foul trouble, but failed to make his usual impact. Still, he’ll have an opportunity to bounce back on Friday when the Suns take on the winner of Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors matchup.

Booker is back after missing the final two regular-season games. His return gives Phoenix its leader and clear-cut No. 1 scoring option. The Suns have played well this season and could earn a playoff spot with a win over the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, whom they had a 2-1 record against during the regular season.

While Booker, Brooks and O’Neale are sitting for injury-management reasons, Allen is out with a left hamstring injury he sustained during Friday’s loss to the Lakers. As for Saturday evening, the Suns were still listing the issue as a sore hamstring, but that’s something to keep an eye on ahead of Tuesday’s play-in game. Rasheer Fleming, Amir Coffey and Koby Brea are three wings who are in line to play rotation minutes on Sunday.

The Suns are locked into the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, so it makes sense that they would give Booker a night off. Grayson Allen is not on the injury report and will have added value for those in active fantasy leagues.

Booker, as usual, did quite a bit for the Suns on Wednesday. He led the team in scoring, nearly reaching the 40-point mark, contributed on the glass, and fell one assist shy of a double-double. The versatile combo guard has really turned things up a notch down the stretch of the season; he’s scored at least 30 points in three straight games and five of the last six overall. The Suns are locked into the seventh seed in the Western Conference and will host either the Clippers or Trail Blazers in the Play-In Tournament. Before then, Booker and the Suns will face the Lakers on Friday and the Thunder on Sunday to close the regular season.