Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel could only look on in awe as he watched one of his stars match incredible NBA history on Monday night. The Suns picked up a massive 124-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans with Devin Booker leading the way.
Booker scored a game-high 52 points, matching his total from the previous matchup between the teams in January. He matched some impressive NBA history with the performance, becoming only the second player after Wilt Chamberlain to score 50+ points in three straight games against a single opponent.
Looking to get back on track after an ugly 25-point loss in their previous game to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Booker came out of the gates strong. He scored 24 points in the opening stanza, as Vogel noted he was in attack mode from the opening tip.
“If there was space at the 3-point line, he was looking to rise up,” Vogel said. “If there was an avenue to the rim, he was ducking his head and getting to the rim and getting to the free throw line. So he was doing it in all ways.”
It was an excellent all-around offensive performance from Booker. He shot an efficient 19-of-28 from the field, going 8-of-16 on 3-point attempts and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Despite being on fire from the field, Booker still got his teammates involved. If he didn’t have a shot, he was a more than willing passer. He led the Suns with nine assists, as he found a counter to whatever the Pelicans threw at him defensively.
It was just the kind of performance that the Suns needed to stay in the mix for a spot outside of the NBA Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference. They are now only one game behind the Pelicans for sixth place in a race that will go down to the wire.
“Our challenge now is to string together two in a row of those types of performance and then three in a row and keep it going rather than being inconsistent, which we’ve been at times this year,” Vogel said.
Things certainly won’t be easy for the Suns, who have the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. They start a three-game homestand Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers before hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves, Pelicans and Los Angeles Clippers.
Phoenix will then end the regular season on a three-game road trip, visiting the Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Timberwolves. If the Suns can climb out of the NBA Play-In Tournament, they will have certainly earned it.
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