Devin Booker exploded for 52 points anew as the Phoenix Suns went to New Orleans to clinch a 124-111 win, inching closer with the Pelicans for the battle of the West’s sixth seed.
Devin Booker eclipses the 50-point mark for the 3rd time this year and knocks down a career-high 8 3-pointers as the @Suns get a win vs. the Pelicans!
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2024
Kevin Durant: 20 PTS, 7 REB
Jusuf Nurkic: 19 PTS, 19 REB
Zion: 30 PTS, 5 AST pic.twitter.com/35qvQxuPdv
Booker registered his 3rd straight 50-point game against the Pelicans, connected on a career-high eight triples, and delivered an ultra-efficient 19-out-of-28 shooting from the field in another insane scoring performance.
Devin Booker WENT OFF for 52 PTS (37 in the 1H) as he led the Suns to a W in New Orleans!
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2024
🔥 52 PTS, 9 AST
🔥 19/28 FGM
🔥 8 3PM (career-high) pic.twitter.com/I6NXF3J9Y6
The four-time NBA All-Star’s dynamic personal stretch started last December 17, 2022 in which he dropped 58 points in a 118-114 win and then followed it up with a 52-point game last January that resulted in a 123-109 Suns dub.
D-Book already had 24 points in the opening frame and almost single-handedly outscored the entire New Orleans squad as the Suns raced to a 46-28 lead.
He finished with 37 markers, six triples, and five dimes in the opening half.
D-Book was ON FIRE in the first half!
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 2, 2024
🔥 37 PTS (14/19 FG)
🔥 6 3PM
🔥 5 AST pic.twitter.com/kI5paNbtDV
The Suns led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter, but the Pelicans trimmed the deficit with a 20-8 run to trail 103-90 entering the fourth quarter.
After CJ McCollum’s triple cut Phoenix’s lead to 115-108 with 2:46 left in the final frame, Booker drained back-to-back dagger buckets within 36 seconds of the final two minutes that iced the game.
A 50-PIECE FOR DEVIN BOOKER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PAkckvBp5x
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 2, 2024
Kevin Durant added 20 points while Jusuf Nurkic added 19 for the Suns, who now hold a 2-0 season series lead over New Orleans.
Both teams will play again for their final regular season match in Phoenix next week.
Zion Williamson led the way for the Pelicans with 30 points and five assists with Trey Murphy III adding 21 markers and 15 from McCollum.
Zion assist, Trey 3 🎯 pic.twitter.com/Vqbl1FXTv8
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 2, 2024
New Orleans got outrebounded, 49-37, but pounded the Suns inside with 18-point paint points with their biggest lead being just two points after scoring the first bucket of the game via Jonas Valanciunas.
The Suns (44-31) hope to continue to rise in the standings and avoid the play-in tournament when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers (45-30) next as the Pelicans (45-30) look to bounce back with the Orlando Magic (44-31) coming up.
