“Devin Booker had the audacity, the unmitigated gall to mock a clearly superior player” - Nick Wright says the pressure is ramping up on Devin Booker and former ROTY
It's been a rollercoaster ride for Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns, who were favorites to win their second-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Suns started the series on a high, securing wins in Games 1 and 2 by solid margins. While some were referring to them as winners of the series, others were certain it was going to end in a sweep. Game 3 told a different tale as the Mavs clinched their first win in the series and went on to tie the series in Game 4.
The Suns, however, responded with a 30-point blowout win in Game 5 and were looking formidable. One more win and they would have advanced to the Western Conference finals to take on whoever wins between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Mavs, on the other hand, were not going to fold their hands in Game 6 as they forced a Game 7 by securing a 27-point win on Thursday.
"It's not just that the Mavs have the best player in the series, the Mavs best player is better than the Suns best two players combined. ... Do you feel that? It's the vise tightening on Devin Booker & Chris Paul. A lot of pressure on the Suns for Game 7." — @getnickwright https://t.co/060aAV5lcP
The pressure is on the best team in the league to win the series and Nick Wright agrees. The analyst stated that Booker and Chris Paul are under pressure for Game 7. He also claimed that Luka Doncic is the best player in the series and he is better than both the Suns' best two players in Booker and Paul.
"It's not just that the Mavs have the best player in the series, the Mavs best player is better than the Suns best two players combined," Wright said. "Devin Booker had the audacity, the unmitigated gall to mock a clearly superior player."
Can Devin Booker step up and secure the series for the Phoenix Suns?
Devin Booker has had a somewhat quiet playoff run as compared to his regular season display. The three-time All-Star was expected to show up in the playoffs.
His performance thus far has been a letdown to fans and pundits. He has averaged 24.7 points per game, having missed three outings. His absence was due to a hamstring injury he sustained in Game 2 against the New Orleans Pelicans.
As I just reported on NBA Today with host @malika_andrews: Suns star Devin Booker is expected to miss a few games with his left hamstring injury, per sources. It's considered minor, and Suns plan to err on side of caution with a long way to go for a team with title hopes.
His best performance this postseason came in Game 4 against the Mavs. He posted 35 points, four rebounds and seven assists.
However, it was not enough to get the Suns the win, as the Mavs secured a 10-point margin by the end of the game. Whether Booker will step up and get his team the win in Game 7 is yet to be known.