After the Phoenix Suns’ first three playoff games, it is clear that Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are made to play with each other
The Phoenix Suns’ dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker has lived up to all of the hype thus far.
In the Suns’ first three playoff games, Durant is averaging 26.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists while Booker is averaging an insane 36.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists.
The outstanding play of both Durant and Booker has helped the Suns gain a 2-1 series lead against the Los Angeles Clippers. What makes this duo so successful?
Durant’s reputation on the court speaks volumes. He has drawn so much attention from the Clippers’ defense that he has served as a decoy allowing Booker to have more room to operate.
“I feel bad for Kev [Kevin Durant] sometimes because he’s an expensive decoy out there,” Monty Williams said following the win in Game 3.
“He’s standing at the 28 foot hash and the defender is right in his face and that gives book a number of opportunities to attack a basket, and even when we run him in actions as a misdirection, sometimes two guys go with Kevin when he comes off of a screen, so that opens up the floor for everyone else and he’s big he’s 6’11 and so when a guy like that who can shoot the ball with that kind of efficiency is coming off of a screen or spacing the floor, you have to pay attention to him.”
Booker scored 45 points in Game 3 against the Clippers showing how effective he can be with so much more room to create his own shot.
“I think that’s where he is, plus Kevin [Durant],” Williams said on whether Booker has more space to operate. “And when we get stops and get out and run, that’s the other place where he’s been really dynamic. Once you show him a crack or an alley, he’s gonna take it. And the other part about Book [Devin Booker] is he will pass the ball and make the right play. I don’t know if they counted it tonight or if we did, but the hockey assist for him was probably high tonight because he was hitting the pocket and then we were finding guys on the backside. I’m not quite sure I call it aggression. I just think he’s making the right plays and whatever the defense gives him, he takes advantage of it.”
The most impressive part of Durant and Booker’s game to Williams is their ability to play through physical contact which is what the playoffs are all about.
“Kevin [Durant] and Book [Devin Booker] have hands on them a lot,” Williams said. “The game is physical this time of the year, so for him to be able to produce like that, he and Kev [Kevin Durant] with the physicality that they have to play through is pretty phenomenal.”
Despite being superstar caliber players who are pretty ball dominant, Booker and Durant know that in order to win they need to work off each other which they have been doing a perfect job of so far.
“I mean in so many ways,” Booker said of Durant opening up the floor for him. “You can’t leave him, obviously he draws a lot of attention. A lot of the buckets I scored, I went back to him and said, “You open that up for me.” He knows that and I expect the Clippers to make an adjustment to try to take me away and it’ll be his turn to do it and it’s just how we play.”
When healthy, Durant and Booker are arguably the most lethal duo the NBA has to offer today. Both are elite scorers that are selfless and just want what is best for the team. That’s a perfect recipe for a successful duo that has the potential of accomplishing truly great things.
Source: si.com
