Was Devin Booker’s late-game foul call on LeBron James warranted?

With the Suns holding a one-point lead with just over three seconds left, the ball found its way to LeBron James for the game-winning shot, and just as he was about to shoot, Devin Booker made contact with James’ hand. The NBA clarifies that the part of a player’s hand that is touching the basketball is considered part of the ball, meaning incidental contact on that specific area by a defender isn’t usually a foul. So why exactly was Booker’s foul called?

When asked about it, Suns star SG said that the referee claimed that Booker made contact with James’ wrist, although he mentioned after that what the referee said was a lie, and that he didn’t see that, after he rewatched the clip. (Credit: Duane Rankin | AZCentral)

Suns fans react to Devin Booker’s late-game foul call:

There were some questions about whether Booker ended up being in the landing space of James after his three-point attempt or if LeBron was just getting superstar treatment, although if the reasoning was strictly the contact made to James’ hand, Booker might have a point with his frustration being warranted. With a rivalry renewed with the tense atmosphere and the intensity of last night’s matchup, it is sure to bring more must-see moments and highlights the rest of the season, although the Suns must focus on making sure moments like last night end up going their way.