Devin Booker wastes no time in calling out officials after Lakers-Suns, posts IG story on controversial game-altering call
Devin Booker wasted no time in putting the game officials on blast following the Phoenix Suns' 103-106 loss to the LA Lakers in the quarterfinals of the in-season tournament on Tuesday.
In the game's dying moments, the Suns had forced a turnover from Austin Reaves following an inbounds pass from LeBron James, only for the officials to grant the Lakers a timeout despite them having lost possession.
The incident proved to be a pivotal moment. It swung the momentum back in the Lakers' favor and denied the Suns an opportunity to get into a set action and create a scoring opportunity.
The decision to award the timeout was incredibly controversial, and Booker wasn't pleased with how things unfolded.
With the score being so close, Booker has every right to feel aggrieved. The Lakers had lost possession, so a timeout shouldn't have been granted. If things had played out correctly, the Suns could have won the game in regulation or forced overtime to give themselves a chance of securing a victory.
To exacerbate matters, the quarter-finals are part of the in-season tournament's knock-out phase. The Suns' loss has eliminated them from contention and cost them a trip to Las Vegas, where they could have played in the semi-finals against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Devin Booker had a tough game against the LA Lakers
Devin Booker will likely be displeased with his performance against the LA Lakers. The star guard struggled to produce at his usual level, especially in terms of scoring and taking care of the rock. Booker ended the contest with seven turnovers and shot just 37.5%.
Overall, Booker produced a statline of 21 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block to go along with his seven fumbles. He shot 37.5% from the field and took just one attempt from the perimeter (which he scored.)
The referee's late-game mistake certainly had an impact on the final outcome of the game. However, Devin Booker's poor production hurt Phoenix's offense throughout the night and was likely a more prominent factor in their loss. Without Bradley Beal in the rotation, Booker and Kevin Durant needed to shoulder a significant scoring load.
Following their loss to the Lakers, the Suns face the Sacramento Kings on Friday, as both quarterfinal losers turn their attention back to the regular season and making the playoffs.