Devin Booker is quickly becoming a franchise legend in Phoenix.
After scoring 26 and 38 points in the first two games of their Western Conference first-round series, Booker stepped it up in Game 3, dropping 45 points to power the Suns to a 129-124 win over the Clippers on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Booker finished just two points shy of his playoff career high of 47, which he set against the Lakers in 2021. The 45 are the most points scored in a game by a single player in the 2023 NBA playoffs.
He also had six rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks to go with his 18-of-29 shooting from the field (3-of-7 from the 3-point line) as he helped the Suns take a 2-1 series lead.
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Beyond the win, Booker etched his name deeper into Suns franchise history; he tied Charles Barkley for the most 40-point playoff games, with five.
Devin Booker now has five 40-point games in the playoffs, matching Charles Barkley for most in Suns history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/66UjLXswpM
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 21, 2023
"I'm just put in the right situations," Booker said postgame. "We have (Kevin Durant) out here, we have Chris Paul, those guys attract a lot of attention, and it opens up spots for me.
"Coach (Monty Williams) does a good job of putting us in situations where we can succeed and that's just what we've been doing."
"We have KD. We have Chris Paul... It opens up spots for me."
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 21, 2023
-Devin Booker on his dominant Game 3 performance pic.twitter.com/RkC2nSMdli
Booker's scoring exploits are not a surprise, but his effort and engagement on the defensive end have made him a lethal two-way threat in this series.
As noted by StatMuse, Booker is not only leading the playoffs in scoring, he also is second in stocks (steals and blocks combined).
Devin Booker this playoffs:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 21, 2023
— 1st in points per game
— 2nd in stocks per game
Doing it on both ends of the floor. pic.twitter.com/Wyz0W6x2yQ
"It's what he’s been doing this series," Suns head coach Monty Williams told reporters postgame.
"I told him after Game 1 he was thermostat for the team, and he set the temperature for 48 minutes.”
The Suns will look to continue their winning ways in Game 4 on Saturday, April 22, in Los Angeles, with tipoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT).
