Devin Booker’s extraordinary performance on Friday wasn’t sufficient to secure a victory for the Phoenix Suns, as they fell to the Indiana Pacers with a final score of 133-131.
The 27-year-old concluded the game with an impressive 62 points, marking the second instance in his career where he surpassed the 60-point mark. His field goal accuracy stood at 59.5 percent, including a 6-12 record from beyond the three-point line.
PACERS SPOIL DBOOK 62 PT GAME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Kv0yEy1YX2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 27, 2024
Booker’s scoring spree began with a remarkable 29 points in the opening quarter, hitting 10 of his first 14 shots, including four three-pointers. In doing so, he set a new Suns record for the highest-scoring individual quarter in franchise history, surpassing his own previous record.
Despite maintaining a nine-point lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Suns were unable to secure the win against a Pacers team missing All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
That stat line and KD decided to take this with Booker at 62 pic.twitter.com/KuUSTzdaPk
— kevin humpherys (@kevin_humpherys) January 27, 2024
In the absence of significant contributions from other players on the Phoenix roster during the late stages of the game, Booker took responsibility for the team’s final eight points. Kevin Durant added 20 points of his own, making 9-16 shots, but missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with less than 30 seconds left in the game.
NBA enthusiasts criticized the lack of support for the three-time All-Star, with many expressing disappointment in the team’s overall performance. The defeat brought an end to Phoenix’s seven-game winning streak, and with the team currently on a road trip, they face a challenging schedule with five more away games before returning to Footprint Center on Feb. 6.
