Suns’ Devin Booker Scored 52 Points Against The Pelicans 124-111

(CTN News) – The Phoenix Suns‘ Devin Booker beat the New Orleans Pelicans 124-111 on Monday night, bringing them within a game of the Pelicans for the sixth playoff spot in the Western Conference. Devin Booker scored 52 points, his fifth-highest scoring game of his career.

As the Suns (44-31) rebounded from Friday night’s 128-103 loss to Oklahoma City, they moved closer to New Orleans (45-30). Sunday’s game will be in Phoenix. In three consecutive games against the same opponent,

Devin Booker scored at least 50 points, becoming the first NBA player since Wilt Chamberlain to do so.

Besides his 52-point performance against New Orleans on Jan. 19 in the Smoothie King Center, Booker scored 58 points on Dec. 12 against the Pelicans in a 118-114 home win.

“It means a lot to me,” said Booker, who was accompanied by 40 family members and friends. In my career, Wilt has been named only a few times for things that he has done. A person whose name is given for something he has done is known to have fulfilled a great purpose.”

As a result of Devin Booker 52-point performance against the Pelicans, Suns coach Frank Vogel was in awe.

This building and this opponent were good for Vogel. Three times he went for 50 against the same opponent just shows how good he is. The fact that you’ve done it three times in a row is just incredible.”

A 25-point lead for the Suns in the third quarter was aided by Kevin Durant’s 20 points and Jusuf Nurkic’s 19 points and 19 rebounds.

A concerted effort was made by the Suns in the first quarter to get Booker the ball and screen more aggressively.

In Durant’s words, it was like deja vu. Seeing him do it again, I was in awe.”

Because Devin Booker had buried the Pels in the past, Willie Green said letting him go was not an excuse.

The player hit some easy shots as well as some tough shots, as noted by Green. Our guarding of him was rather soft. When it came to our physicality with him, we just had a soft mentality. He’s a great player, so we can’t let him settle in.”

Nine field shots – eight from behind the arc – helped Devin Booker score 24 points in the first quarter.

Trey Murphy III, a Pelicans forward, said Booker came out with lots of energy and pace. “He hit some tough shots, but I think we also contributed.”

Phoenix won 123-109 at New Orleans on Jan. 19 thanks to Booker’s 25 points. In his previous five quarters against the Pelicans, he had scored 76 points.

In the first quarter, Zion Williamson took his first shot after the Suns built a wall around him on defense. With 30 points and five assists, Williamson finished with a double-double. New Orleans was led by Trey Murphy III, who scored 21 points.

In his career, Booker has scored 50 or more points eight times.

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