Devin Booker scores 23 points in blowout defeat

Booker, who’s scored at least 20 points in four of Phoenix’s five games, fouled out with 57.6 seconds remaining and the Suns trailing by five. Phoenix did what it could to get one last chance to force overtime, but Collin Gillespie’s buzzer-beater attempt fell short. Booker has provided reliable fantasy value, but Phoenix’s schedule is the issue for fantasy managers. However, after playing two games in each of the first two weeks, the Suns play four games this week, counting Monday.

It was clear from the opening tip that the Thunder wanted to make someone other than Booker beat them. The defensive strategy worked: Booker shot poorly, and the other Suns failed to do enough on either end of the floor to compensate. Even with Monday’s poor showing, Book has offered excellent category-league value through Phoenix’s first three games. He’ll look to bounce back on Friday against the Nuggets.

After scoring 23 points in the Suns’ season-opening loss to the Trail Blazers, Booker nearly doubled that output on Saturday. The Suns’ star guard shot 68 percent from the field and added strong rebounding and assist numbers. With the Suns playing just two games in Week 1, fantasy managers rostering Booker needed a night like this. The Suns have another bad schedule in Week 2, with only two games.

The main thing we were watching was who was starting at center and Khaman got the nod tonight. Devin Booker will start at point guard which will be something to watch with how much he plays there. It will impact Collin Gillespie’s value as more of a streamer for 3-pointers.

Booker was ice-cold on Wednesday, missing all eight of his three-point attempts. However, the overall light stat line was more concerning for anyone looking to lose sleep over a preseason game. Booker will be fine, and he’ll take on more playmaking responsibilities this season with Miles Bridges’ arrival pushing Collin Gillespie to the bench.

Booker, Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green all scored in double figures as Phoenix carried a 68-50 lead into halftime. The trio will be essential to the Suns’ chances of making it back to the postseason with Booker representing their primary offensive catalyst. The 29-year-old veteran scoring machine is a relatively low-risk top-60 range selection in the early rounds of fantasy drafts this fall.

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.