The Phoenix Suns lost their third game to the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving Devin Booker and team with an 0-3 deficit in their first-round series.
In Saturday’s game in Phoenix, OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 42 points in a 121-109 triumph. The Thunder also won without their second scoring choice, Jalen Williams, who is out with a Grade 1 left hamstring injury.
However, Ajay Mitchell stepped in for Williams and contributed 15 points in the victory. Chet Holmgren recorded 10 points and seven rebounds, while Alex Caruso came off the bench to score 13 points.
Phoenix had outstanding performances from Dillon Brooks, who scored 33 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Jalen Green, who contributed 26 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Devin Booker went 6-for-16, scoring 16 points with seven assists and four rebounds in the defeat.
At a postgame press conference, a reporter inquired about Booker’s views on the $35,000 NBA punishment he incurred for his remarks following Game 2, in which he denounced the officiating, naming James Williams for multiple fouls. One of them was an inexplicable technical penalty issued to him, which the league afterwards repealed.
“I read it as, ‘You were correct, but you can’t tell anyone,'” Booker explained. When questioned about the league’s fine and technical penalties, he replied.
In a follow-up question, Booker was asked about his reaction to a play involving Lu Dort after seeing video of the action. It happened early in the third quarter, when Booker made a backdoor cut to the basket and fell over Dort’s foot.
After that, Dort seemed to raise his hand as if acknowledging guilt. Booker suffered a leg injury and had to leave the game briefly, but he recovered and returned to play. During his press conference, he said that his ankle was “fine” following the match.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott stated after the game that he thought he “saw him raise his hand as a foul live” and then reviewed the play on video.
“Whatever the case—whether or not it was a foul—he raises his hand, suggesting that something occurred. And then, for your finest player to be sidelined in these kinds of games, those are significant decisions or swings,” Ott told journalists.
Booker said he did not “want to make it a thing,” adding, “It’s not the first time it’s occurred, and likely not the last. ” You know, you just have to deal with it. “
Regardless of the refereeing, the Suns are presently down 0-3, with the Thunder just one victory away from sweeping them out of the playoffs. However, Booker acknowledged that his squad has to discover methods to stop Gilgeous-Alexander and that the Thunder are the champions for a purpose, owing to their powerful attack and defense.
Game 4 will begin on Monday night at 8:30 p. m. Eastern Standard Time in Phoenix, with NBC and Peacock broadcasting live television and streaming.
