"I was at the crib hurting": Devin Booker cites missing MSG game last season behind dominant performance
Devin Booker lit up Madison Square Garden with an assertive performance to help the Kevin Durant-less Phoenix Sums edge out the New York Knicks 116-113 on Sunday.
The guard contributed 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists to help his side win their seventh game in a row. On his part, Booker believed that missing the last game at the Garden was the reason behind his dominant outing.
To quickly recap, Booker missed the last encounter between the two teams in January, which ended with NY registering a blowout 102-83 win. This time around, he was ready to lace up after missing a significant chunk of the season.
On Sunday, he buried the Knicks with a game-winning dagger from beyond the arc with 1.7 seconds remaining on the clock.
Speaking to the reporters in the aftermath of the win, Booker explained his motivation behind playing hard:
"My family is in town, I have some close friends. "I missed MSG last year. I was at the crib hurting, just thinking about it. We came in here on a streak and to continue the streak."
Prior to the play, Jalen Brunson tied the score in the previous possession with 21.9 seconds left as he whizzed past Jusuf Nurkic. However, Booker showed that there was plenty of time for him to switch off a dribble handoff and sink it in.
Devin Booker has been propping up the numbers despite missing significant game time
Devin Booker's knee injury saw him miss nine of the Suns' 17 games, but in the matchups he did lace up for, he showcased his rich vein of form, averaging 29.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 8.9 assists.
With Bradley Beal yet to play for the side and Kevin Durant missing his second game in a row, the onus was on the shooting guard to deliver on Sunday.
Knicks' forward Julius Randle shared his two cents on Booker's game-winning 3:
“He just made a great shot,” Randle said. “Fading out of bounds. Three-pointer over two people. You got to tap him on the butt and say great shot. Ain’t really much you can do."
The win sees Devin Booker and the Suns go 11-6 and take third place in the Western Conference standings. Up next, they play the Toronto Raptors in an away game, followed by a clash against the Denver Nuggets at home.