"I'm not surprised” – Kevin Durant on Devin Booker’s 47-point game
On Friday night, Kevin Durant had a front-row seat to a masterclass from Devin Booker. As the team picked up a much-needed win on their home court to bring the series to 2-1, Booker scored a whopping 47 points on an astounding 20-25 from the field.
What made Booker's performance so unique was the fact that he shot just two free throws all game. On the flip side, Kevin Durant, who struggled from the floor as he went 12-31, shot a whopping 16 free throws. While many were impressed, and even surprised by Booker's performance, Durant wasn't surprised.
Given that Booker's career-high is 70 points, Durant knows full well what he's capable of. During the post-game press conference, Kevin Durant was asked if he learned anything about Booker during the postseason to which the former MVP replied:
"I mean I've been following him since he was in high school, so since he was a junior in high school, he came to my camp, he was a junior I think. And just been following him ever since then keeping an eye on him. And then when he had that 70-point game that's when I was really like, 'alright I need to look at his box score every night.'
"That's really what it is for me, checking guy's box scores every night and then checking out highlights afterwards, so it's been like that for five or six years with Book so I'm not surprised that he can go off and do this. I'm not going to expect 20 for 25 every night but I know that he can reach that level and when he does it's no surprise."
Kevin Durant's struggles in the Phoenix Suns win
Despite the fact that Booker had a superhuman night from the floor, Kevin Durant seemed to struggle. In addition to his 12-31 from the field, KD shot just 1-5 from beyond the arc.
Durant wasn’t the only Phoenix Sun to struggle, however. Starting center Deandre Ayton had a rough night as well. Over 25 minutes played, Ayton went just 2-6 from the floor, scoring four points and hauling down nine boards.
Late in the game it became clear that head coach Monty Williams needed to shake things up. He pulled Ayton, and replaced him with Jock Landale, who also wound up finishing with nine rebounds in just 22 minutes.
After the game, Ayton took a page out of Dillon Brooks' playbook, leaving before he had the chance to speak to media members. Of course, as Kevin Durant and the rest of the team are well aware, this wasn't the first time Ayton and Monty Williams have found each other at odds.
Earlier this season the duo were involved in a rather heated exchange that made headlines. Although both downplayed the heated back-and-forth, fans have wondered if the latest benching could reignite the tensions.
With Game 4 on tap for Sunday, Kevin Durant and the rest of the team will be looking to keep the momentum rolling in hopes of tying the series.