Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns reacts after making a basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Philadelphia. (Photo AP / Matt Slocum)
“That’s why Book is who he is.”
In all three quarters, the second-year Matisse Thybulle wing of the Philadelphia 76ers was doing the best job I’ve ever seen someone defending Phoenix Suns All-Star Guard Devin Booker.
Booker was 3 out of 10 on the field, Thybulle blocking his jumper twice and not giving Booker too much space to breathe. Along with the extra defensive attention from the defenders that Booker is used to, he had a tough test.
But, as Chris Paul said above, Booker played “winning basketball” in the final two minutes to play and close the store when he needed to win 116-113 over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Booker had 19 points, eight of them in the last 2:03 when the Suns started with six. It was the return of the evil man who solidified in the bubbles as one of the most important closing players in the game, making entirely self-created races to close a door that was still leaking through the daylight for the 76ers.
His spurt was tied by the 76ers, a 9-8 lead for Philly, but Booker was the reason the 76ers never reached three points in possession until the last game of the game.
The first bucket came right inside the three-point line, where Booker used a screen from Deandre Ayton to separate enough from George Hill.
Again, Suns head coach Monty Williams brought a screen for Booker, this time at Ayton’s elbow.
Ayton’s screen got a piece of Thybulle, who was in a bad place recovering back, and Booker took advantage with a beautiful and patient tactical shot to extend the advantage to six.
After Embiid responded quickly, the Suns recovered a mistake by Paul, and everything from the entrance was shot by Booker.
Maybe this was why 76ers found an unusual amount of space for his snappy footwork.
He waved both fingers on the 76ers bench, letting them know better luck next time.
“It doesn’t matter if he’s 0 for 20, I still think his next photos will come in,” Mikal Bridges said of Booker.
“He took the photos in time, he still wants her,” Paul said.
After that shot by Booker, the 76ers hit another 3, Booker made both free throws, the 76ers countered again with a 3 and then Paul was on the line with the Suns leading with two and 0.8 seconds left .
Paul buried the first and, with a three-point lead, intended to make the second.
He missed, Joel Embiid grabbed the rebound, threw it 80 feet to the opponent’s basket and the ball went in and out almost for the most incredible play of the NBA season.
“Just one of those things that could have made a very long flight, a long night and not too much sleep,” Williams said.
Booker ended the night with seven assists, as Thybulle did a great job, making him repel the shots, and the 76ers defense continued to come out of the shooters to give Booker less room.
The win for the Suns came against a 76ers team missing three starters: Seth Curry, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris.
With this information presented, you could assume that this was another case where the Suns were reduced to their competition, but it was an excellent effort.
They did a great job on Embiid, forcing him to participate in eight of Sixers’ 16 turnovers. Much of it was Ayton, who had a second consecutive game of doing an excellent job limiting an MVP caliber opponent.
This is the part where we reach Embiid, with 38 more points and 17 rebounds, because he is a superstar and an absolutely unstoppable force.
“I thought YES made it very hard, he’s just an unreal player,” Williams said of Embiid.
“Jo is tough. It’s so tough. He can score in every way possible, ”added Paul, who also said that Ayton did an excellent job competing.
At times, the Suns faced Embiid and also stopped Ayton on the ball screens, casting different glances at Philadelphia’s only reliable offensive option with those key players out.
Phoenix could have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise.
It’s unfair to mention Paul late, because the 28 points and eight assists kept the Suns in him. Although it was a good win in which the Suns played well, it is not in their efforts in the top 10 of the season, but it was one of those nights when Paul was not going to allow his team to lose.
Paul scored five points in each of the opening quarters before eight in the third and 10 in the fourth. He also didn’t have a turnover, continuing this absurd race he has in April now, with 102 assists and only 13 turnovers in his last 11 games.
Paul’s buckets were a little extra to make the team the team needed while Booker struggled, and he and his support team hit the shots in a timely manner to keep the Sixers close and never allow them. to drive by more than two in the second half.
Cam Johnson scored 15 points, replacing injured Jae Crowder in the second half, and Mikal Bridges added 18 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks. The two have been outstanding throughout the game, and Phoenix is a different team when it comes to it.
Jevon Carter hesitated a bit in the first three quarters, bringing back his quote from two weeks ago, when he said that everyone, from the coach to the training staff, tells him to shoot the ball.
He blocked it in the fourth, turning a trio of 3 into less than three minutes for all nine of his points.
“Our boys were upset with JC when he refused a few shots and then took her in the corner and it was great to see our boys rallying around him tearing down those blows,” Williams said.
Sixers also received those types of contributions, which is why, in the end, it was a back-and-forth adventure, instead of the Suns, who drove 10-plus all along. Danny Green (18 points), Tyrese Maxey (14), Furkan Korkmaz (12) and George Hill (11) were doubles for Philadelphia.
Dario Saric continued to search for the Suns, especially in defense, where he made five mistakes in 18 minutes.
It got to the point in the last few weeks that Williams might have to consider a change, whether it’s the return of Frank Kaminsky in rotation or going small with an attack at 5. This is a really tough decision. difficult for Williams to take, as you would think he wants to use this time to get Saric back before the playoffs, but when is the right time to pay the bail and let the alternative use that time to find a flow?
Ayton had 10 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. He did well on Embiid, and while his high-impact performance wasn’t there elsewhere in the first three quarters, he made a few huge plays in the fourth, including an offensive rebound that led to the first shot that Booker hit. hit that eight- increase the point.