Down 2-0 to the Nuggets, Devin Booker carried the Suns to a victory in Game 3 with 47 points on 20-of-25 shooting. Yet, Phoenix’s win was partly overshadowed by the team’s decision to bench DeAndre Ayton, which led to Ayton not speaking with the media after the game.
The center had just four points and nine rebounds on the night, his worst performance of the playoffs thus far. After the game, Booker explained how he approaches trying to keep Ayton in the game when he’s struggling.
“We’ve been around long enough to understand every night’s not gonna be your night,” he said. “Energy and effort always has to be high, especially around this time. You can’t get flustered, you can’t get in your own head, and I could see that with him a little bit tonight, so that’s my job to just pump him up the next possession.”
Devin Booker on trying to pick up Deandre Ayton after tonight: “Energy and effort always has to be high, especially around this time. You can’t get flustered, you can’t get in your own head, and I could see that with him a little bit tonight, so that’s my job to just pump him up” pic.twitter.com/qqeqRpkx5f
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) May 6, 2023
Phoenix has a chance to tie the series on Sunday, but the team needs Ayton to get back on track to have a chance vs. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Booker, meanwhile, has been doing everything he can to will the Suns to victories, scoring at least 16 points in each playoff game this year, including three games with at least 45 points.
Ayton played in 67 games this year and averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds on the season. He is in the first year of a four-year, 133 million extension with the Suns.
